The Federal Trade Commission is holding the third session of the Hearings initiative, an event co-sponsored with the Global Antitrust Institute and held at the Antonin Scalia Law School of George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia, on October 15-17, 2018.
The three-day event will examine the potential for collusive, exclusionary, and predatory conduct in multi-sided, technology-based platform industries. The sessions will also examine antitrust frameworks for evaluating acquisitions of nascent competitors or occurring in nascent markets, including in the technology and digital marketplace; and the approach to addressing antitrust issues regarding labor markets.
The Commission invites public comment on these issues, including, the questions listed below.
Multi-Sided Platforms (October 15, 16, and 17):
- What are the defining characteristics of multi-sided platforms? Is there a way to distinguish between multi-sided and single-sided businesses? Are any adjustments to antitrust analysis necessary to account for any special characteristics of multi-sided businesses?
- How should the courts and agencies define relevant antitrust markets and measure market power for multi-sided platform businesses?
- What is the relevance of network effects (direct and indirect) in multi-sided platform markets?
- How should the courts and agencies evaluate exclusionary conduct by firms competing in multi-sided platform markets, including predatory pricing, vertical restraints, most-favored nation clauses, and actions to undermine rivals who depend on platform infrastructure?
- Are there unique procompetitive justifications for these types of conduct by firms competing in multi-sided platform markets?
- What is the relevant legal precedent for evaluating antitrust concerns related to multi-sided platform businesses?
The list of speakers on Monday include a welcome from Commissioner Rohit Chopra. Followed by David S. Evans from the Global Economics Group speaking on The Economics of Multi-Sided Platforms. The hearings continue with Catherine Tucker from MIT on Network Effects in Multi-Sided Platforms. The FTC provided a detailed agenda in a PDF which can be accessed HERE.
Featured News
French Regulator Meat-Cutting Sector Case Following Antitrust Review
May 15, 2024 by
CPI
Arizona Attorney General Files Suit Against Amazon Over Unfair Business Practices
May 15, 2024 by
CPI
Varsity Spirit and Private Equity Owners Settle Class Action Antitrust Suit
May 15, 2024 by
CPI
US Senators Present AI Strategy, Call for Funding Surge
May 15, 2024 by
CPI
Hausfeld Strengthens Competition Bench with Key Hires in London and Germany
May 15, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Ecosystems
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Mapping Antitrust onto Digital Ecosystems
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Ecosystems and Competition Law: A Law and Political Economy Approach
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Ecosystem Theories of Harm: What is Beyond the Buzzword?
May 9, 2024 by
CPI
Open Ecosystems: Benefits, Challenges, and Implications for Antitrust
May 9, 2024 by
CPI