EPC Signs up to Principles for Platform Fairness

On 17 February 2020, an informal group of 20 companies and trade associations published a set of ‘Platform Fairness Principles’, to which they believe globally dominant platforms should adhere in order to ensure fair competition and consumer choice online. The Platform Fairness Principles aim to frame the policy debate in Brussels about globally dominant platforms which have become “gatekeepers”, engaging in unfair practices and tilting the playing field in their own favour. Such conduct is harming competition, innovation and consumers in Europe. The Principles are aimed at providing direction to the European Commission as it develops its new digital agenda.

Angela Mills Wade, Executive Director of the European Publishers Council said: “The EPC is supporting the Fairness Principles launched today because a few multi-billion-dollar non-EU companies act as default gateways to reach EU citizens as they consume news content, information and entertainment. This creates direct and harmful economic consequences for the future of media and publishing through the dominance of these players; in particular, in data collection, either through the online digital advertising market dominated by Google and Facebook, or via the App Stores, dominated by Apple and Google. They define themselves as ‘big tech’ so they can delegate their responsibilities to their algorithms, implying always that their only recourse to intervention is through technical means. Instead we call on these globally dominant platforms to play fair, and to adhere to these basic principles of good conduct which will lead to better outcomes for all participants in the digital platform economy.”

For the full position, follow this link.