Digital Markets Unit

History

2020: The authorities of Britain create the regulator of the market of online platforms

At the end of November, 2020 it became known that the government of Great Britain creates division on the digital markets (Digital Markets Unit). It will be concentrated on regulation of online platforms with the right of imposing of penalties for violations of the law.

The new structure is created after Management on the competition and the markets, the antimonopoly authority of Great Britain, earlier in 2020 recommended to create a new regulatory framework for management of online platforms of large operators, such as Facebook and Google. Then the regulator said that "the existing laws are not suitable for effective regulation".

The government of Great Britain is created the regulator of the market of online platforms

The division on the digital markets will be responsible for providing that online platforms which as it is considered, have "the considerable power in the market" corresponded to the new normative code of behavior which undergoes implementation process. This code of behavior as reported the government of Great Britain in the press release, can demand from such companies as Facebook, to give to consumers an opportunity to refuse receiving the personalized advertizing. From technology giants can also be required to give consumers more information on how their data are used.

In situations when the technology companies do not observe the code of behavior, the new division has the right to impose penalties and to require from the companies of changes in business methods which do not conform to regulatory requirements. The division can also have the right to stop, block and cancel business solutions which do not correspond to the code of behavior. The British authorities did not publish the complete information about what powers and duties will be had by division on the digital markets.^[1]

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