ABA Webinar Exploring Antitrust Concerns with Digital Self-preferencing Behaviors Summarized by Analysis Group’s Juliette Caminade and Juan Carvajal
May 16, 2023
Analysis Group Vice President Juliette Caminade and Manager Juan Carvajal, together with Kathy Hong (White & Case), have published a recap of the ABA webinar “Self-preferencing: Is tech different than brick and mortar?” on the ABA’s Antitrust Law Section website. The two economists summarize a discussion among panelists, including Kevin Adam (White & Case), Adam Gitlin (Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia), and Analysis Group academic affiliate Christopher Knittel (MIT). The webinar was moderated by Dr. Caminade and hosted by the ABA’s Media and Technology, Pricing Conduct, and State Enforcement Committees.
Dr. Caminade and Dr. Carvajal summarize the panelists’ discussion of the current regulatory landscape of self-preferencing, factors cited as reasons that self-preferencing by digital platforms has raised antitrust concerns, and the potential effects of proposed regulations. Dr. Caminade opened the discussion by naming the common types of self-preferencing behaviors that have raised regulatory concerns. The panelists then went on to explore proposed regulations designed to address these issues. They then compared self-preferencing behaviors by digital platforms to those of traditional brick-and-mortar companies. The discussion concluded with panelists discussing their own concerns over the potential impact of proposed regulations.
The following two articles offer additional information on the topic of self-preferencing:
An Economic Analysis of the Self-Preferencing Debate
The Intersection of Self-Preferencing and Pricing Practices in the Digital World