Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/313372 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Citation: 
[Journal:] Electronic Markets [ISSN:] 1422-8890 [Volume:] 32 [Issue:] 2 [Publisher:] Springer [Place:] Berlin, Heidelberg [Year:] 2022 [Pages:] 459-471
Publisher: 
Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Abstract: 
Dominant American online platforms like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant have become Life Control Interfaces (LCIs) , which facilitate consumers’ online interactions and influence what consumers do and do not see and buy. These platforms operate outside of EU regulation, and create significant costs for traditional European firms in a wide range of industries. These platforms can reduce firms’ access to customers, can charge for enabling access to customers, or can charge for access to essential data on firms’ customers. Since these platforms enjoy monopoly power there is little restraint on their charges, which indirectly increase consumers’ prices. We propose that regulators encourage the formation of a consortium to offer a single integrated EU-based Life Control Interface (EuLCI). This consortium would increase the number of EuLCIs from zero to one, and thus would actually increase consumer choice. We call cooperation that enhances rather than limits choice The Cooperation Paradox .
Subjects: 
Life control interfaces
Online competition
Online cooperation and consortia
Online gateways
Online monopoly regulation
Online platform regulation
JEL: 
D40
K24
L86
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article
Document Version: 
Published Version

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