Algorithms: How they can reduce competition and harm consumers 2021 (CMA)

A research paper from the CMA

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 25 March 2022

• Category: Ad hoc research
• Original publisher: Competition and Markets Authority
• Research area: Advertising and marketing, Financial services, Future connectivity and internet, Media and entertainment, Retail and digital commerce and Technology
• Research topic: Adtech, Application programming interface, Artificial intelligence, Data and AI and Data privacy, access and control
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  Digital economy, General and vertical search, News and publishing, Online retail, Personalisation algorithm, Regtech, Safety and harms, Social media and instant messaging, and TV, video and on-demand
• Research publish date: 19 January 2021

Abstract

The paper identifies potential harms to competition and consumers from the use of algorithms, focusing on those the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) or other national competition or consumer authorities may be best placed to address. These include direct harms to consumers, such as personalisation of prices and other aspects of online choice architecture. They also include harms to competition, such as the use of algorithms to exclude competitors (for example, to facilitate self-preferencing) and the potential for algorithms to facilitate collusion. The paper also summarises techniques that could be used to analyse algorithmic systems and the role of regulators in addressing these harms.

Citation

CMA, Algorithms: How they can reduce competition and harm consumers (2021) [online] Available at: Algorithms: How they can reduce competition and harm consumers [Accessed on 4 February 2022]

Link

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/algorithms-how-they-can-reduce-competition-and-harm-consumers

Published 25 March 2022