The event is hosted by the Pembroke Blackstone Society and the Oxford Centre for Competition Law and Policy | Pembroke Alumnus Richard Eccles & Thomas Jones, Bird & Bird

This event will compare and contrast the approaches of the UK Government's expert panel and Australia's competition regulator to the fascinating question of whether, and how, digital platforms exercise market power. At the heart of that question is how digital platforms acquire and use consumers' data and the complex algorithms that determine how consumers experience, and interact with, those platforms.

The ACCC's 2018 draft report raises issues of substantial market power held by digital platforms, in particular Google and Facebook, and lack of transparency over the operation of algorithms and how consumers' data is used, and makes eleven preliminary recommendations on competition law and regulatory reforms.  Its final report is expected in July. 

The UK expert panel is required by its terms of reference to assess the impact of accumulation and concentration of data in a small number of operators, how artificial intelligence may impact competition policy and what tools competition authorities need to address digital market issues. It is expected to report back early this year.