COMPETITION ACT
TRUDI MAKHAYA: Will SA’s monopoly culture shift in 2018?
Competition policy activism is set to top the economic agenda in 2018, not just in SA but globally. Nigeria and Australia are among the countries that have sought to introduce or revitalise the ways in which they protect open markets. The "techlash" against Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and other technology giants is playing out in Washington DC, an increasing number of US states and the EU. This pushback against big tech’s power is playing out in one prominent front: the antitrust or competition policy arena. The tech giants are accused of anticompetitive behaviour, with heavy penalties emerging out of the EU Competition Commission. There are concerns over network effects that raise barriers to entry. Within the US, where the charge has so far been less aggressive, antitrust activism is on the rise, with proposed legislation to curb the market power of the main technology platforms. According to The Economist, "M" for monopolist is this era’s scarlet letter. Not long ago, argumen...
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