Mapping International Enquiries into the Power of Digital Platforms

Abstract

After the era of the 'Open Internet' and the 'Platformized Internet', we have entered into a third phase of Internet development where there is a growing focus upon: (1) the economic, political and communications power of digital platforms, and their impact upon workers, consumers, minorities, nation-states, civic discourse, and other media and media-related businesses; (2) questions of governance and responsible stewardship of interactions on digital platforms, and the future of self-regulatory frameworks (e.g. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in the U.S.); and (3) the roles and responsibilities of nation-states as regulatory actors in Internet governance, and their relationship to platform companies, multilateral agencies and agreements, and civil society organizations. As Philip Schlesinger has observed, there is a growing international 'regulatory field' emerging, albeit one that appears incoherent as it is characterized by disparate interventions by national policy and regulatory agencies motivated by different concerns, from antitrust and monopoly power to the future of news, to disinformation, hate speech, and online incitements to violence. This report will mark the first attempt to comprehensively map this emerging regulatory field. Using NVivo software to undertake a detailed textual analysis of 20 reports commissioned by governments in seven countries, as well as by the European Union and the United Nations, we identify common themes around issues such as competition in digital markets, content laws and moderation practices, digital rights, copyright, and the scope and limitations of industry self-regulation. It will mark a valuable resource for researchers, policy-makers and industry in observing both challenges and lessons from various jurisdictions around the world.