Platform Contracts: Legal Framework and User Protection

Abstract

Digital platforms are a very important economic reality, also in consideration of the epidemiological emergency which has increased online daily transactions. When we talk about digital markets, we refer to the transformation of the markets, induced by the exploitation and use of new technologies, in which digital contracts are an increasingly widespread phenomenon. This paper aims to give some hints about such issue and its legal framework. There are different elements to be considered: contract requirements, weaker party protection, sharing economy and some issue about the so-called “zero price economy”. In short, the paper summarises some profiles of legal relevance of such topical and wide subject. Keywords: Digital single market; Platform contracts; Sharing economy; Weaker party protection; Zero price economy.