Algorithms: Can They Collude?

Posted on November 19, 2019December 13, 2019 by Tech Law Forum @ NALSAR

This piece has been authored by Lokesh Vyas, a fourth year law student at Institute of Law, Nirma University, Ahmedabad. Here, he gives a lucid explanation of issues posed by the increasing use of algorithms.

The Cloak of Algorithms

Unlike the traditional market, the digital economy does not have any geographical limits. Thus, there is fierce competition among all the players. However, due to the unequal availability of resources, it is becoming increasingly difficult for new aspirants to join the market. The use of pricing algorithms, presently adversely affects the present landscape of online retail.

‘Search Bias’ Under Indian Competition Law

Posted on August 6, 2019March 16, 2023 by Tech Law Forum @ NALSAR

The following post has been authored by Vishakha Singh Deshwal, an LLM candidate at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Studies (WBNUJS), Kolkata. Here she analyses an emerging issue at the intersection of technology and competition law.

Every enterprise wants its Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to appear among the top links on search engines because these links get the most clicks. Research reveals that the 10 highest-ranking generic search results on the first page together generally received approximately 95% of all clicks on generic search results.[1] While some enterprises pay huge advertisement costs to ensure that their links appear at the top (paid links), others resort to Search Engine Optimization (“SEO”) from a service like the SEO services in Provo
to acquire top spots among unpaid links. SEO may include regularly uploading quality content to the website, creating a user-friendly browsing experience, ensuring that the website is compatible with computers and hand-held devices, engaging in social media marketing, etc.

Metadata by TLF: Issue 2

Posted on July 30, 2019December 20, 2020 by Tech Law Forum @ NALSAR

Welcome to our fortnightly newsletter, where our editors put together handpicked stories from the world of tech law! You can find other issues here.

US Justice Department’s Big Tech Antitrust Scrutiny

The past month saw a slew of antitrust investigations being opened against big tech companies such as Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc. From the EU’s announcement of an investigation into Amazon’s use of third-party retailers’ data, to the CCI’s order against Google for abusing its dominance in the Android market—the wave against Big Tech’s threats to fair competition has spanned jurisdictions.

Google’s Commercial Dominance – the Problem of a ‘Free’ Economy

Posted on November 22, 2014July 7, 2024 by Kartik Chawla

(Image Source: https://flic.kr/p/oHcd72)

Just yesterday, the internet became abuzz with the news that the European Parliament (‘EP’) is pressurising the European Union (‘EU’) to break Google Search away from the rest of its services (such as Android, et al). We’ve covered Google’s antitrust woes with the EU on the TLF earlier. According to this Techdirt article here, the EP hasn’t really given any reasons for breaking up Google other than the fact that ‘it’s very big and very European’. (Of course, its powers to even take such actions are themselves quite suspect.)

Google and Antitrust: A Series of Unfortunate Events

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Veera Mahuli

(Image Source: https://flic.kr/p/92t8FA)

In its long series of antitrust woes, Google found itself facing an antitrust complaint filed by two Korean internet search sites a few years ago, accusing it of blocking third party search applications from the Android operating system, though it was later acquitted of the same. It was this complaint that later led to the European Union complaint. Preceding this, the internet giant was the subject of a complaint regarding Android filed with the European Commission by a Portuguese app store, Aptoide. Aptoide claimed abuse of its dominant position in the smartphone market by Google, accusing it of blocking third party app stores that rival its own app store (Google Play) in the Android operating setup. Thus, by creating obstacles for users to install any other app store but Play on the Android platform, Google ensures that there is no direct competition to it. Aptoide’s complaint also stated that the bundle services that are essential for the functioning of the Android system are tied up with Google Play and Google blocks access to Aptoide websites in its web browser Chrome