The Power of Big Tech Corporations as Modern Bigness and a Vocabulary for Shaping Competition Law as Counter-power

Anna Gerbrandy; Pauline Phoa

doi:10.4324/9781003173632-11

The Power of Big Tech Corporations as Modern Bigness and a Vocabulary for Shaping Competition Law as Counter-power

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Competition law ensures the proper functioning of the market by countering the negative effects of corporate power. It traditionally measures this power and its effects based on economic parameters. However, the big corporations that shape our current digital platform economy wield power that significantly transcends the economic domain, reaching into politics, and the social and personal spheres. Their power manifests itself not just instrumentally, but also structurally and discursively. It therefore challenges traditional assumptions underlying competition law. This chapter proposes a refined taxonomy of power and recommends a new vocabulary to adequately understand and respond to big tech's ‘Modern Bigness.’

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Wealth and Power: Philosophical Perspectives
Editors	Michael Bennett, Huub Brouwer, Rutger Claassen
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
Chapter	9
Pages	166-176
Number of pages	11
ISBN (Electronic)	9781003173632
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003173632-11
Publication status	Published - 2022

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The Power of Big Tech Corporations as Modern Bigness and a Vocabulary for Shaping Competition Law as Counter-power. / Gerbrandy, Anna ; Phoa, Pauline.
Wealth and Power: Philosophical Perspectives . ed. / Michael Bennett; Huub Brouwer; Rutger Claassen. Taylor & Francis, 2022. p. 166-176.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review

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AB - Competition law ensures the proper functioning of the market by countering the negative effects of corporate power. It traditionally measures this power and its effects based on economic parameters. However, the big corporations that shape our current digital platform economy wield power that significantly transcends the economic domain, reaching into politics, and the social and personal spheres. Their power manifests itself not just instrumentally, but also structurally and discursively. It therefore challenges traditional assumptions underlying competition law. This chapter proposes a refined taxonomy of power and recommends a new vocabulary to adequately understand and respond to big tech's ‘Modern Bigness.’

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The Power of Big Tech Corporations as Modern Bigness and a Vocabulary for Shaping Competition Law as Counter-power

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