DIGITAL DICHOTOMY

Where does one draw the line between protecting consumer interests and maintaining market freedom? Industry and experts are debating this even as the Digital Competition Bill seeks to rein in Big Tech firms in India, the world's second-largest internet market

- SURABHI

THE STORY SO FAR

The Competition Commission of India imposes penalties on Google, and is investigating practices by firms, including Apple and Meta

The Competition (Amendment) Act 2023 introduces provisions on penalties based on global turnover and deal value thresholds for M&A that will impact tech firms

The Standing Committee on Finance, in its report in December 2022 on anti-competitive practices by Big Tech firms, identifies 10 practices, including anti-steering provisions, bundling and tying; calls for a digital competition bill

The Ministry of Corporate  Affairs sets up a high-level committee in February 2023 to look into a digital competition law, submits report in March 2024

IT IS A fine line to tread. How does one protect consumer interests while maintaining the freedom of the markets? Industry, sectoral experts, and policymakers have been debating this vexing question for long but have found no easy answers yet. In the meantime, India is working on introducing a digital competition law that would have significant ramifications for a host of Big Tech firms—both domestic and foreign—including the likes of Google, Meta, Apple, Amazon, Uber, MakeMyTrip, and Zomato, to name a few.

Over the past few years, India has joined a number of jurisdictions globally to work on regulating competition in digital markets. Some of them are also weighing in on a separate legislation for the digital economy with