Digital markets, data, and privacy: competition law, consumer law and data protection

This contribution analyses the privacy concerns in the digital economy from an economics perspective. The digitalisation of the economy with data as the new critical resource requires adaptation of the relevant legal framework. As regards competition policy, consumer policy, and data protection policy the question is how these policies might help remedy market failures concerning privacy rights and privacy preferences of individuals, and how a more integrated regulatory approach can be developed. The new economics of privacy helps explain the complex trade-off problems between benefits and the costs of privacy and disclosure.