Category: Antitrust

Commission opens formal investigation into Amazon’s e-book distribution arrangements

European Commission – PRESS RELEASES – Press release – Antitrust: Commission opens formal investigation into Amazon’s e-book distribution arrangements

“The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into certain business practices by Amazon in the distribution of electronic books (“e-books”). The Commission will in particular investigate certain clauses included in Amazon’s contracts with publishers. These clauses require publishers to inform Amazon about more favourable or alternative terms offered to Amazon’s competitors and/or offer Amazon similarterms and conditions than to its competitors, or through other means ensure that Amazon is offered terms at least as good as those for its competitors.”

Posted from Diigo.

Pandora Wins Appeals Court Ruling on Ascap Royalty Rates – NYTimes.com

“In Pandora Media’s second victory against the music industry in a week, a federal appeals court affirmed a judge’s ruling about royalty rates for the millions of songs represented by Ascap.”

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European Commission – PRESS RELEASES – Press release – A Digital Single Market for Europe: Commission sets out 16 initiatives to make it happen

” three pillars: (1) better access for consumers and businesses to digital goods and services across Europe; (2) creating the right conditions and a level playing field for digital networks and innovative services to flourish; (3) maximising the growth potential of the digital economy.”
European Commission – PRESS RELEASES – Press release – Antitrust: Commission launches e-commerce sector inquiry

“The sector inquiry will focus particularly on potential barriers erected by companies to cross-border online trade in goods and services where e-commerce is most widespread such as electronics, clothing and shoes, as well as digital content. Knowledge gained through the sector inquiry will contribute to better enforcement of competition law in the e-commerce sector.”

Posted from Diigo.

Posted from Diigo.

Former E-Commerce Executive Charged with Price Fixing in the Antitrust Division’s First Online Marketplace Prosecution | OPA | Department of Justice
“According to the charge, Topkins and his co-conspirators agreed to fix the prices of certain posters sold in the United States through Amazon Marketplace. To implement their agreements, the defendant and his co-conspirators adopted specific pricing algorithms for the sale of certain posters with the goal of coordinating changes to their respective prices and wrote computer code that instructed algorithm-based software to set prices in conformity with this agreement.”

Posted from Diigo.

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether the proposed creation of a joint venture between three collective rights management organisations (CMOs) in the online licensing of musical works is in line with the EU Merger Regulation.

Posted from Diigo.

Posted from Diigo.

PI: Google denunciata per i suoi algoritmi: “Gli algoritmi di Google starebbero penalizzando le attività di Unilibro, sito dedicato alla commercializzazione di testi in particolare afferenti al mercato dell’editoria scolastica e universitaria: l’azienda sospetta che la responsabilità risieda nel malfunzionamento degli algoritmi del motore di Mountain View. Ha così denunciato un’anomalia che la metterebbe in una posizione di svantaggio rispetto alla concorrenza….”

Posted from Diigo.