Kookmin University Platform SME Research Center published the report "Issues of the online platform act and analysis of industrial structure" on the 27th.
The research center said it prepared this report to analyze the recent expansion of discussions on regulating online platforms from the perspective of industrial structure and to explore future policy directions.
The report set as its backdrop the growing social demand for regulation after the Tmon and WEMAKEPRICE INC. settlement delay incident and major platform personal data leaks. The research center analyzed cases of regulatory adoption in six countries, including the European Union (EU), the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and China, to examine how platform regulation affects the broader ecosystem.
The analysis found that overseas, negative effects emerged after platform regulations were introduced, including some deterioration in consumer convenience and market efficiency. In the EU, which implemented the Digital Markets Act (DMA), consumer convenience declined as the time spent searching for online content increased after regulation. Analyses also noted a potential rise in small businesses' marketing expense due to reduced advertising efficiency and fewer direct visits via platforms. A trend of declining new business entry and investment scale after regulation was also observed.
Citing overseas cases, the research center emphasized that if the online platform act is implemented domestically, the possibility of unforeseen side effects should be fully considered. It said that as AI transformation (AX) accelerates and the competitiveness of the platform industry is directly tied to national competitiveness, designing policies that promote the industry's sustainable development is crucial.
Kim Do-hyun, head of the Kookmin University Platform SME Research Center, said, "For the sustainable growth of the platform industry, self-regulation that reflects market characteristics is more effective than uniform regulation," adding, "If we build a virtuous-cycle ecosystem of co-prosperity based on self-regulation, we can expect healthy growth of the domestic platform industry."
The Kookmin University Platform SME Research Center is a specialized research institute established to support the growth of digital merchants and to create a healthy platform ecosystem. The center conducts data analysis, policy proposals, and research and education projects for digital merchants.