The Competition Commission South Africa‘s Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry (“MDPMI“) started on 4 March and ends on 22 March 2023. The Competition Commission initiated the MDPMI in terms of section 43B(1)(a) of the Competition Act 89 of 1998 (as amended). The Inquiry focuses on examining the distribution of media content on South Africa’s digital platforms and the AdTech markets that connect buyers and sellers of digital advertising inventory.
In a significant development, which will likely have significant influence on the South African inquiry’s outcome, the French Competition Authority (FCA) imposed a €250 million fine on Google for the way it conducted negotiations regarding licensing agreements under neighbouring rights, with 280 French press publishers – covering more than 450 publications. The FCA says it imposed the fine because of Google’s non-compliance with commitments it made arising from an FCA decision in 2022.
You can get an in-depth background and history of the matter here: Related rights: the Autorité fines Google €250 million | Autorité de la concurrence.
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