數位經濟時代下的競爭法問題—以雙邊市場理論的角度出發

Abstract

在過去的數十年間，數位經濟不斷發展，除了促使許多傳統產業的轉型以外；也有許多企業順應趨勢，發展出創新的商業模式，時至今日，某些企業甚已成為獨霸一方的科技巨頭。而這些企業的興盛，也確實改變人們以往的生活習慣，但同時也引發許多法律層面上的討論，諸如消費者保護、資訊安全以及本文所欲討論之競爭法爭議。 若細論這些科技巨頭的商業模式，其中處處可見「平台」的影子，諸如透過媒合各群體間的需求來獲利、透過網路效應來增加自身在市場中的競爭優勢等。而這種平台營運模式上的特性，在早期的經濟學上時常被忽略，故當討論到平台所引發的競爭法問題時，若使用以往的經濟學工具分析平台的行為，則有產生錯誤的可能。因此，執法機關及法院在面對科技巨頭所引發之競爭法疑慮時，要如何避免不當執法的結果，則是十分重要的課題，也是本文所欲討論的核心。 本文首先整理出在數位經濟時代下比較具有代表性的平台企業，從商業管理的角度討論其營運模式以及其與傳統事業的差別。再者，本文將介紹以往經濟學界在討論平台模式的特性時已行之有年的雙邊市場理論，並對於平台所可能遇到的競爭法爭議逐一說明。接著，本文則整理過往美國、歐盟曾發生過的競爭法案例，歸納執法機關及法院對於平台營運模式或雙邊市場理論的見解，之後在分別分析這些案例所引發的相關討論。最後，本文則回到我國本身，分析我國法上曾發生過的相關案例，研究執法機關對於平台營運模式或雙邊市場理論的態度為何，比較其與外國法之差異後，再進一步提供未來主管機關在執法時的參考建議。

With the constant development of digital economy in the past ten years, traditional industries have been transformed and innovative enterprises have also created new business models. Nowadays, some of them even became tech giants and changed our daily life. The rising of tech giants also lead to lots of legal issues, such as consumer protection, personal data protection, and the antitrust issues. This thesis focuses on the controversy issues of antitrust. In order to discuss these innovative business model, it is hard to ignore the presence of the “platform”, such as profit from meeting the demands between members of the two distinct customer groups or increase platform’s market strength through network effect. The early economic studies seldom acknowledge the multi-sided platform. It is no surprise that the platform related legal issues lack of proper economic analysis tools. It is crucial for the court and FTC to avoid getting wrong results while facing the concerns on antitrust issues caused by tech giants. Therefore, the main concept of this thesis is to state out the appropriate way when facing multi-sided platform related antitrust issues. The thesis first come up with an overview of some of the most representative platform industries in the age of digital economy. Therefore, the thesis compares their business model with traditional enterprises from a business management point of view. Next, the thesis discussed about the concept of two-sided markets, which is a commonly used theory in economics for platform. Past cases of antitrust from the U.S. and EU are then being discussed. The opinions on the business model of platform and two-sided markets by the court and law enforcement authority are also listed along with further associated discussions. At last, the thesis focuses back on analyzing similar cases from Taiwan, and the opinions by FTC. After comparing the different attitude of platform and two-sided markets between Taiwan and the U.S. and EU, the thesis provides some advice for FTC when facing the antitrust issues caused by platforms.