BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a5895a31913f DTSTART:20211105T130000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20211105T143000Z LOCATION:Online\, SUMMARY:Making Digital Markets Work for Consumers: Competition\, Consumer P rotection and Data CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Data have become an increasingly important economic and strateg ic resource\, further accentuated by the pandemic. At the same time\, the governance of data remains fragmented at best\, raising risks of lost oppo rtunities. In addition\, the global digital platforms are increasingly exp anding their control of global data value chains. This makes it ever more important to consider innovative governance approaches that reflect the mu ltiple and interlinked dimensions of data\, balance different interests an d needs\, in a way that supports inclusive and sustainable development wit h the full participation of all countries.\n\nThe digital economy\, partic ularly online platforms\, offer multiple benefits to both consumers and bu sinesses. However\, online platforms’ growing market power and its poten tial abuse pose serious challenges for both markets and consumers. Big pla tforms’ market power is entrenched due to data assets they have accumula ted over the years and this has created entry barriers to new entrepreneur s and start-ups thereby leading to monopolization of digital markets and t his trend cannot be reversed if digital platforms remain unregulated. Impl ications of abusive and anti-competitive practices by platforms for busine ss users is access to digital markets under fair terms and conditions.\n\n Consumers are increasingly aware of their right to privacy. Protecting con sumers’ personal data is becoming a growing priority for government agen cies\, consumer associations and businesses alike. Yet consumers are not s ufficiently aware about the collection and use of their data. Even when in formation is provided in a clear and understandable way\, consumers have n o choice but to accept terms and conditions imposed on them by online busi nesses\, if they want to continue using their services. While the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection encourage businesses to protec t consumers’ privacy through a combination of appropriate control\, secu rity\, transparency and consent mechanisms relating to the collection and use of their personal data\, more and more legislative initiatives are bei ng enacted to regulate this aspect of  consumers‘ daily life.\n\nThis o nline event will provide a global overview of the competition and consumer protection in relation to data protection in digital markets\; and discus s effective solutions to address the challenges by consumer and competitio n agencies in protecting consumers’ data and privacy from unfair and ant i-competitive business practices in digital markets. The meeting will be i nformed by the findings of UNCTAD’s Digital Economy Report 2021: Cross-b order Data Flows and Development: For Whom the Data Flow.\n\nQuestions for discussion:\n\n\nWhat are the emerging challenges to competition and cons umer protection regarding the collection and use of consumers’ personal data in the digital environment?\n \nWhat are some of the effective ways of dealing with those challenges?\n\n\n \n\nNote: interpretation will not be provided for this meeting.\n\n \n<\;p>\;Data have become an incre asingly important economic and strategic resource\, further accentuated by the pandemic. At the same time\, the governance of data remains fragmente d at best\, raising risks of lost opportunities. In addition\, the global digital platforms are increasingly expanding their control of global data value chains. This makes it ever more important to consider innovative gov ernance approaches that reflect the multiple and interlinked dimensions of data\, balance different interests and needs\, in a way that supports inc lusive and sustainable development with the full participation of all coun tries.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;The digital economy\, particularly online platforms\, offer multiple benefits to both consumers and businesses. How ever\, online platforms’ growing market power and its potential abuse po se serious challenges for both markets and consumers. Big platforms’ mar ket power is entrenched due to data assets they have accumulated over the years and this has created entry barriers to new entrepreneurs and start-u ps thereby leading to monopolization of digital markets and this trend can not be reversed if digital platforms remain unregulated. Implications of a busive and anti-competitive practices by platforms for business users is a ccess to digital markets under fair terms and conditions.<\;/p>\;\n\n& lt\;p>\;Consumers are increasingly aware of their right to privacy. Prot ecting consumers’ personal data is becoming a growing priority for gover nment agencies\, consumer associations and businesses alike. Yet consumers are not sufficiently aware about the collection and use of their data. Ev en when information is provided in a clear and understandable way\, consum ers have no choice but to accept terms and conditions imposed on them by o nline businesses\, if they want to continue using their services. While th e&\;nbsp\;<\;a data-auth="\;NotApplicable"\; data-linkindex=& quot\;1"\; href="\;/topic/competition-and-consumer-protection/un-g uidelines-for-consumer-protection"\; rel="\;noopener noreferrer&qu ot\; target="\;_blank\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.or g/meeting/making-digital-markets-work-consumers-competition-consumer-prote ction-and-data DTSTAMP:20260716T082611Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR