The GDPR is the Magna Carta of data protection, the importance of which cannot be overstated. Yet, as this article shows, the price of data protection through the GDPR is much higher than previously recognized. The GDPR creates two main harmful effects on competition and innovation: it limits competition in data markets, creating more concentrated market structures and entrenching the market power of those who are already strong; and it limits data sharing between different data collectors, thereby preventing the realization of some data synergies which may lead to better data-based knowledge. To illustrate its claims, the article analyzes the competitive dynamics created by the GDPR, focusing on how it affects the options available to firms for amassing the data necessary for their operations, and their resultant ability to realize economies of scale and scope in data analysis. It identifies seven main parallel and cumulative market dynamics that may limit data collection and data sharing, only some of which have been recognized so far. As shown, under some market conditions the GDPR has unintended and so far unrecognized effects on competition, efficiency, innovation, and the resultant welfare. The dynamics identified in this article offer partial explanations for some of the troubling empirical evidence regarding investment in EU data-driven markets following the adoption of the GDPR. Furthermore, the analysis enables us to identify which effects are short-term and which are here to stay. The effects on competition and innovation identified may justify a reevaluation of the balance reached to ensure that overall welfare is increased. The article suggests some means of reducing harmful competitive effects, while still protecting the vital goal of privacy, including reaching a better balance between data protection and competition law, reducing uncertainty in the GDPR, creating certification mechanisms for GDPR compliance, and structuring of mandatory data-sharing obligations under other laws in a way which is sensitive to the dynamics of data markets.

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GDPR的竞争效应

GDPR是数据保护的大宪章，其重要性不可高估。但是，正如本文所示，通过GDPR进行数据保护的价格要比以前公认的高得多。GDPR对竞争和创新产生了两个主要的有害影响：它限制了数据市场的竞争，建立了更加集中的市场结构，并巩固了已经强大的人的市场力量。并且它限制了不同数据收集器之间的数据共享，从而阻止了某些数据协同作用的实现，这些协同作用可能导致更好的基于数据的知识。为了说明其主张，本文分析了GDPR产生的竞争动态，重点是它如何影响公司收集其运营所需数据的可用选择，以及它们在数据分析中实现规模经济和范围经济的能力。它确定了七个主要的并行和累积市场动态，这些动态可能会限制数据收集和数据共享，到目前为止，只有其中一些已得到认可。如图所示，在某些市场条件下，GDPR对竞争，效率，创新以及由此产生的福利产生了意想不到的影响，并且迄今为止尚未得到人们公认的影响。本文确定的动态部分为采用GDPR之后对欧盟数据驱动市场进行投资的一些令人不安的经验证据提供了部分解释。此外，该分析使我们能够确定哪些影响是短期的，哪些影响将保留。所确定的对竞争和创新的影响可能需要重新评估所达到的平衡，以确保增加整体福利。