数字经济背景下消费者隐私保护纳入反垄断框架的模式与规则

Models and Rules for Incorporating Consumer Privacy Protection into the Antitrust Framework in the Context of the Digital Economy

就学界研究及国外执法部门的态度看,是否将消费者隐私保护纳入数字反垄断框架中存在争议。消费者隐私保护现行的“知情—同意”规则存在制度缺陷,数字平台垄断地位形成与消费者隐私数据利用有直接关系,处理反垄断与消费者隐私保护交叉问题需要不同法律部门之间的互动,将消费者隐私保护纳入数字反垄断框架中具有必要性。同时,国内外现有实践,将消费者隐私作为非价格竞争的评价因素,以及直接将数字平台不当搜集和使用消费者隐私数据作为剥削性滥用的一种形式,前者是关联保护模式,后者是直接保护模式,将消费者隐私保护纳入数字反垄断框架具有可行性。基于此,对于我国而言,按照关联保护模式和直接保护模式的互补方式,应在滥用市场支配地位、经营者集中、垄断协议中增设消费者隐私保护相关条款。

The inclusion of consumer privacy protection within the framework for digital antitrust is contentious in light of academic studies and the attitude of law enforcement authorities in other countries. The "informed consent" norm that is currently in place for protecting the privacy of customers has some institutional shortcomings. The collection and use of private information about customers is directly connected to the establishment of monopolistic positions by digital platforms. In order to address the issues that arise when antitrust law and consumer privacy protection cross, different areas of law need to collaborate with one another. As a result, the protection of the personal information of customers needs to be incorporated into the framework for digital antitrust. However, current domestic and international practice treats consumer privacy as an evaluation consideration for non-price competition. This is the case both domestically and internationally. In addition to this, it treats the improper collection and use of consumer private data by digital platforms as a kind of exploitative abuse in a simple and straightforward manner. The first approach is referred to as an associative protection model, whereas the second model is referred to as a direct protection model. It is possible for a consumer privacy protection framework to be incorporated into the framework for digital antitrust. For this reason, in China, in accordance with the complementary methods of the affiliate protection model and the direct protection model, rules relating to the protection of consumer privacy should be included to abuse of dominant position, concentration of operators, and monopoly agreements.