디지털 경제에서의 경쟁법 상 착취남용규제 - 비교법적 방법으로 - (Modern Competition Law of Exploitative Abuse in the Digital Economy from a Comparative Perspective)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 경북대학교 법학연구원
· 수록지 정보 : 법학논고 / 74호 / 389 ~ 420페이지
· 저자명 : 최요섭

초록

최근 디지털 경제가 발전하면서 다양한 독점폐해의 문제가 등장하고 있다. 특히 인공지능이 소비자의 행동을 관찰・분석・이용할 수 있는 기술이 발전하면서, 온라인 플랫폼 이용자의 프라이버시보호의 문제가 논의되고 있다. 무엇보다 대규모 플랫폼에 의한 데이터 결합이 시장지배적 지위남용인지에 대해서 유럽연합을 중심으로 논의가 진행되고 있다. 착취남용과 관련된 가격남용규제의 내용과 유사하게, 대량의 개인정보를 수집・통제하는 행위를 시장력의 원천으로 논의하기도 한다. 따라서 착취남용의 범위를 프라이버시침해까지 포함하는 넓은 개념으로 확장되어야 한다는 의견이 있다. 디지털 착취남용의 내용은 프라이버시와 관련하여 소비자선택, 서비스 품질의 저하와 소비자의 동의 없는 개인정보의 획득과 같은 행위를 포함한다. 일반적으로 착취남용인 가격남용의 경우 위법성 판단을 위해 경제분석이 필요한 반면, 프라이버시침해의 경우 경제분석보다는 행위자체로 판단이 이루어질 가능성이 많다. 따라서 착취남용으로서의 프라이버시의 내용을 논의하고 규제의 범위에 대해서 연구하는 것은 현대 경쟁법의 발전과 관련하여 중요하다. 현재 이와 관련된 법리가 제대로 형성되지 않은 상황이며, 프라이버시가 소비자후생에 포함되어야 한다는 논의에도 다양한 이론과 이견이 존재한다. 디지털 경제가 급속도로 발전하는 상황에서 현대 경쟁법은 진화를 할 수밖에 없다. 디지털 경제 관련 남용행위의 유형화와 범위, 그리고 위법성 판단기준을 설정하는 것이 필요하다. 이 논문은 디지털 경제와 관련하여 현대 경쟁법에서의 착취남용 기준을 비교법적 방법으로 논의하는 것을 연구목적으로 한다.

영어초록

Data is one of the most important sources for the development of dynamic efficiency and disruptive innovation in the era of digital economy. Collecting and processing data has caused not only positive outcomes but also negative results in our modern society: this has brought competition law issues. In particular, some argue that privacy is a part of consumer welfare, and competition law should be applicable to the case of infringement of privacy protection, especially where the undertaking holds a market-dominant position. The German Facebook case, which is in front of the Court of Justice of the European Union, indicates a possible application of competition law against any harm to consumer welfare, including privacy, and the type of privacy infringement may fall within the category of exploitative abuse.
To discuss possible implementation of competition law to privacy case, it is essential to discuss the typology of abuse of market dominance, focusing on the types of exploitative abuse. The current approach to consumer welfare indicates its focus of price, quality, choice, and innovation. In addition, some critics argue that privacy in the sector of digital economy should be considered as consumer welfare. It is timely to discuss the assessment standard for privacy infringement under competition law. In effect, there is a possibility of the overlap between competition law and data protection law when competition law of abuse of market dominance is applied to the privacy infringement cases. Therefore, it is important to establish a standard for appraising exploitative abuse of privacy by looking at the existing competition law approaches to excessive pricing that is the typical exploitative abuse.
This article provides a number of suggestions for assessing abuse of market dominance relating to privacy as follows. First, competition law should be applicable to the privacy case relating to abuse of market dominance. In other words, the rule on unfair trade practices should not be considered as an option, thereby to avoid any possible conflicts between competition law and data protection law. The competition rule can be applied to the case of a super platform or digital gatekeeper. Second, a privacy infringement itself cannot be an automatic violation of competition law. It is necessary to consider cumulative abuse, which means that a competition authority needs to provide other evidences of exclusionary effects. Third, the test of alternative services or existence of multi-homing is essential in the assessment. The lack of competition in the market is the crucial proof of abuse of market dominance relating to privacy.
It is beyond doubt that privacy has become one of the most important parts in the market competition of the digital economy. Data is the source of digital competition. Therefore, the trade-off or balance between privacy protection and dynamic efficiency should be the important part in assessing a violation of competition law. In addition, to solve a potential overlap problem of competition law and data protection law, the scope of competition law to privacy should be limited to the case of abuse of market dominance rather than of unfair trade practice.

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