IGF 2021 Day 0 Event #92 In the search of a golden mean – different perspectives on the regulation of digital markets

Regulation of the digital economy is currently high on the agenda of major global organizations, including the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the European Union.

Recently, at the level of the European Union alone, several regulations have been created to adapt regulations to changing technological and economic realities and to regulate the digital economy in its broadest sense. However, it is important to remember that over-regulation can limit growth and innovation in the digital sector, which is uniquely important to economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. As stated by the OECD, we should also not forget that the digital economy is increasingly becoming a proper economy.

Therefore, we believe that it is necessary to find a golden mean when it comes to regulating digital markets that allow for innovation and a greater diversity of business models. However, finding this balance is only possible if we take into account the perspectives of different parties. Our debate is intended to serve exactly this function.

We intend to invite representatives of various digital market stakeholders - Big Tech companies and SMEs, academics from Brussels and Scandinavia, NGOs, and finally regulators.

1) The debate will be divided into three parts, with each of them tackling a different question regarding the topic of smart cities. Each part of the session will begin with a series of questions to the audience. We will use interactive polls to ensure that both online and onsite participants can take an active part in the discussion. 2) All the speakers and organizers will be on site. 3) We are planning to use Kahoot.