Strengthening of EU regulatory intervention against data exploitations by online platforms with a zero-price business model

Abstract

The article aims to analyse the relationship between data protection and online platforms’ zero-price business model. This business model functions in a way that online platforms provide their services “free of charge”, but in exchange for personal data. This business model may not only come with competition problems, but also is detrimental to data protection principles, such as the principle of data minimisation. Users are unaware of the value of the personal data they provide, partly due to the false illusion of the service being free of charge. This market failure could be remedied by regulations that would ensure that users are able to use online services that are currently zero-price without providing personal data.