The Tech-Regulatory Dilemma: Law and Politics of Regulating Competition in Digital Markets
When do countries choose to regulate tech? How much do external pressures shape national tech regulation? Is the Brussels Effect setting global standards?
About the Project
Technological innovations continue to deliver unprecedented efficiency across sectors, from fintech and agriculture to healthcare and governance. Yet the rapid rise of digital platforms and monopolies has generated significant social, cultural, economic, and political challenges. There is a broad consensus that, without thoughtful regulation, the benefits of these innovations will not be equitably shared and may even undermine public trust and the common good. The debate over whether—and how—to regulate technology remains contentious, especially amid global geopolitical competition.
Three dominant models have emerged: the innovation-driven approach of the United States, the state- driven model of China, and the human-centered framework of the European Union, exemplified by the Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA), Digital Markets Act (DMA), and Digital Services Act (DSA). These EU regulations, while influential globally, have sparked controversy over their potential impact on competitiveness and innovation. Despite these tensions, effective tech regulation remains essential to mitigate harms, build public trust, foster responsible innovation, and enhance global competitiveness. Focusing on regulating competition in digital markets, this project aims to provide a political approach to understanding the conditions under which governments will likely adopt digital market competition regulations (DMCR), similar to the EU DMA.
About the Fellow
Vellah Kedogo Kigwiru is a postdoctoral researcher at the TUM Chair for International Relations. She researches on technology governance, focusing on how politics influence technology regulatory approaches in Africa, and how the EU shapes technology regulations through its global regulatory power.
