The UK Competition & Markets Authority’s study on “Online platforms and digital advertising” released July 1st, prompting a statement from the developer advocacy group on the results of its findings.
Brussels, London, Washington D.C., July 1st, 2020 — The Developers Alliance issued the following statement today following the release of the UK Competition & Markets Authority market study on “Online platforms and digital advertising.” The Developers Alliance was one of many who commented on the CMA market study, providing insights from the software developer community, who are deeply reliant on the digital economy for their success.
The Developers Alliance has stated it welcomes the CMA report, looks forward to absorbing its findings, and will do all it can to assist the newly-launched Digital Markets Taskforce.
“Software developers are an integral part of the digital economy, and they are critically invested in its health and stability,” said Bruce Gustafson, President, and CEO of the Developers Alliance. “While it’s good to see the CMA’s endorsement of a Code of Conduct, we’d prefer industry take the lead. We remain deeply concerned with their singular focus on platform profitability and popularity as indicators of a failed marketplace. There is no academic consensus that these markets are anti-competitive, but a long history of market destruction when bureaucrats substitute public opinion for fact.”
“The digital economy is a complex and deeply integrated machine with millions of participants. By focusing on two linch-pin companies there is a significant risk of collateral damage to the many smaller players that rely on the system,” added Developers Alliance Director of EU Policy and Head of Brussels Office, Karina Stan. “We fear that bureaucratic intervention that treats platforms as independent of the ecosystem they occupy will destroy consumer value and raise barriers that will prevent the launch of thousands of developer-led projects.”
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About The Developers Alliance
The Developers Alliance is the world’s leading advocate for software developers and the companies invested in their success. Alliance members include industry leaders in consumer, enterprise, industrial, and emerging software development, and a global network of more than 70,000 developers.
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