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Competing data intermediaries

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  • Shota Ichihashi

Abstract

I study a model of competition between data intermediaries, which collect personal data from consumers and sell them to downstream firms. Competition has a limited impact on benefiting consumers: If intermediaries offer high compensation for data, consumers share data with multiple intermediaries, which lowers the downstream price of data and hurts intermediaries. Anticipating this, intermediaries offer low compensation for data. Although consumers are exclusive suppliers of data, the nonrivalry of data can lead to concentration and high intermediary profits in data markets. In particular, if downstream firms use data to extract surplus from consumers, competing intermediaries sustain a monopoly outcome.

Suggested Citation

  • Shota Ichihashi, 2021. "Competing data intermediaries," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 52(3), pages 515-537, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:randje:v:52:y:2021:i:3:p:515-537
    DOI: 10.1111/1756-2171.12382
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    Cited by:

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    2. Cong, Lin William & Wei, Wenshi & Xie, Danxia & Zhang, Longtian, 2022. "Endogenous growth under multiple uses of data," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    3. Haifei Yu & Shanshan Zheng & Hao Wu, 2023. "User Privacy Awareness, Incentive and Data Supply Chain Pricing Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-24, February.
    4. Ichihashi, Shota, 2021. "The economics of data externalities," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    5. Flavio Pino, 2022. "The microeconomics of data – a survey," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 49(3), pages 635-665, September.
    6. Ronen Gradwohl & Moshe Tennenholtz, 2023. "Selling Data to a Competitor (Extended Abstract)," Papers 2307.05078, arXiv.org.
    7. DELBONO Flavio & REGGIANI Carlo & SANDRINI Luca, 2021. "Strategic data sales to competing firms," JRC Working Papers on Digital Economy 2021-05, Joint Research Centre.

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