算法时代的垄断协议规制:挑战与应对

算法具备自主学习和大数据处理的能力,有助于达成、实施垄断协议,形成算法驱动的合谋现象。算法合谋并无明显的意思联络,缺乏明确的合意证据,因而对传统的垄断协议概念带来挑战。算法决策存在黑箱,导致经营者排除、限制竞争的主观意图无法得到验证。人—机联系弱化,进而导致宽恕政策和法律制裁失灵。面对算法技术的进步,反垄断法亟待建立因应时代变化的垄断协议检测、认定和制裁规则体系。为此,垄断协议的检测应当保持前摄性,借助大数据和经济分析手段筛选市场异质信号,进而在垄断协议认定方面适当降低证明标准,发挥算法作为间接证据的证明功能,最后,通过续造法律责任督促算法设计者、提供者履行竞争义务,保持算法的可问责性。

Regulation of Monopoly Agreements in the Algorithmic Era: Challenges and Measures

Having the capability of self-learning and processing big data,pricing algorithms is conducive to reaching and implementing monopoly agreements,and thus facilitate algorithmic collusion.As the algorithmic collusion displays no evidence of obvious meaning contact or of explicit meeting of minds,it thus poses a great challenge to the traditional concept of monopoly agreement The algorithms,with its black box,weakens the human-machine connections,and makes it impossible to verify the business operators’subjective intent to exclude or restrict competition,and thus causes the failure of leniency policy and legal sanction.In the face of algorithmic advancement,it is pressing to establish a rule system to screen,identify and sanction monopoly agreement.Specifically,first,the detection of the algorithmic collusion in pricing should be proactive,and can be done by using big data and economic analysis to screen heterogeneous market signals.Second,the standard for the identification can be lowered,and the circumstantial evidence should be allowed to play an important role.Finally,the laws and regulations shall be adjusted to supervise the compliance of the pricing algorithms in its design,and hold it legally accountable.