ORIGINAL PAPER
Big Tech and Human Rights: The Role of Antitrust Tools in Regulating Big Tech
 
More details
Hide details
1
University of Mediterranean of Albania
 
 
Submission date: 2025-08-13
 
 
Final revision date: 2025-10-22
 
 
Acceptance date: 2025-11-17
 
 
Publication date: 2025-12-29
 
 
Corresponding author
Lindita Lati Milo   

University of Mediterranean of Albania
 
 
JoMS 2025;64(4):575-589
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
The growing dominance of digital platforms has raised significant human rights concerns globally, and Albania is no exception. As Big Tech firms increasingly influence economic, social, and political life, their practices have implications for privacy, freedom of expression, non-discrimination, and democratic participation. Traditional antitrust frameworks, primarily centered on consumer welfare, often fall short in addressing these multifaceted challenges. These developments have necessitated robust competition policies to ensure fair market practices and consumer protection. The digital transformation in Albania has created significant potential for economic growth and innovation, but it has also raised substantial concerns regarding the protection of human rights and the integrity of competitive market practices.

Material and methods:
This paper explores the current state of the digital market in Albania, with a particular focus on its intersection with human rights mainly data protection and freedom of expression and competition rights The research is qualitative, doctrinal, and literature-based, combining legal analysis with policy review and applied examples to critically examine how antitrust and regulatory tools are used to safeguard human rights in the digital age.

Results:
By analyzing the Albanian legal framework, its alignment with European Union regulations, institutional practices, and emerging market trends, the paper highlights key regulatory gaps and proposes policy solutions aligned with European Union standards.

Conclusions:
The study aims to support Albania’s democratic and economic development in the context of its EU integration process.
REFERENCES (20)
1.
Autoriteti i Konkurrencës (Competition Authority) (2025). A preliminary investigation is initiated against Vodafone Albania SHA and One Albania SHA in the retail market of mobile services. Retrieved from https://caa.gov.al/en/a-prelim....
 
2.
European Commission (2024) Progress Reports on Albania.
 
4.
Darr, A. (2021). Competition Law and Human Rights: A Complex Relationship. Wirtschaft und Wettbewerb. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn....
 
5.
Eubanks, V. (2018). Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
 
6.
Hagiu, A. & Wright, J. (2025). Artificial intelligence and competition policy. International Journal of Industrial Organization, 103-134. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijin....
 
7.
Khan, L. (2017). Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox. Yale Law Journal, 126(3), 710–787.
 
8.
Khan, L. (2018). The New Brandeis Movement: America’s Antimonopoly Debate. Journal of European Competition Law & Practice, 9(3), 131-132.
 
9.
Klonick, K. (2018). The New Governors: The People, Rules, and Processes Governing Online Speech. Harvard Law Review, 131(6), 1599-1670. Retrieved from https://harvardlawreview.org/p....
 
10.
Monti, G. (2021, February 22). The Digital Markets Act – Institutional Design and Suggestions for Improvement. TILEC Discussion Paper(04). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn....
 
11.
Newman, J. (2020). Antitrust in Attention Markets: Objections and Responses. Santa Clara Law Review, 59(3), 743–769.
 
12.
Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism. NYU Press. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1....
 
13.
Solove, D. (2020, January 29). The Myth of the Privacy Paradox. 89 George Washington Law Review, 1.
 
14.
Stucke, E. (2022). The Relationship between Privacy and Antitrust. Notre Dame Law Review Reflection, 97(5), 400–417.
 
15.
Tufekci, Z. (2015). Algorithmic Harms beyond Facebook and Google: Emergent Challenges of Computational Agency Symposium Essays. Colorado Technology Law Journal, 13(2), 203–218.
 
16.
Wörsdörfer, M. (2021). Digital Platforms and Competition Policy: A Business-Ethical Assessment. Journal for Markets and Ethics, 9(2), 97-119. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/jome....
 
17.
Wörsdörfer, M. (2022). Big Tech and Antitrust: An Ordoliberal Analysis. Philosophy & Technology, 35(85). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347....
 
18.
Wu, T. (2018). The Curse of Bigness. New York,: Columbia Global Reports.
 
19.
Wu, T. (2019). Reviving Antimonopoly Traditions for the Era of Big Tech. Retrieved from https://onezero.medium.com/the....
 
20.
Zuboff, S. (2019). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. New York: PublicAffairs.
 
eISSN:2391-789X
ISSN:1734-2031
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top