Japan's Fair Trade Commission probing practices in video distribution services
Japan's Fair Trade Commission has launched a probe into
whether fair competition is practiced in video distribution services for smart
televisions.
It comes amid increasingly fierce competition among service
providers to get customers. According to a survey by the communications
ministry, 52 percent of people were using such services in the 2021 fiscal
year.
The probe will cover Google, Amazon and other tech companies
that provide distribution platforms, service providers such as Netflix, and
content providers.
FTC officials will look into whether companies are
manipulating search results to prioritize their own content, and whether they
changed rules to charge higher fees for video distribution service providers.
The commission plans to compile a report on its findings.
FTC officials recently released a report saying the
dominance of Google and Apple is undermining competition in the Japanese market
for smartphone apps.
The report urges the government to lay
down a legal framework to ensure fair competition.
Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230409_09/