Competition investigation launched into Spotify

The Competition Authority has launched an investigation into Spotify after examining the impact of online music platforms on the music industry. In a statement on the authority's website, it was noted that digital transformation has fundamentally changed music listening habits and that these platforms have become an indispensable part of daily life.

It was stated that the preliminary investigation into how Spotify affects competition dynamics in the online music streaming services market has been concluded, and that the findings were deemed serious and sufficient to warrant the opening of an investigation. The investigation aims to determine whether Spotify has violated the Law on the Protection of Competition.

The statement indicated that the investigation will focus on two main allegations. First, it will examine whether Spotify discriminates among rights holders in its playlist inclusion, ranking, and recommendation algorithms. Second, it will evaluate whether subscription prices in Turkey are set at levels low enough to hinder the market activities of competitors or rights holders of musical works.

The Competition Authority emphasized that the decisions to launch investigations do not mean that the relevant enterprises have violated the law or that they will face sanctions.

News Source: 12punto