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Author	Ms Wenting Sun
Organisation/Institution	The University of Sydney Business School
Country	AUSTRALIA
Panel	Information Technology Law
Title	REGULATING DIGITAL GATEKEEPERS: CHARTING ASIA’S COURSE IN APP STORES REGULATION THROUGH INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Abstract	Digital platforms have fundamentally reshaped global commerce and social interaction, establishing a new economic paradigm centered on data and connectivity. Within this ecosystem, app store markets have evolved into critical intermediaries, with a handful of dominant entities acting as powerful digital gatekeepers. This paper addresses the profound power asymmetry inherent in the relationship between the gatekeepers, who control essential distribution and payment systems, and the application developers, who depend on these platforms for market access, who innovate within constrained digital ecosystems, and who ultimately bear the disproportionate risk of market exclusion and revenue instability. It identifies the systemic competition and fairness concerns that have prompted significant legislative responses, particularly in Europe with the Digital Markets Act 2022 and the UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Analyzing the core regulatory principles and enforcement mechanisms emerging from these frameworks, this study investigates their potential application and adaptation within the distinct socio-economic and legal contexts of Asian markets. The research aims to provide an actionable blueprint for Asian regulators and stakeholders, offering innovative pathways to foster competitive digital markets, mitigate exploitative practices, and ensure a more equitable and sustainable digital ecosystem for innovation.
Biography	Wenting Sun is a Doctor of Philosophy candidate at the University of Sydney where her research critically examines the regulatory frameworks governing artificial intelligence and digital platforms. Her doctoral project, Regulating Digital Gatekeepers: Addressing Power Asymmetry in the Digital Game Distribution and Payment Platforms / App Developers Relationship, reflects her interdisciplinary expertise at the intersection of law, technology, and business. Wenting’s academic foundation is a deliberate synthesis of law and technology. She holds a Master of Information Systems from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Laws from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and has wide professional experience as a university lecturer in law, a business analyst and a technical broker. Her practical work in technology transfer and patent commercialisation ensures her research remains grounded and relevant to real-world challenges. Currently, Wenting is a tutor at the University of Sydney Business School, teaching International Financial Crime, Business Law, and Intellectual Property Law. Her wide experience enables her to address complex issues in digital governance, consumer protection, and competition law with both technical depth and legal rigour. Andrew Terry, co-author, is Professor of Business Regulation in the University of Sydney Business School and Emeritus Professor, University of New South Wales.