As antitrust enforcement in digital markets continues to evolve, courts may increasingly confront cases involving platform conduct that differs from traditional forms of exclusion.

In several recent complaints involving major digital platforms, the alleged competitive effects do not arise from:

but from how platforms structure participation within their ecosystems.

These structures may include:

In each case, the platform may influence downstream competition by shaping how:

Traditional antitrust analysis often evaluates competitive harm in terms of immediate effects on price or output.

However, in platform-mediated markets, courts may need to assess whether platform conduct influences:

in ways that may reinforce incumbent advantages over time.

Such effects may arise through feedback mechanisms between:

Even where users retain the technical ability to switch providers.

Courts may also need to determine whether proposed remedies—such as:

are likely to address competitive concerns without reducing integration benefits or product quality.

Balancing these trade-offs may require consideration of:

in addition to competition.

As digital markets continue to evolve, courts may increasingly be asked to evaluate conduct that influences not only price—but the allocation of: