( June 28, 2026, 03:00 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: South Korea’s antitrust regulator has released its first experimental study on algorithmic self-preferencing by digital platforms, finding that ranking manipulation alone can significantly distort consumer choice. In a randomized controlled trial involving 3,072 consumers, the Korea Fair Trade Commission found that purchases of artificially elevated platform-favored products rose by 34 percentage points, even though they were priced 10 percent higher, while purchases of displaced rival products fell by 32 points. The study also found consumers heavily relied on default rankings, with 94.6 percent completing purchases on the first page. Disclosure-based remedies such as labels and ranking notices showed structural limitations in correcting distorted choices, with labels in some cases further increasing purchases of platform-favored products.Statement and study results are attached (in Korean)....
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