Sector regulation of digital platforms in Europe : uno, nessuno e centomila

Abstract

In 1926, Luigi Pirandello published Uno, Nessuno e Centomila, one of his most well-known novels.1 The book discusses the identity crisis faced by Vitangelo Moscarda, who wonders whether he has either a single (i.e. uno) or no identity (i.e. nessuno), or whether he has a different identity vis-a-vis every person around him (i.e. centomila—100,000 identities). One century after the publication of Pirandello’s masterpiece, the European Union is also facing a major identity crisis. Europe is currently wondering how to react to several major challenges, such as Brexit, COVID-19, climate change, as well as the advent of the digital economy. The identity crisis currently faced by Europe in relation to the digital economy is the focus of the present paper.