Cross-Platform Collusion: Evolutionary and Algorithmic Analysis of Multi-Platform Strategic Interactions

While papers like Liu (2024) and Lischka & Garz (2021) focus on competition or regulatory interventions within a single platform or industry, the modern digital environment sees users, creators, and merchants operating on multiple platforms simultaneously (e.g., streaming content on both Netflix and Disney+; sellers using both Amazon and eBay). This research would model cross-platform strategic behavior, including coordinated collusion or arbitrage and regulatory responses, using evolutionary and algorithmic game theory. The novelty lies in explicitly modeling the feedback, spillovers, and emergent behaviors that arise only when agents can "multi-home" and coordinate across platforms—something missing from current literature. This could reshape our understanding of platform competition and the design of more robust anti-collusion mechanisms.

References:

1. Game Theory Analysis of Competitive Dynamics in the Streaming Industry: A Comparative Study of Netflix and Disney+. Hanru Liu (2024). Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences.
2. Clickbait news and algorithmic curation: A game theory framework of the relation between journalism, users, and platforms. Juliane A. Lischka, Marcel Garz (2021). New Media & Society.