Are there benefits of interoperability for consumers?

Interoperability of consumer-facing digital platforms like social media networks and messaging apps would enable consumers to communicate across digital silos. It removes the need for users to create a profile with a platform they otherwise dislike just because that platform has the largest user base. As a result, people can choose the digital services they like most based on their actual preferences, for example in terms of content moderation rules, privacy protection, or user interface innovation.

Mandatory interoperability for the largest digital platforms can also foster the creation of whole new digital markets where startups build digital services on top of incumbent platforms. That way, consumers can get access to better AI-driven content moderation algorithms that run on top of a user’s Twitter feed or Facebook timeline. In the same vein, new apps could replace YouTube’s recommender algorithm that is known to promote extremist video content even to people who weren’t looking for it.