A new consumer survey has strengthened the case for a dedicated digital competition law, suggesting that the absence of ex-ante regulation is allowing Big Tech firms to use their dominance across search, app stores, navigation, communication and cloud services to lock in consumers, restrict competition and raise costs.
The survey, commissioned by a group of Indian companies and conducted by Kantar among 500 urban users, noted that the digital ecosystem is controlled by a few global tech firms who are shaping how Indians access digital services. It also points to consumer concerns around switching between
services, visibility of alternatives, pricing, and the growing influence of integrated digital ecosystems.
The findings come even as the draft Digital Competition Bill (DCB) was withdrawn by the government last year after opposition from global tech majors and domestic platforms. Later, the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) came out with request for proposal (RFP) to conduct a market study that will look into the qualitative and quantitative thresholds proposed under the DCB. At present, cases involving alleged abuse of dominance by Big Tech firms are dealt with under the Competition Act, 2002, which follows an ex-post approach — allowing intervention only after anti-competitive conduct has occurred.
According to the survey, Google’s services have near-universal penetration among respondents, with all participants using Google for search and personal email, 98% using Chrome, 97% relying on Google Maps and 96% on Google Drive. WhatsApp and Google Meet dominate video communication, reinforcing what the report describes as day-to-day digital activity being “anchored to a narrow set of incumbents.”
Data Portability Barriers
More than half of the respondents faced difficulty transferring data across platforms, while 48% said their contacts being on another platform discouraged switching. Another 35% said they lost access to previous purchases or subscriptions if they moved to another service. The survey also found that 82% frequently notice platform-owned products being promoted in search results or app stores, while 76% believe features work better within the same brand ecosystem.
App Store Commissions
Further, the report points to consumer concerns over increase in prices due to “high” app store commissions. While 85% of respondents were aware that app stores charge developers high commissions, 95% believed these commissions ultimately increase prices paid by consumers. “Despite rising policy focus on digital sovereignty and domestic innovation, respondents see structural barriers to adopting Indian alternatives,” the report stated.
With the rise in AI usage, the report said that AI-driven interfaces could further entrench incumbent advantages. Nearly half of the respondents (45%) use pre-installed AI assistants (such as Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa) either primarily or alongside other options, and only 16% report switching away from the default.
“Consumers are not the beneficiaries of concentration. They are paying the price through higher costs, limited portability of their data, and fewer meaningful choices. For entrepreneurs, when a handful of global platforms control discovery, app store visibility, and default placement, even the best Indian products struggle to reach users,” said Murugavel, founder and CEO of Bharat Matrimony.