Description: In recent years, the dominance of tech giants has raised concerns about the concentration of power in the digital sphere. However, historical precedents suggest that these monopolies can be effectively challenged through the strategic implementation of interoperability and extensibility. This workshop explores the nuanced landscape of interoperability, its taxonomies, and its potential to disrupt established market dynamics and empower new entrants, along with vulnerabilities. We will examine the effectiveness of different legislations such as the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) as a legislative effort to mandate interoperability between dominant tech services and emerging competitors, as well as the ACCESS Act in the United States and China's Cyberspace Regulation. We aim to explore the regulatory frameworks aimed at promoting competition and innovation. It will also look at the social impact of these legislations on users in the developing world, specifically Arabs. Additionally, the workshop will address the legal and contractual barriers that hinder interoperability initiatives, including one-sided contracts and intellectual property disputes. By elucidating diverse tactics—commercial, legal, technological, and social—participants will gain insights into building a more open and competitive digital ecosystem and better governance for the internet we want. Ultimately, the workshop advocates for a paradigm shift in the approach to tech regulation, emphasising the immediate benefits of interoperability in mitigating issues such as manipulation, surveillance, and price-gouging, with a focus on the Arab world. We will explore how communities and individuals can leverage interoperability and extensibility as we dismantle internet monopolies and build a more inclusive and innovative digital landscape.
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