The problem is that the open protocols which were initially used by the dominant client to achieve its dominance later became closed when they "seamlessly" forc

The problem is that the open protocols which were initially used by the dominant client to achieve its dominance later became closed when they "seamlessly" forced their users onto a closed protocol. OSS licenses solve the open code issue to varying degrees but has largely fell flat on the issue of open protocols. So if coopting IP-law (aka OSS licenses) is the wrong approach, what is the correct tool to address this problem? Would other legal concepts like like contracts help? Something else?