Internet Law
A Critical Overview
Paul Bernal(Author)
Edward Elgar Publishing
Will be published approx. on 4. June 2026
Book
Hardback
298 pages
978-1-0353-4113-9 (ISBN)
Description
This timely book provides a critical overview of internet law, exploring how well the internet is governed through a wide range of converging and overlapping laws. These include commercial law, intellectual property law, criminal law, privacy law, speech law and surveillance law, as well as specific law for the internet and social media.
Taking a holistic view of the field, Paul Bernal explores recurrent challenges of identity and anonymity, age-verification and biometrics, encryption and related technologies, surveillance, extraterritoriality and cross-border enforcement, and the power of the internet giants - as well as the developing fields of machine learning and AI, cryptocurrencies, and the nebulous concept of the metaverse. He examines how major legislation, such as the Online Safety Act 2023 and the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, attempt to address these challenges, and illustrate why making laws for the internet is difficult and often unsuccessful. The book highlights the common themes that underpin different areas of internet law, including unpredictability, political influence and rapid technological advancement, reflecting on future avenues for development.
Internet Law is a crucial resource for scholars and students of information and media law, internet and technology law and internet governance. It will also benefit legal practitioners and policymakers interested in furthering their understanding of the key theoretical ideas underpinning the implementation of internet law.
Taking a holistic view of the field, Paul Bernal explores recurrent challenges of identity and anonymity, age-verification and biometrics, encryption and related technologies, surveillance, extraterritoriality and cross-border enforcement, and the power of the internet giants - as well as the developing fields of machine learning and AI, cryptocurrencies, and the nebulous concept of the metaverse. He examines how major legislation, such as the Online Safety Act 2023 and the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, attempt to address these challenges, and illustrate why making laws for the internet is difficult and often unsuccessful. The book highlights the common themes that underpin different areas of internet law, including unpredictability, political influence and rapid technological advancement, reflecting on future avenues for development.
Internet Law is a crucial resource for scholars and students of information and media law, internet and technology law and internet governance. It will also benefit legal practitioners and policymakers interested in furthering their understanding of the key theoretical ideas underpinning the implementation of internet law.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-0353-4113-9 (9781035341139)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Paul Bernal, Professor of Information Technology Law, School of Law, University of East Anglia, UK