Technology’s Ability to Escape the Legal System

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter in a book

Abstract

Legal ‘regulatory escape’, ‘regulatory disconnection’ or ‘regulatory disruption’ on the part of particular regulatees or commercial practices has been observed across diverse regulatory environments, ranging from environmental protection to provision of gambling services. Instances of legal regulatory escape appear particularly prevalent with the introduction of novel technology products and services. Evaluation of technology-related legal regulatory escapes provides examples of deliberate, even overt, evasion of legal constraints, as well as avoidance via practices such as regulatory mimicry or differentiation. This chapter identifies examples of recent legal technology-related ‘regulatory escape’, discusses key reasons why legal regulation may fail to effectively cater for complications arising from specific technology practices, products or classes of regulatee and considers possible regulatory responses to address the risks, or capture the benefits, of technological advances.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Cambridge Handbook of the Governance of Technology
EditorsRoger Brownsword, Larry DiMatteo
PublisherCambridge University Press
Chapter5
Pages71-90
Number of pages20
ISBN (Electronic)9781009522519
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 30 Oct 2025

Publication series

NameCambridge Law Handbooks

Research Groups and Themes

  • Centre for Global Law and Innovation

Keywords

  • technology regulation
  • legal regulatory escape
  • regulatory entrepreneurship
  • regulatory placebos
  • purposive interpretation

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