The common fallacy regarding cyberspace is that the Internet is a new jurisdiction, in which none of the existing rules and regulations apply. However, all the actors involved in an Internet transaction live in one or more existing jurisdictions, so rather than being unregulated, the Internet is arguably highly regulated. Worse, much of this law and regulation is contradictory and difficult, or impossible, to comply with. This book takes a global view of the fundamental legal issues raised by the advent of the Internet as an international communications mechanism. Legal and other materials are integrated to support the discussion of how technological, economic and political factors are shaping the law governing the Internet. Global trends in legal issues are addressed and the effectiveness of potential mechanisms for legal change that are applicable to Internet law are also examined. Of interest to students and practitioners in computer and electronic commerce law.

Chris Reed is Professor of Electronic Commerce Law at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary, University of London. He has worked exclusively in the computing and technology law field since 1987, and has published widely on many aspects of computer law.

Introduction; 1. The Internet as a distributed environment; 2. From each according to his ability: actors and activities in the Internet world; 3. An infinity of scarce resources: ownership and use of Internet resources; 4. New actors on a new stage: intermediary liability in the Internet world; 5. On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog: identity and identification; 6. Old wine in new bottles: traditional transactions in the Internet environment; 7. The long arm of the law: cross-border law and jurisdiction; 8. Legislative and regulatory arbitrage; 9. Enforceability in the Internet environment; 10. Facing the legislative and regulatory challenge.