Data and Private Law

Explores the role of private law in interpreting and influencing data rights.

This collection examines one of the fastest growing fields of regulation: data rights. The book moves debates about data beyond data and privacy protecting statutes. In doing so, it asks what private law may have to say about these issues and explores how private law may influence the interpretation and the form of legislation dealing with data. Over five parts it: sets out an overview of the themes and problems; explores theoretical justifications and challenges in understanding data; considers data through the perspective of cognate private law doctrines; assesses the contribution of private law in understanding individual rights; and finally examines the potential of private law in providing individual remedies for wrongful data use, supplementing the work of regulators. The contributors are specialists in their respective fields of private law with long-standing expertise in the challenges to data privacy posed by emerging digital technologies.