Law and Regulation

This study gives an in-depth analysis of scenarios for government intervention in the information age. In doing so, it addresses the legal questions and challenges arising in a borderless virtual world. The authors elaborate on regulatory solutions found in day-to-day practice, that is, relatively independently of state regulation (by means of technological facilities, private contracts, and intermediary organisations). Subsequently, it is shown how governments and more in particular the Dutch government, deal with the various legal challenges, such as the question whether national governments are still able to regulate ICT-related issues. Four possible scenarios for government intervention in the virtual world emerge from the analysis. The authors discuss the normative implications of these scenarios and subsequently propose a new scenario.