Technology, ethics and the future of law

20 Jul Technology, ethics and the future of law

Disruptive technologies are rapidly presenting new paradigms in the courtroom and irrevocably changing the face of law around the globe.

Courtrooms around the globe are struggling to address challenges caused by the fast tide of oncoming technologies and our new level of digital immersion. Archaic legal models are holding back development and are often unable to address new issues. International legislation needs to address these issues as soon as possible – and address them correctly. New policies that dictate digital technologies will lay the framework for future generations and need to be strongly considered lest they incorrectly address personal and public protections and hold back social and economic development.

One of the largest issues brought up by new digital technologies is privacy. With almost all daily individual communications and information sifting handled through online data, the need for protection is growing as fast as the data itself is worth, which is exponentially. A recent study in 2020 combined collective revenue of digital advertising companies and concluded that data generated from a single adult was worth $35 a month. Additionally, a single email is worth $89 to any brand, which is no small amount considering the 7.9 billion citizens on the planet. Balancing economic growth and protecting the privacy of citizens is something governments are tasked with, and legal teams are required to support this action.

The public sector has also struggled to find a bridge between freedom of information and protecting citizens from misinformation and marketing. India most recently joined with the United States, the EU and Australia in taking a hard stance on regulating social media content. However, experts are concerned as these laws often take away political voice and break end-to-end encryption of data for users. It is a delicate balance. The use of political marketing on social media is another highly unregulated area that is known to have a significant sway on national votes and can often be manipulated with impunity. So far, perfect policies in these areas have not come to pass.

Competition law in the digital world is also complex. While some traditional regulations allow for a legal definition of digital platforms, most governments struggle to impose appropriate sanctions on these entities and keep legal action up to speed with digital advances and loopholes. Giant tech companies such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft have dominated the global economy and are difficult to pin down with current legal systems. In 2019, market capitalization of these companies reached $4 trillion. A rise in legal reforms is expected to diversify market concentration and increase competition.

As we continue on the path towards a world largely reliant on digital technologies, legal teams are cooperating to wedge new trends into old frameworks and reboot the system. Other new technologies such as artificial intelligence, bioengineering and digital education also require reworked legislation to fit what will be the new normal. A rapid rise in new technologies requires an equal rise in commitment for an ethical future, and governments and law firms stand in the epicenter.