BETA
Chapter 1
The rise of the digital scribe
Chapter 2
The automated courtroom
Chapter 3
Code is law
Ch 3 · Code is law
futura The European Union's GDPR grants citizens the right to understand how automated decisions are made.
Fun Fact
Self-policing code: Smart contracts can automatically transfer digital car keys the millisecond a buyer's payment is verified on the blockchain.
futura Speed cameras and automated databases represent the earliest widely accepted forms of algorithmic law.
Glossary
code (noun)
A system of words, letters, or symbols used to represent instructions to a computer. In 1999, legal scholar Lawrence Lessig argued that software instructions inherently govern human behavior online.
A system of words, letters, or symbols used to represent instructions to a computer. In 1999, legal scholar Lawrence Lessig argued that software instructions inherently govern human behavior online.
Quiz
When an automated legal system makes an error, why is assigning liability so difficult?
Quiz
In what year did the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) go into effect?
Quiz
Which everyday technology serves as a widely accepted example of automated legal enforcement?
Quiz
Which technology platform popularized smart contracts by allowing code to execute automatically on a blockchain?