Rethinking the jurisprudence of cyberspace Chris Reed, Andrew Murray

Cyberspace is a difficult area for lawyers and lawmakers. With no physical constraining borders, the question of who is the legitimate lawmaker for cyberspace is complex. Rethinking the Jurisprudence of Cyberspace examines how laws can gain legitimacy in cyberspace and identifies the limits of the law's authority in this space. Two key questions are central to the book: Who has the authority to make laws within cyberspace and how do laws in cyberspace achieve legitimacy? Chris Reed and Andrew Murray answer these questions by examining the jurisprudence principles that explain law in the physical world and rethinking them for the cyberworld. In doing so they establish that cyberlaw is more similar to traditional law than previously thought, but that establishing legitimate authority is quiet different. This book provides the first thorough examination of the jurisprudence of cyberspace law, asking why any law should be obeyed and how the rule of law is to be maintained there.