Even negligence law has its challenges in a world where the standards of due care have not yet been widely established. Is an access-provider negligent if his or her system becomes the means by which a virus is spread? To what extent must service providers inspect their systems for dangerous programs? These are issues over which reasonable people can disagree.
Predictor: Godwin, Mike
Prediction, in context:In a 1993 article for Internet World, Mike Godwin, chief counsel for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, outlines issues in regard to law and the Internet. Godwin writes: ”Negligence law, a major area of tort law, will probably adapt most easily to the new world of international computer networks, since the notion of negligence is very generally defined in terms of care with which a reasonably prudent person would conduct his or her affairs. But even negligence law has its challenges in a world where the standards of due care have not yet been widely established. Is an access-provider negligent if his or her system becomes the means by which a virus is spread? To what extent must service providers inspect their systems for dangerous programs? These are issues over which reasonable people can disagree.”
Biography:Mike Godwin was an attorney specializing in Internet issues and the outspoken chief counsel for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the cyber-liberties organization in the 1990s. (Legislator/Politician/Lawyer.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1993
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: Internet World
Title, headline, chapter name: The Law of the Net: Problems and Prospects
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.eff.org/Publications/Mike_Godwin/law_of_the_net_godwin.article
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney