Legal and Regulatory Issues in the Information Economy/Introduction

Introduction from the author As the Internet’s sphere of influence as a communications network widens to include commercial and other exchanges, legal authorities have become more interested in asserting authority over it and the activities of those who use it. The legal questions arising from the increasingly complex world of the Internet has raised questions about the role and the rule of law in this new domain. These concerns range from the nature of self-identity to national sovereignty. This primer aims to help developing nations define and determine their requirements for shaping appropriate e-commerce legislation, as well as corresponding regulatory and institutional frameworks that balance such complex issues as competition, privacy, consumer protection, equal access/opportunity and intellectual property. The primer also discusses the implications for developing countries in the Asia Pacific of failure to or delay in putting in place the appropriate legal/policy and regulatory infrastructure necessary for them to participate in the information economy.