Regulatory Models for the Online World

Global networks have become a major political, economic, and legal topic in discussions among the participants of the "e;global community"e;. Around the world, governments, legal scholars, and practitioners are in the process of developing theories in respect of the regulation of the online world. These attempts are usually based on a given national "e;legal culture"e;; this approach, however, underestimates the importance of an "e;umbrella"e; concept. The purpose of this study accordingly consists in the comparative discussion of basic regulatory models (traditional government regulation, international agreements, self-regulation, code-based-regulation) and in the evaluation of their merits related to different topics that play a role in the online world (market entry, access, infrastructure stability, intellectual property, privacy, bad content, etc.). An easy solution is obviously not possible; however, a detailed examination on a comparative legal basis can give some insights for future regulatory initiatives.