The exponential growth of disruptive technology is changing our world. The development of cloud computing, big data, the internet of things, artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and other related autonomous systems, such as self-driving vehicles, have triggered the emergence of new products and services. These significant technological breakthroughs have opened the door to new economic models such as the sharing and platform-based economy. As a result, companies are becoming increasingly data- and algorithm-driven, coming to be more like “decentralized platforms”. New transaction or payment methods such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, based on trust-building systems using Blockchain, smart contracts, and other distributed ledger technology, also constitute an essential part of this new economic model. The sharing economy and digital platforms also include the everyday exchange of goods allowing individuals to commodify their surplus resources. Information and innovation technologies are used in order to then match these resources with existing demand in the market. Online platforms such as Airbnb, Uber, and Amazon reduce information asymmetry, increase the value of unused resources, and create new opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Moreover, the sharing economy is playing a major role in the transition from exclusive ownership of personal assets toward access-based exploitation of resources. The success of online matching platforms depends not only on the reduction of search costs but also on the trustworthiness of platform operators. From a legal perspective, the uncertainties triggered by the emergence of a new digital reality are particularly urgent. How should these tendencies be reflected in legal systems in each jurisdiction? This book collects a series of contributions by leading scholars in the newly emerging fields of sharing economy and Legal Tech. The aim of the book is to enrich legal debates on the social, economic, and political meaning of these cutting-edge technologies. The chapters presented in this edition attempt to answer some of these lingering questions from the perspective of diverse legal backgrounds.

This book explains Europol’s online sharing platforms efforts in three major cybercrime areas: ransomware, money laundering with cryptocurrencies, and online child sexual exploitation that Europol has already pushed private and public actors to cooperate. Since the global financial crisis, online sharing economy platforms have made a significant impact on use of under-utilized resources. People who have a car (Uber) or a spare room (Airbnb) began to share their under-used assets with others for extra income. The success achieved by these online platforms that enable efficient use of limited resources raised a new discussion on whether a similar governance model can be implemented by public administrations where public resources are insufficient. Cybercrime is one of these fields where most law enforcement agencies have not got enough resources to tackle these crimes. They need the human and technical resources of the private sector for a safer society. This book, for the first time, seeks the answers to this question. It examines the feasibility of online sharing economy platforms to enhance public-private partnerships to tackle cybercrime. The European Union Policing Agency, Europol, is the first police organization to adopt a similar model to interact with policing agencies and private industry. Drawing on extensive research, the book offers crucial insights for policymakers, researchers, and the public interested in new trends in sharing economy, innovative governance models, public-private partnerships, and cybercrime investigations.

This open access book considers the development of the sharing and collaborative economy with a European focus, mapping across economic sectors, and country-specific case studies. It looks at the roles the sharing economy plays in sharing and redistribution of goods and services across the population in order to maximise their functionality, monetary exchange, and other aspects important to societies. It also looks at the place of the sharing economy among various policies and how the contexts of public policies, legislation, digital platforms, and other infrastructure interrelate with the development and function of the sharing economy. The book will help in understanding the future (sharing) economy models as well as to contribute in solving questions of better access to resources and sustainable innovation in the context of degrowth and growing inequalities within and between societies. It will also provide a useful source for solutions to the big challenges of our times such as climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and recently the coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19). This book will be of interest to academics and students in economics and business, organisational studies, sociology, media and communication and computer science.

This book provides valuable insights into how cities are innovating in the field of the sharing economy through case studies. Each chapter explains how different cities have employed the sharing economy to solve their sui generis problems. The concept of Sharing Cities is getting considerable traction with grassroots groups and city governments around the world. Starting with the earliest Sharing City, Seoul, under the efforts of different Sharing Economy Associations and Organizations, more and more cities are being transformed. This book aims to highlight the positive changes that the sharing economy brings to cities and will be a valuable reference to those working in this emerging field.

This timely book provides an extensive overview and analysis of the law and regulation as it applies to the technology and uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It examines the human and ethical concerns associated with the technology, the history of AI and AI in commercial contexts.

This book focuses on transnationalism as a key concept to evaluate how Europe experiences, perceives and responds to current cross-border security challenges from a legal and political perspective. The chapters in this volume specifically provide state-of-the-art accounts on several legal and political developments that have recently taken place in relation to transnational issues, such as terrorism, irregular migration and human rights violations. It specifically discusses how Europe experiences, perceives and responds to security challenges with the expectation to identify those facets of transnationalism that would ‘equally’ concern political scientists and legal scholars, especially those working on subjects pertaining to the EU governance. Through a timely analysis of the specificities of these cases, the book contributes to a much wider debate on whether and to what extent the changes and practices identified are still in accordance with cornerstones of the EU governance project, such as fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law. Overall, the book provides a fresh reading on the current status of security across Europe and the way it is understood and practiced from a multidisciplinary perspective With a revised introduction and a new conclusion, this edited volume this is the ideal companion for students, researchers and practitioners interested in law, public policy and administration, and security. This book was originally published in the Journal of Contemporary European Studies.

Controversy shrouds sharing economy platforms. It stems partially from the platforms’ economic impact, which is felt most acutely in certain sectors: Uber drivers compete with taxi drivers; Airbnb hosts compete with hotels. Other consequences lie elsewhere: Uber is associated with a trend toward low-paying, precarious work, whereas Airbnb is accused of exacerbating real estate speculation and raising the cost of long-term rental housing. While governments in some jurisdictions have attempted to rein in the platforms, technology has enabled such companies to bypass conventional regulatory categories, generating accusations of “unfair competition” as well as debates about the merits of existing regulatory regimes. Indeed, the platforms blur a number of familiar distinctions, including personal versus commercial activity; infrastructure versus content; contractual autonomy versus hierarchical control. These ambiguities can stymie legal regimes that rely on these distinctions as organizing principles, including those relating to labour, competition, tax, insurance, information, the prohibition of discrimination, as well as specialized sectoral regulation. This book is organized around five themes: technologies of regulation; regulating technology; the sites of regulation (local to global); regulating markets; and regulating labour. Together, the chapters offer a rich variety of insights on the regulation of the sharing economy, both in terms of the traditional areas of law they bring to bear, and the theoretical perspectives that inform their analysis. Published in English.

Individuals, businesses, organizations, and countries all benefit from having access to data. People who generate data do it voluntarily, forming their habits, patterns, and behaviors in the process. Their psychological characteristics will be better understood as a result of the data that they generate, allowing them to make intelligent decisions. Organizations are motivated by the desire to collect and analyze as much data as possible from the general public or future customers in order to better understand their psychological features and influence them to purchase their products or services. As a result, there has been a great deal of debate concerning the use of data from the perspectives of individuals, organizations, the public, and the government. Digital Psychology’s Impact on Business and Society considers the phenomena of digital psychology and society in general and evaluates individual strategies and those of businesses, organizations, and even nations. Covering topics such as big data, marketing, social media, and social computing, this reference work is ideal for policymakers, psychologists, business owners, managers, industry professionals, researchers, scholars, practitioners, academicians, instructors, and students.

This book brings together a series of contributions by leading scholars and practitioners to examine the main features of smart contracts, as well as the response of key stakeholders in technology, business, government and the law. It explores how this new technology interfaces with the goals and content of contract law, introducing and evaluating several mechanisms to improve the 'observability' and reduce the costs of verifying contractual obligations and performance. It also outlines various 'design patterns' that ensure that end users are protected from themselves, prevent cognitive accidents, and translate expectations and values into more user-oriented agreements. Furthermore, the chapters map the new risks associated with smart contracts, particularly for consumers, and consider how they might be alleviated. The book also discusses the challenge of integrating data protection and privacy concerns into the design of these agreements and the broad range of legal knowledge and skills required. The case for using smart contracts goes beyond 'contracts' narrowly defined, and they are increasingly used to disrupt traditional models of business organisation. The book discusses so-called decentralised autonomous organisations and decentralised finance as illustrations of this trend. This book is designed for those interested in looking to deepen their understanding of this game-changing new legal technology.

The emergence of digital platforms and the new application economy are transforming healthcare and creating new opportunities and risks for all stakeholders in the medical ecosystem. Many of these developments rely heavily on data and AI algorithms to prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor diseases and other health conditions. A broad range of medical, ethical and legal knowledge is now required to navigate this highly complex and fast-changing space. This collection brings together scholars from medicine and law, but also ethics, management, philosophy, and computer science, to examine current and future technological, policy and regulatory issues. In particular, the book addresses the challenge of integrating data protection and privacy concerns into the design of emerging healthcare products and services. With a number of comparative case studies, the book offers a high-level, global, and interdisciplinary perspective on the normative and policy dilemmas raised by the proliferation of information technologies in a healthcare context.