Regulating the future? Law, ethics, and emerging technologies

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to provide an overview of the legal implications which may be relevant to the ethical aspects of emerging technologies, to explore the existing situation in the area of legal regulation at EU level, and to formulate recommendations for the lawmakers.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on the premise that the law is supposed to invoke moral principles. Speculative findings are formulated on the basis of analyzing specific emerging technologies; empirical findings are based on a research conducted in the whole legal corpus of the EU.

Findings

In the area of network‐based technologies the already existing and elaborated legal frameworks can be used in an extended manner; artificial intelligence‐based technologies call for alterations in several branches of law; while interface technologies show the difficulty and complexity of regulating interdisciplinary fields. The legal implications of emerging technologies have attracted only a minimal legislative attention in the competent bodies of the EU.

Originality/value

The paper provides a systemic approach towards transmitting ethical norms to the application of emerging technologies through legal regulation, and formulates detailed recommendations in various areas of such technologies.

Citation

Székely, I., Dániel Szabó, M. and Vissy, B. (2011), "Regulating the future? Law, ethics, and emerging technologies", Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, Vol. 9 No. 3, pp. 180-194. https://doi.org/10.1108/14779961111167658