The rise of technology courts, or: How technology companies re-invent adjudication for a digital world

Computer Law & Security Review, vol. 56, num: 106118, 2025

Abstract

The article “The Rise of Technology Courts” explores the evolving role of courts in the digital world, where technological advancements and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming traditional adjudication processes. It argues that traditional courts are undergoing a significant transition due to digitization and the increasing influence of technology companies. The paper frames this transformation through the concept of the “sphere of the digital,” which explains how digital technology and AI redefine societal expectations of what courts should be and how they function. The article highlights that technology is not only changing the materiality of courts—moving from physical buildings to digital portals—but also affecting their symbolic function as public institutions. It discusses the emergence of AI-powered judicial services, online dispute resolution (ODR), and technology-driven alternative adjudication bodies like the Meta Oversight Board. These developments challenge the traditional notions of judicial authority, jurisdiction, and legal expertise. The paper concludes that while these technology-driven solutions offer increased efficiency and accessibility, they also raise fundamental questions about the legitimacy, transparency, and independence of adjudicatory bodies. As technology companies continue to shape digital justice, the article also argues that there are lessons to learn for the role and structure of traditional courts to ensure that human rights and public values are upheld.

ai, big tech, digital transformation, digitisation, justice, values

Bibtex

Article{nokey, title = {The rise of technology courts, or: How technology companies re-invent adjudication for a digital world}, author = {Helberger, N.}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clsr.2025.106118}, year = {2025}, date = {2025-03-05}, journal = {Computer Law & Security Review}, volume = {56}, number = {106118}, pages = {}, abstract = {The article “The Rise of Technology Courts” explores the evolving role of courts in the digital world, where technological advancements and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming traditional adjudication processes. It argues that traditional courts are undergoing a significant transition due to digitization and the increasing influence of technology companies. The paper frames this transformation through the concept of the “sphere of the digital,” which explains how digital technology and AI redefine societal expectations of what courts should be and how they function. The article highlights that technology is not only changing the materiality of courts—moving from physical buildings to digital portals—but also affecting their symbolic function as public institutions. It discusses the emergence of AI-powered judicial services, online dispute resolution (ODR), and technology-driven alternative adjudication bodies like the Meta Oversight Board. These developments challenge the traditional notions of judicial authority, jurisdiction, and legal expertise. The paper concludes that while these technology-driven solutions offer increased efficiency and accessibility, they also raise fundamental questions about the legitimacy, transparency, and independence of adjudicatory bodies. As technology companies continue to shape digital justice, the article also argues that there are lessons to learn for the role and structure of traditional courts to ensure that human rights and public values are upheld.}, keywords = {ai, big tech, digital transformation, digitisation, justice, values}, }

Big data: Finders keepers, losers weepers? external link

Ethics and Information Technology, vol. 18, num: 1, pp: 25-31, 2016

Abstract

This article argues that big data’s entrepreneurial potential is based not only on new technological developments that allow for the extraction of non-trivial, new insights out of existing data, but also on an ethical judgment that often remains implicit: namely the ethical judgment that those companies that generate these new insights can legitimately appropriate (the fruits of) these insights. As a result, the business model of big data companies is essentially founded on a libertarian-inspired ‘finders, keepers’ ethic. The article argues, next, that this presupposed ‘finder, keepers’ ethic is far from unproblematic and relies itself on multiple unconvincing assumptions. This leads to the conclusion that the conduct of companies working with big data might lack ethical justification.

Big data, ethics, finders-keepers, justice, libertarianism, Personal data, Privacy

Bibtex

Article{Sax2016, title = {Big data: Finders keepers, losers weepers?}, author = {Sax, M.}, url = {http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10676-016-9394-0}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-016-9394-0}, year = {0326}, date = {2016-03-26}, journal = {Ethics and Information Technology}, volume = {18}, number = {1}, pages = {25-31}, abstract = {This article argues that big data’s entrepreneurial potential is based not only on new technological developments that allow for the extraction of non-trivial, new insights out of existing data, but also on an ethical judgment that often remains implicit: namely the ethical judgment that those companies that generate these new insights can legitimately appropriate (the fruits of) these insights. As a result, the business model of big data companies is essentially founded on a libertarian-inspired ‘finders, keepers’ ethic. The article argues, next, that this presupposed ‘finder, keepers’ ethic is far from unproblematic and relies itself on multiple unconvincing assumptions. This leads to the conclusion that the conduct of companies working with big data might lack ethical justification.}, keywords = {Big data, ethics, finders-keepers, justice, libertarianism, Personal data, Privacy}, }