Common Law Property Metaphors on the Internet: The Real Problem with the Doctrine of Cybertrespass

The doctrine of cybertrespass represents one of the most recent attempts by courts to apply concepts and principles from the real world to the virtual world of the Internet. A creation of state common law, the doctrine essentially involved extending the tort of trespass to chattels to the electronic world. Consequently, unauthorized electronic interferences are deemed trespassory intrusions and rendered actionable. The present paper aims to undertake a conceptual study of the evolution of the doctrine, examining the doctrinal modifications courts were required to make to mould the doctrine to meet the specificities of cyberspace. It then uses cybertrespass to examine the implications of transposing property metaphors to the world of the Internet, characterized by the absence of resource rivalry and the reality of positive value enhancement through increased usage (i.e., a network effect, whereby participation in use by many is a condition for value in use by any). It is argued that the transposition of proprietary concepts to the Internet is done for purely instrumental reasons--reasons that derive neither from the nature of the resource nor its usage. The paper then evaluates whether such an instrumental use of proprietary concepts on the Internet has any effect on the meaning ordinarily attributed to the concept of property and the identification of property as an independent institution of moral significance. It concludes by showing that the relative neglect that doctrines such as cybertrespass have for identifying the boundaries of the res over which the property right is to operate, is capable of undermining the minimum core of any understanding of property as an independent institution

Common Law Property Metaphors on the Internet: The Real Problem with the Doctrine of Cybertrespass

The doctrine of cybertrespass represents one of the most recent attempts by courts to apply concepts and principles from the real world to the virtual world of the Internet. A creation of state common law, the doctrine essentially involved extending the tort of trespass to chattels to the electronic world. Consequently, unauthorized electronic interferences are deemed trespassory intrusions and rendered actionable. The present paper aims to undertake a conceptual study of the evolution of the doctrine, examining the doctrinal modifications courts were required to make to mould the doctrine to meet the specificities of cyberspace. It then uses cybertrespass to examine the implications of transposing property metaphors to the world of the Internet, characterized by the absence of resource rivalry and the reality of positive value enhancement through increased usage (i.e., a network effect, whereby participation in use by many is a condition for value in use by any). It is argued that the transposition of proprietary concepts to the Internet is done for purely instrumental reasons—reasons that derive neither from the nature of the resource nor its usage. The paper then evaluates whether such an instrumental use of proprietary concepts on the Internet has any effect on the meaning ordinarily attributed to the concept of property and the identification of property as an independent institution of moral significance. It concludes by showing that the relative neglect that doctrines such as cybertrespass have for identifying the boundaries of the res over which the property right is to operate, is capable of undermining the minimum core of any understanding of property as an independent institution

KOTIRAUHAN RIKKOMINEN PÄIJÄT-HÄMEEN KÄRÄJÄOIKEUDEN TAPAUSTEN MUKAAN 2010–2013

Tässä opinnäytetyössä käsitellään Päijät-Hämeen käräjäoikeuden tapauksia kotirauhan rikkomisesta vuosilta 2010–2013. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää, minkälainen rikos kotirauhan rikkominen on, minkälaisia eri tekomuotoja sillä on ja minkälaisia tuomioita niistä annetaan. Lisäksi selvitetään, minkälainen rikos viestintärauhan rikkominen on ja miksi se irrotettiin kotirauhapykälästä erilliseksi. Teoriaosuuden lähteinä käytetään alan oikeuskirjallisuutta, lakeja ja niiden esitöitä. Teoriaosuudessa käydään läpi kotirauhasäännösten historiaa ja sitä, miten lait ovat muotoutuneet nykyisenlaiseksi ja miten kotirauhasääntely on muuttunut. Viestintärauhaa käsitellään vain teoriaosiossa, sillä siitä ei ole oikeustapausaineistoa. Tutkimusosiossa aineisto koostuu Päijät-Hämeen käräjäoikeuden oikeustapauksista sekä muista kotirauharikoksia koskevista tutkimuksista. Niiden avulla pyritään selvittämään teoriaosuutta tarkemmin sitä, millaisia erilaisia tekoja on ja minkälaisia johtopäätöksiä niistä voi tehdä jakamalla niitä tekotapojen perusteella ryhmiin. Tutkimusaineiston perusteella on pystytty jakamaan rikos eri tekotapojen mukaan ryhmiin ja selvittämään, minkälaisia rangaistuksia niistä on annettu. Lainsäädäntöä on uudistettu 2000-luvulla paljon vastaamaan paremmin tekotapojen muutosta ja teknologian kehitystä. Nykyinen lainsäädäntö on hyvin ajan tasalla koti- ja viestintärauhan suhteen eikä lain tulkitseminen ole tuottanut ongelmia. Päijät-Hämeen käräjäoikeuden ratkaisut ovat olleet kiitettävän yksiselitteisiä, mikä varmasti heijastuu lainsäädännön jatkuvaan selkiyttämiseen.This thesis handles trespass according to court cases of District Court of Päijät-Häme in 2010–2013. The objective of this research was to study what kind of crime trespass is, which different methods it has and what are the penalties given for these crimes and also what kind of crime unsolicited communications as trespass is and why it was separated from interference with the possession of property. The sources used in the theory part are legal literature, laws and their preparatory materials. The theory part consists of the history of the provisions of the trespass law and these provisions developed into their modern form. Unsolicited communication as trespass is processed only in the theory part as there are no legal cases. The material of the research is based on the legal cases of District Court of Päijät-Häme and other researches considering domestic disturbance. In comparison with the theory part this material is to give more specific information on the methods and which solutions can be made by dividing them into groups. With the research material the crime has been divided into groups according to their methods and it has been possible to define penalties. The legislation has changed a lot in the 21st century to correspond to the changes in methods and technology development. The legislation nowadays is contemporary in terms of trespass to property and unsolicited communication as trespass and interpretation of the law hasn’t caused any problems. The judgments of District Court of Päijät-Häme have been commendably unequivocal, which for sure speaks for the continuously elaborating legislation