Technology is omnipresent in today’s society. Education, health, work, interactions with the government, leisure, communication, and research are just some of the contexts in which digital technologies play an increasingly important role. To understand this better, this book aims to offer insights into and critical reflections on the impact of technology on society, the interaction between technology and law, and the impact of technology on the legal profession.

The book is divided into four thematic parts. Part 1 explains important concepts and terms from disciplines such as computer sciences, economics, and sociology that are necessary to be able to identify and assess the legal impact of technology. Part 2 critically reflects on the interaction between technology and law, and discusses topics such as data protection, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence. Part 3 discusses legal tech, which facilitates legal processes and is increasingly used by lawyers, judges and other legal professionals. Finally, Part 4 discusses the desirability of regulating technology and examines the various instruments and strategies that are used to do so.

This handbook offers an accessible introduction to these complex topics for law students. The compilation of legislation and policy documents in each chapter also make it a useful reference book for legal practitioners.

With contributions by Pieterjan Declerck, Ralf De Wolf, Tom Evens, Liesa Keunen, Eva Lievens, Ingrida Milkaite, Ruben Roex, Yvan Saeys, Lien Stolle, Carl Vander Maelen, Valerie Verdoodt, Simon Verschaeve, and Yueming Zhang.