Stanford CIS

Areas of interest

By Markus Thiel on

Area of interest (1): The Safe Harbor data protection system

I am interested in the (practical) advantages and disadvantages of the Safe Harbor framework the EU commission ruled to be compatible with the EU Data Protection Directive in 2000. Is the Safe Harbor system a failure or a success, looking back at four years of practice? As I find it extremely difficult to find comments and articles about this topic (having no access to US online research databases), I would be grateful for any advice, statement and information.

Area of interest (2): Treatment of illegal websites

In Germany, illegal websites are frequently inhibited by authorities in so-called Sperrungsverfuegungen (i. e. administrative closing off acts) addressed to the German internet providers. This course of action is discussed controversially. I am trying to gather information about the US-American point of view(s): How do you deal with illegal websites, and which possibilities do you see to take the concerns of the endangered groups (f. e. the protection of children and young persons) in consideration as well as the freedom of information and usage of the net?

Area of interest (3): Fundamental rights of information

The German Grundgesetz guarantees the freedom of information as a fundamental right. I am interested in any cases and articles that deal with the constitutional aspects of this freedom in the USA (history, content, the weighing up with other fundamental rights etc.).

Area of interest (4): Self-regulation

Finally, I am interested in the theory of real life self-regulation and the possibilities of applying those insights on self-regulation in the internet.

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