Synopses & Reviews
"If you've got nothing to hide," many people say, "you shouldn't worry about government surveillance." Others argue that we must sacrifice privacy for security. But as Daniel J. Solove argues in this important book, these arguments and many others are flawed. They are based on mistaken views about what it means to protect privacy and the costs and benefits of doing so. The debate between privacy and security has been framed incorrectly as a zero-sum game in which we are forced to choose between one value and the other. Why can't we have both?
In this concise and accessible book, Solove exposes the fallacies of many pro-security arguments that have skewed law and policy to favor security at the expense of privacy. Protecting privacy isn't fatal to security measures; it merely involves adequate oversight and regulation. Solove traces the history of the privacy-security debate from the Revolution to the present day. He explains how the law protects privacy and examines concerns with new technologies. He then points out the failings of our current system and offers specific remedies. Nothing to Hide makes a powerful and compelling case for reaching a better balance between privacy and security and reveals why doing so is essential to protect our freedom and democracy.
Review
"As the virtual goods economy explodes, Lastowka's well-reasoned and well-written arguments will acquire ever more importance. Courts and governments have much to decide, andand#8212;if they are wiseand#8212;they will look here for much guidance."and#8212;Edward Castronova, author of Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games
Review
'Virtual Justice is the definitive book on the law of virtual worlds. Illuminating as well as entertaining, from castles of bits and hijacked avatars to stolen virtual swords it is what every digital native ought to read."and#8212;Viktor Mayer-Schand#246;nberger, Associate Professor and Director, Information + Innovation Policy Research Centre, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
Review
"Virtual Justice provides a great overview and discussion of some of the trickiest issues facing virtual worlds. Itand#8217;s an important and timely contribution to the field and#8211; well worth a read by academics, designers, and users alike."and#8212;T.L. Taylor, author of Play Between Worlds
Review
"For anyone interestedandnbsp;in virtual worlds or massively multiplayer online games, this book will be fascinating on so many levels. Appealing, beautifully-written and chock-full of insight, Virtual Justice sets out the laws for brand new territories, creating the maps that we need to navigate these remarkable places.andnbsp;Of value to everyoneand#8212;lawyers, laypeople, regulators, thinkersand#8212;Lastowka gives us the definitive account of the laws of the virtual worlds."and#8212;Dan Hunter, Professor of Law and Director, Institute for Information Law and Policy, New York Law School and Co-founder of Terra Nova blog: terranova.blogs.com
Review
"Greg Lastowka shows how blurry the line can be between private and public, between a customer base and a polity.andnbsp;He makes a compelling and impassioned case for why what happens in online worlds matters to us alland#8212;and how what is unfolding there now is determining how free we will be."and#8212;Jonathan Zittrain, author of The Future of the Internetand#8212;And How to Stop It
Review
". . . a wonderful . . . thought-provoking, insightful, and often humorous book. . . . With humor, exhaustive research, and precise, moderated analysis, he has written a foundational text."and#8212;Joshua A.T. Fairfield, Jurimetrics
Review
"Rare is the book that so artfully animates, engages, and provokes the creative and legal imagination as does Virtual Justice: The New Laws of Online Worlds."and#8212;Heidi Boghosian, The Federal Lawyer
Synopsis
Tens of millions of people today are living part of their life in a virtual world. In places like World of Warcraft, Second Life, and Free Realms, people are making friends, building communities, creating art, and making real money. Business is booming on the virtual frontier, as billions of dollars are paid in exchange for pixels on screens. But sometimes things go wrong. Virtual criminals defraud online communities in pursuit of real-world profits. People feel cheated when their avatars lose virtual property to wrongdoers. Increasingly, they turn to legal systems for solutions. But when your avatar has been robbed, what law is there to assist you?
In Virtual Justice, Greg Lastowka illustrates the real legal dilemmas posed by virtual worlds. Presenting the most recent lawsuits and controversies, he explains how governments are responding to the chaos on the cyberspace frontier. After an engaging overview of the history and business models of today's virtual worlds, he explores how laws of property, jurisdiction, crime, and copyright are being adapted to pave the path of virtual law.
Virtual worlds are becoming more important to society with each passing year. This pioneering study will be an invaluable guide to scholars of online communities for years to come.
About the Author
Daniel J. Solove is John Marshall Harlan Research Professor of Law, George Washington University Law School. He is the author of several books about information privacy. He blogs at Concurring Opinions on issues of law, culture, and current events, and he lives in Washington, D.C.