The Regulation of Digital Technologies in the EU: Act-ification, GDPR Mimesis and EU Law Brutality at Play

EU regulatory initiative on technology-related topics has spiked over the past few years. On the basis of its Priorities Programme focusing on making Europe fit for the Digital Age, the EU Commission has been busy releasing new texts aimed at regulating a number of technology topics, data uses, online platforms, cyber-security and artificial intelligence.

This book identifies three phenomena which are common to all EU digital technologies-relevant regulatory initiatives: act-ification, GDPR mimesis and regulatory brutality. These three phenomena serve as indicators or early signs of a new European technology law-making paradigm that by now seems ready to emerge. They divulge new-found confidence on the part of the EU digital technologies legislator, who has by now asserted for itself the right to form policy options and create new rules in the field for all of Europe.

Bringing together an analysis of the regulatory initiatives for management of technology topics in the EU for the first time, this book will be of interest to academics, policy makers and practitioners, offering an overview of new digital technologies’ regulatory initiatives that will spark academic and policy-making interest and discussion.