MSc Data Science & Society
DATA LAW & REGULATIONS – LECTURE 1
Module 1: Introduc/on
[The law allows me to have my freedom and protects the freedom of others]
The law is libera8ng. In what ways does the law allow me to have my freedom? Same rules for everyone.
You can marry everyone that you want. Except for minors of course.
Law – Purposes & Func8ons – Rights
Absolute rights
Can be exercised against all others (like a property right)
- Right to live
- Right to have a personal name
- Freedom against discrimina/ons
Rela0ve rights
Can only be exercised against 1 or more specifically determined persons (like a loan)
- Contractual rights (1 v 1 contract)
Objec8ve vs subjec8ve law / Rights
The law is objec&ve, my rights are subjec&ve
Law – Purposes & Func8ons
• Establishing standards
How we allow ourselves to be treated, how the world treats us and how we treat the world.
• Maintaining order
Society without an order would be a disaster.
• Resolving disputes
When there is a disagreement, a legal representee or legal body will sort out the differences. (referee in
football game).
• Protec8ng liber8es and rights
The federal right to decide for abor/on was abandon in the US. Now on state level.
Law – Purposes & Func8ons – Norms
LEGAL norms - It may be legal to smoke near small kids.
MORAL norms - Would you smoke near small kids?
E.g. > Go into a hospital, pretend to fall in love with an extremely rich lady and marry her. Inherent all her
money aUer she dies. This is completely legal in a lot of countries. But MORALLY people would not admire
you.
- Playing loud music in the train
- Ea/ng with your mouth open
- Clapping when a plane land
1
, MSc Data Science & Society
Law – Purposes & Func8ons – Rule of/by Law
Rule of law
Abstract idea: All people are equal under the law - No one is above the law - Punishment same regardless
[Jeff Bezos paid USD 12.000 in fines for parking his car on a non-parking spot at his apartment in NY]
[In Finland your fines are based on your income]
Rule by law (More reality in real life)
Governing authority somehow exists above the law
Forceful persuasion, control, compliance, coercion?
[In some countries this is s/ll the case]
Law – Purposes & Func8ons – Checks & Balances
Trias Poli0ca – Scheiding der machten
Legislature Wetgevende macht Parliament – Make the law
Execu/ve Leidinggevende/Uitvoerende macht Government, Police – Enforce the law
Judiciary Rechterlijke macht Courts – Is this lawful?
Legisla8ve func8on: [Issue of laws]
- Determine the rules that will govern the process of adjudica/on. Legisla/on tells the judicial func/on HOW
to adjudicate
Execu8ve func8on: [Makes sure that the laws are followed]
- Ensure, first, that the dispu/ng par/es submit to adjudica/on in the first place, and second, that they
actually comply with the sedlement eventually reached through the judicial process
Judicial func8on: [Judgement] / [Interpreta/on of laws]
- Adjudicates disputes, decides how a disagreement should be seSled
[Law – Purposes & Func8ons - Checks & Balances = Perfectly balanced…. As all things should be]
[Create the laws that are then used by the judiciary? Then the judiciary can use to help mi/gate disputes]
East Coast vs West Coast code. By the /me that the dinosaurs in DC have figured out how all the technology
created in the West Coast works, and sufficiently regulate it, Silicon Valley already created 11.000 other new
technologies. The war between innova/on and regula/on.
What happens when we get rid of the legislature? > Both Excusive and Judiciary cannot exist and operate
to the same degree of competency, efficiently and scope.
What happens when we get rid of the execu8ve? > Then aUer gegng a speeding /cket, you won’t show up
in court.
What happens when we get rid of the judicial? >
2
, MSc Data Science & Society
Imagine the judiciary is not there. Can the legislature and the execu/ve branches func/on effec/vely?
NO > You get or could get a police state because what the conversa/ons don’t happen. There is a lack of
adjudica/on, a lack of sedlement, and there is a law that is created and that is enforced without very much
regard for the ways that can be interpreted and allowing for excep/ons and so on.
Police state: a totalitarian state controlled by a poli/cal police force that secretly supervises the ci/zens'
ac/vi/es.
3
, MSc Data Science & Society
Principles & Rules - Defini8on
• Background of legal rules
• Can be used to interpret, complete, or correct legal rules
• Made by judge (verdict) or legislator (codes)
Are all rules legal rules?
> You cannot steal – YES
> M = aX + B – NO, but it is a rule in math
> You cannot cheat – NO, but it is a rule of Tilburg University, and you will be punished if caught.
> Using doping – NO, but within the legal rules of most sports. So if caught you will get punished.
Principles & Rules – Sources of Law
4
DATA LAW & REGULATIONS – LECTURE 1
Module 1: Introduc/on
[The law allows me to have my freedom and protects the freedom of others]
The law is libera8ng. In what ways does the law allow me to have my freedom? Same rules for everyone.
You can marry everyone that you want. Except for minors of course.
Law – Purposes & Func8ons – Rights
Absolute rights
Can be exercised against all others (like a property right)
- Right to live
- Right to have a personal name
- Freedom against discrimina/ons
Rela0ve rights
Can only be exercised against 1 or more specifically determined persons (like a loan)
- Contractual rights (1 v 1 contract)
Objec8ve vs subjec8ve law / Rights
The law is objec&ve, my rights are subjec&ve
Law – Purposes & Func8ons
• Establishing standards
How we allow ourselves to be treated, how the world treats us and how we treat the world.
• Maintaining order
Society without an order would be a disaster.
• Resolving disputes
When there is a disagreement, a legal representee or legal body will sort out the differences. (referee in
football game).
• Protec8ng liber8es and rights
The federal right to decide for abor/on was abandon in the US. Now on state level.
Law – Purposes & Func8ons – Norms
LEGAL norms - It may be legal to smoke near small kids.
MORAL norms - Would you smoke near small kids?
E.g. > Go into a hospital, pretend to fall in love with an extremely rich lady and marry her. Inherent all her
money aUer she dies. This is completely legal in a lot of countries. But MORALLY people would not admire
you.
- Playing loud music in the train
- Ea/ng with your mouth open
- Clapping when a plane land
1
, MSc Data Science & Society
Law – Purposes & Func8ons – Rule of/by Law
Rule of law
Abstract idea: All people are equal under the law - No one is above the law - Punishment same regardless
[Jeff Bezos paid USD 12.000 in fines for parking his car on a non-parking spot at his apartment in NY]
[In Finland your fines are based on your income]
Rule by law (More reality in real life)
Governing authority somehow exists above the law
Forceful persuasion, control, compliance, coercion?
[In some countries this is s/ll the case]
Law – Purposes & Func8ons – Checks & Balances
Trias Poli0ca – Scheiding der machten
Legislature Wetgevende macht Parliament – Make the law
Execu/ve Leidinggevende/Uitvoerende macht Government, Police – Enforce the law
Judiciary Rechterlijke macht Courts – Is this lawful?
Legisla8ve func8on: [Issue of laws]
- Determine the rules that will govern the process of adjudica/on. Legisla/on tells the judicial func/on HOW
to adjudicate
Execu8ve func8on: [Makes sure that the laws are followed]
- Ensure, first, that the dispu/ng par/es submit to adjudica/on in the first place, and second, that they
actually comply with the sedlement eventually reached through the judicial process
Judicial func8on: [Judgement] / [Interpreta/on of laws]
- Adjudicates disputes, decides how a disagreement should be seSled
[Law – Purposes & Func8ons - Checks & Balances = Perfectly balanced…. As all things should be]
[Create the laws that are then used by the judiciary? Then the judiciary can use to help mi/gate disputes]
East Coast vs West Coast code. By the /me that the dinosaurs in DC have figured out how all the technology
created in the West Coast works, and sufficiently regulate it, Silicon Valley already created 11.000 other new
technologies. The war between innova/on and regula/on.
What happens when we get rid of the legislature? > Both Excusive and Judiciary cannot exist and operate
to the same degree of competency, efficiently and scope.
What happens when we get rid of the execu8ve? > Then aUer gegng a speeding /cket, you won’t show up
in court.
What happens when we get rid of the judicial? >
2
, MSc Data Science & Society
Imagine the judiciary is not there. Can the legislature and the execu/ve branches func/on effec/vely?
NO > You get or could get a police state because what the conversa/ons don’t happen. There is a lack of
adjudica/on, a lack of sedlement, and there is a law that is created and that is enforced without very much
regard for the ways that can be interpreted and allowing for excep/ons and so on.
Police state: a totalitarian state controlled by a poli/cal police force that secretly supervises the ci/zens'
ac/vi/es.
3
, MSc Data Science & Society
Principles & Rules - Defini8on
• Background of legal rules
• Can be used to interpret, complete, or correct legal rules
• Made by judge (verdict) or legislator (codes)
Are all rules legal rules?
> You cannot steal – YES
> M = aX + B – NO, but it is a rule in math
> You cannot cheat – NO, but it is a rule of Tilburg University, and you will be punished if caught.
> Using doping – NO, but within the legal rules of most sports. So if caught you will get punished.
Principles & Rules – Sources of Law
4
