»An open European web search infrastructure is the cornerstone of a free and open information society of tomorrow. However, its operation raises some of the most complex legal questions within the process of digital transformation.«

Prof. Dr. Matthias Wendland
Professor of Information Technology Law at the University of Oldenburg

Project LISA

In OpenWebSearch.eu Prof. Dr. Matthias Wendland is in charge of project LISA (Open Web Search Legal, Intellectual Property, Cyber Security Aspects) with the objective to help deliver tangible guidelines from a legal, social and security viewpoint. The unique character of the project corresponds with an accumulation of novel legal issues, most of which are not even yet discussed, let alone solved. From this perspective, the project not only technologically, but also legally moves beyond frontiers.

In a first step, the project LISA determines the applicable Law. Which legal framework actually applies for an index, which crawls the entire Internet, retrieving data from servers located around the world and which itself operates from a network of servers located in different EU member states. Which law actually defines what legal content is? And how should the index deal with the problem of conflict of laws?

In a second step all legal risks which are relevant for the development and operation of the Open Web Index are identified, assessed and scored.

Finally, a legal framework is developed which covers all relevant legal aspects and ensures a legally compliant operation of the Open Web Index including guidelines, best practices and a matrix for the proper selection of a functioning governance structures.

Prof. Dr. Matthias Wendland, LL.M. (Harvard) is Professor of Information Technology Law at the University of Oldenburg and Head of the Digital Law Hub at the University of Graz. As member of the Field of Excellence „Smart Regulation“ his interdisciplinary research is focused on current topics at the intersection of Law, Ethics and digital Technologies, especially in the area of Internet Law, Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection and Intellectual Property Law. In his research he explores the question how innovative technology changes human thought, society and normative orders and how regulative law might react to such disruptive developments.