Event Details
We had the privilege of hosting Professor Lee Andrew Bygrave from the Department of Private Law at the University of Oslo and Senior Research Affiliate at the Centre for Digital Law for a thought-provoking seminar titled "Design Norms in Law: Just a Passing Fad?".
Design-focused norms such as 'data protection by design’, 'compliance by design’, and 'security by design’ are increasingly embedded in legal and policy frameworks, especially in Europe. Yet, despite their growing use, the meaning and practical implications of these mantras often remain unclear or contested among stakeholders. Prof Lee explored the rise of design-based regulation and cautioned against treating it as a quick fix for regulatory shortcomings. He emphasised that if the complexity and context of these norms are overlooked, they risk becoming merely symbolic rather than effective tools for governance.
We thank Prof Lee for his insightful reflections on both the potential and the challenges of this evolving regulatory approach.
