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Colin Cherian
Arbitration: The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management
Volume 88, Issue 4 (2022) pp. 613 – 632
https://doi.org/10.54648/amdm2022036
Abstract
Regulatory interventions to prevent perceived harms of emerging technologies may likely pave the way for tech-related disputes between a host state and a foreign corporation. One such emerging technology whose harms and widespread use features in recent debates is end-to-end encryption (E2EE). This article examines an outright ban of end-to-end encrypted instant messaging platforms, based on the ‘going dark’ concerns of governments, as a potential expropriation claim. This article attempts to answer whether there has been a substantial deprivation, and whether non-compensation is justified for such a deprivation by carrying out effects-based, purpose-based, and balancing analyses. The findings of this study demonstrate that although the effects of the ban may be tantamount to expropriation, such a finding is not evident in a purpose-based or proportionality analyses.
Keywords
expropriation, regulatory interference, end-to-end encryption, tech-related disputes, investor-state arbitration, technology
Extract
Regulatory interventions to prevent perceived harms of emerging technologies may likely pave the way for tech-related disputes between a host state and a foreign corporation. One such emerging technology whose harms and widespread use features in recent debates is end-to-end encryption (E2EE). This article examines an outright ban of end-to-end encrypted instant messaging platforms, based on the ‘going dark’ concerns of governments, as a potential expropriation claim. This article attempts to answer whether there has been a substantial deprivation, and whether non-compensation is justified for such a deprivation by carrying out effects-based, purpose-based, and balancing analyses. The findings of this study demonstrate that although the effects of the ban may be tantamount to expropriation, such a finding is not evident in a purpose-based or proportionality analyses.