Title: Information requirements and consumer protection in future M-commerce: textual information overload or alternative regulation and communication?

Authors: R.F. Henschel, E.B. Cleff

Addresses: Department of Law, Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus Aarhus V, Denmark. ' Department of Law, Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus Aarhus V, Denmark

Abstract: The aim of this article is to discuss information requirements and consumer protection in mobile commerce. On the basis of a brief introduction to the characteristics of mobile commerce and the regulatory framework that governs mobile commerce in the European Union today, the article not only presents and discusses information requirements of particular interest to m-commerce and how the technological development facilitates but also challenges the traditional way in which legal information is given. It has been suggested that the solution may be relaxed enforcement of the regulatory framework and/or self-regulation to prevent over-regulation and hindrances to the technological development, for example, by codes of conduct. However, the article argues that other possible solutions should be considered, e.g. the use of specific symbols and sounds that – like road traffic rules – could help the consumer to navigate safely between the legal rocks in the future wireless ocean of mobile commerce.

Keywords: consumer protection; contracts; EU law; European Union; information requirements; mobile commerce; m-commerce; regulation; legal information; information management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIIM.2007.014371

International Journal of Intercultural Information Management, 2007 Vol.1 No.1, pp.58 - 73

Published online: 03 Jul 2007 *

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