Microsoft Corp. v. United States and the ‘Hot Pursuit’: A Case Study Against the Application of the Law of the Sea into the Cyberspace

Patricia A. Vargas-León

doi:10.17104/0044-2348-2021-3-755

Contents
- Chapter Expand | CollapseAuthorsPage
- 581–584 Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis 581–584
- 585–596 Comment 585–596
  - Environmental Injustice: The (Unaddressed) Case of Toxic Waste Disposal in the Global South Elif Askin Elif Askin
- 597–866 Abhandlungen 597–866
  - 597–600 International Law and the Internet Angelo Jr Golia, Matthias C. Kettemann, Raffaela Kunz Angelo Jr Golia, Matthias C. Kettemann, Raffaela Kunz 597–600
  - 601–626 Integrity in the ‘Infinite Space’ – New Frontiers for International Law Rolf H. Weber Rolf H. Weber 601–626
  - 627–650 Equality as a Principle of the Networked World? An Exploratory Search for ‘Cyber-Equality’ in the Field of Internet Governance Nula Frei Nula Frei 627–650
  - 651–676 Sovereignty Fever: The Territorial Turn of Global Cyber Order Chien-Huei Wu Chien-Huei Wu 651–676
  - 677–700 The Role of the Internet in International Law-Making, Implementation and Global Governance Annalisa Ciampi Annalisa Ciampi 677–700
  - 701–732 Cybersecurity and Cybercrime: Dynamic Application versus Norm-Development Antonio Segura-Serrano Antonio Segura-Serrano 701–732
  - 733–754 Internet and eDiplomacy: ‘Traditional’ Diplomatic Law in the Digital Era Stefano Dominelli Stefano Dominelli 733–754
  - 755–780 Microsoft Corp. v. United States and the ‘Hot Pursuit’: A Case Study Against the Application of the Law of the Sea into the Cyberspace Patricia A. Vargas-León Patricia A. Vargas-León 755–780
  - 781–816 Responsible Business in a Digital World – What’s International Law Got to Do With It? Christine Kaufmann Christine Kaufmann 781–816
  - 817–840 Cyberspace as an Example of Self-Organisation from a Network Perspective Cäcilia Maria Hermes Cäcilia Maria Hermes 817–840
  - 841–866 Interpretive Community 2.0: How Blogs and Twitter Change International Law Scholarship Ralph Janik Ralph Janik 841–866
- 867–886 Buchbesprechungen 867–886
  - 867–872 Goeble, Thilo: Freiraum oder Herrschaftsgebiet. Menschenrecht auf Zugang und völkerrechtliche Prinzipien als Schranken staatlichen Handelns im Internet Clara Rauchegger, Janine Prantl Clara Rauchegger, Janine Prantl 867–872
  - 873–878 Amoroso, Daniele: Autonomous Weapons Systems and International Law Elisabeth Hoffberger-Pippan Elisabeth Hoffberger-Pippan 873–878
  - 879–886 Delerue, François: Cyber Operations and International Law Rachel F. Behring Rachel F. Behring 879–886
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Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht / Heidelberg Journal of International Law , page 755 - 780

Microsoft Corp. v. United States and the ‘Hot Pursuit’: A Case Study Against the Application of the Law of the Sea into the Cyberspace

Autoren

Patricia A. Vargas-León

DOI
- doi.org/10.17104/0044-2348-2021-3-755
- ISSN: 0044-2348
- ISSN online: 2942-3562
Abstract

In today's world, no treaty regulates the cyberspace or the Internet. To some extent, the multi-stakeholder model has successfully kept the Internet free of a unique point of control, yet some nation-states advocate for a government-based-model. Amid the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) transition debate, some governments favoured a cyberspace regulation in the hands of an inter-governmental organisation. Additionally, western democracies have advocated to declare the cyberspace a fifth domain. Reasons for these different perceptions are related to the different conceptions nation-states have what should be the governance model for a resource beyond their traditional borders. Considering this dichotomy, this paper analyses the negative implications of applying the law of the sea into cyberspace. For this purpose, this paper will explore the concept of the 'right of hot pursuit', one of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The research methodology includes as a case-study Microsoft Corp. v. United States also known as the 'Microsoft Ireland' case. This case was selected because it exemplified how government administrations attempt to use the principles of international law to protect their sovereignty over the Internet infrastructure located in their territory, even when the access to that infrastructure is 'virtual' and there is no need to access such infrastructure physically. Facing this scenario, where governments try to exercise their sovereignty beyond their territorial borders, this paper will: 1. Provide an overview of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) interpretations of the hot pursuit to determine the international legal conception over this principle. 2. Analyse the arguments of the parties involved in the Microsoft Ireland case about why one nation-state's sovereignty should be applied or not beyond the borders of its territory. 3. Analyse the negative repercussions of including the hot pursuit and the fictional fragmentation of the ocean into the cyberspace. Findings expect to enrich the discussion within the Internet governance debate and understand the consequences of (1) applying the international law over the Internet infrastructure and (2) clarify the traditional legal approach that spaces without nation-states' sovereignty should not exist.
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