Social media and open trial: an emerging conflict or an opportunity?

This thesis presents a comprehensive overview of the concept of open trial in different eras, before and after the birth of the Internet and social media. It describes obstacles and challenges that emerge in the digital environment such as the citizen journalism phenomenon as well as directions for evolving and rethinking the concept of open trial in this new era. It focuses on the jury trial as a means of implementing openness and it proceeds across different periods and jurisdictions with a normative analysis. It finally presents several technological solutions for resolving the conflict between open, fair trial and social media. These solutions range from a number of light weight measures to a radical reformulation of the criminal trial by jury which is based on a cryptographic e-voting protocol and blockchain technology...

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