New Horizons or Business As Usual? New Zealand’s Medico-Legal Response to Digital Harm

Date
2023-03-24
Authors
Kelly, Olivia
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MDPI AG
Abstract

jats:pA socio-legal commentary, this article examines the emerging issue of digital harm in New Zealand’s health settings. There are recent cases, and an increasing number of them, demonstrating the medico-legal response to various forms of digital harm. Of these, several representative cases are considered in order to identify features of digital harm within the health context. The article questions whether this is a new type of harm, enabled by the creation of new technologies, or simply a different manifestation of conventional unprofessional or unethical behaviour. The article considers whether the existing medico-legal framework can appropriately respond to this harm and whether new legal or policy tools are required. The cases suggest that the rights and disciplinary systems in place can adequately deal with digital harm within their existing scopes, particularly when individuals have been harmed. However, gaps in the legal framework are identified, with particular reference to the actions of unregistered providers and harm to professions. Further, a future challenge for the system may be the response to COVID-19 vaccine denial and misinformation. As the legal response to digital harm in the health context is a relatively unexamined area of research, this work may guide future research.</jats:p>

Description
Keywords
4804 Law In Context , 48 Law and Legal Studies , 3 Good Health and Well Being , 1602 Criminology , 1801 Law , 4402 Criminology , 4806 Private law and civil obligations
Source
Laws, ISSN: 2075-471X (Print); 2075-471X (Online), MDPI AG, 12(2), 32-32. doi: 10.3390/laws12020032
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