Liability Issues in Wireless Community Networks

Wireless Community Networks (WCNs) are an emerging phenomenon in which people gather in networked communities, based on a bottom-up approach. These networks allow users interaction and/or can bring Internet connectivity where it would otherwise be unavailable. Computer scientists have studied these networks in depth, whilst legal scholars have paid only marginal attention to the phenomenon. This paper attempts to remedy the deficiency by analysing different potential liability issues arising from the diffusion of WNCs from the perspective of European law and advancing possible solutions to address these issues.