Fact Checking is About What we Change not Just Who we Reach

This article explores how the UK’s fact-checking organisation Full Fact has sought to tackle misinformation since its inception in 2010. Full Fact describes itself as a ‘second generation’ fact-checking organisation with dual aims of seeking to stop the spread of specific pieces of inaccurate information and using the evidence base from fact checking to secure systemic changes that help make misinformation rarer and less harmful. Ultimately, we are pursuing culture change. We are trying to create institutions in societies that can help anchor public debate to reality and to challenge the casual acceptance of deceptive and misleading behaviour.     

Hurdles and Pathways to Regulatory Innovation in Digital Political Campaigning

Targeted online ads, algorithmic analytics tools, clickbait-y social media campaigns, big data voter databases—digital technologies have become a cornerstone of contemporary political campaigns in the United Kingdom. Candidates, party campaigners, and a multitude of other registered campaigners embrace digital campaigning for democratic engagement, mobilising voters and electioneering. Yet, in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, it has become clear that these technologies are vulnerable to abuse and deception. Pressing issues surrounding privacy, transparency, and human rights persist, and systems of electoral law have become ill-equipped to enforce good behaviour and compliance with the law. Drawing from empirical evidence ahead of the 2019 UK general election, this article examines systemic obstacles to regulatory innovation. The inquiry provides an analysis of key policy challenges affecting elections and democracy, and develops an analytical framework pathways to regulatory innovation in the digital domain across three dimensions: (1) Institutional structures; (2) organisational processes; and (3) regulatory functions. The article puts forward practical policy recommendations to promote regulatory innovation that is tech-savvy, evidence-based and future-proof.     

Critical Misunderstandings: Ineffective International Governance and the UK Nuclear Industry

In 2017, significant media and political interest was sparked by the UK decision to leave Euratom, the European Atomic Energy Community. While such interest in nuclear matters has to be welcomed, the apparent lack of knowledge displayed in the regulatory governance of the UK nuclear industry is disquieting. This article therefore offers an overview of the publicly funded UK nuclear industry and its regulatory governance including its links with European and global nuclear agencies to inform the debate and to identify critical issues in need of resolution.     

第二次世界大战后武力使用规范的演进

在国际法体系中,武装冲突法可谓编纂得最为完备的一个分支。经过数百年的积累和铺垫,第二次世界大战后武力使用规范逐渐发展成为完整的规范体系并呈现出四大特征:即为了适应国际关系的新变化武装冲突法扩大了适用范围;使用核武器是否合法成为国际法的重要问题;出现了在武装冲突中"反向"使用武力以达到实现和平目的的新方式——联合国维持和平行动以及在武装冲突中出现了大量作为作战手段而使用的性暴力行为等。然而进入21世纪以后,武装冲突的形态与样式均发生了重大变化,一方面,以无人机、自主作战机器人、纳米生物武器和网络战为代表的新型作战手段方法层出不穷;另一方面,非国家行为体在武装冲突中使用武力的情况有所增加,更出现了私人军事安保公司等法律地位在国际法上尚处于空白的交战主体。以朝核危机为标志,核武器对于国际和平与安全的巨大的潜在甚至是现实的威胁再次凸显,迅速成为国际政治和国际法中的热点核心议题。值得注意的是,即使武装冲突法的基本原则依然相对稳定,但是不断出现的新作战手段和方法,仍然给国际法和国际安全提出了一系列亟须应对的新挑战。     

论契约自由原则的发展及其动因

“契约自由是合同法的灵魂和生命。”它发源于罗马法,确立于资本主义自由竞争时期。进入20世纪后,随着其产生之社会基础的变化．各国普遍对契约自由给予一定的规制,以实现实质意义上的契约公正。从契约自由原则的兴起、确立及现代社会对其的规制,宏观把握契约自由原则发展的历史进程,并洞见其发展动因。     

系统论语境下我国刑事程序的若干反思与重构

在我国当前刑事诉讼中,系统论已经得到一定程度的关注,然而现实中其运行结果与理想还存在很大差距,影响了刑事程序功能的有效发挥。因此,有必要从理念更新和规则优化层面重构我国刑事程序系统,以促使其实现动态、平衡的发展。     

国有企业经营者薪酬的法律规制——一个程序视角的分析

管理者薪酬,不仅在于给什么,而且在于如何给,此即国有企业经营者薪酬的实体与程序规制两个面向。由于缺乏自治性与适应性,实体规制面临诸多困境甚至＂失灵＂,为此,转换视角,引入和完善薪酬程序规制殊为必要,亦即基于正当程序原理完善程序规制立法以及救济与责任机制,保障程序规制得以实施。     

论对偷逃过路费行为的预防及法律规制

偷逃过路费行为给高速公路带来巨大损失。通过严格恪守有关公路方面的法律法规、强化公务人员和工作人员依法办事的法律意识、总结惩治偷逃过路通行费经验、建立部门长效联动治逃机制、完善相应的科技手段等措施能够预防偷逃过路费行为的发生。通过行政处罚可以制约伪造标志、证件或者冒用绿通车骗逃行为、强行闯岗(跳车)逃费行为;通过行政处分规制公路收费站工作人员私放车辆行为。行政处罚与行政强制只能由特定的行政机关执行。     

论国家级考试舞弊行为的刑法规制

根据我国现行刑法的规定,对在国家级考试中实施舞弊行为情节严重的,可处以非法获取国家秘密罪或招收学生徇私舞弊罪等罪名。但对于为舞弊者提供协助行为情节严重的,现行刑法却无力惩处,并且对教师帮助学生实施舞弊行为适用招收学生徇私舞弊罪处罚也有违罪刑法定原则。为弥补刑事法律在规制国家级考试舞弊行为上的不足,必须在刑法中增设＂协助国家级考试舞弊罪＂,以有效地遏制考试舞弊盛行之风。     

论市场监管法的地位——以市场监管法和市场规制法的关系为视角

市场监管法是否具有的独立地位,是学术界存在争议的问题。如以市场监管法与市场规制法的关系研究为视角,对二者间的共性进行概括及二者间的区别进行分析,也许可以更好地理解市场监管法的独立地位。市场监管法应当是经济法体系中不可或缺的、与宏观调控法和市场规制法并列的、独立的组成部分。对市场监管法地位的深入研究,不仅是构建经济法体系的基础,更是保证经济法在我国法制体系中具有独立性,从而使经济法的整体作用得以有效发挥的必备条件。