Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Internet Law (112)
- Science and Technology Law (106)
- Intellectual Property Law (79)
- Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law (54)
- Cultural Heritage Law (48)
-
- Privacy Law (33)
- Torts (20)
- Other Law (19)
- International Law (18)
- Commercial Law (17)
- Transnational Law (15)
- Communications Law (14)
- European Law (14)
- Civil Law (13)
- Computer Sciences (13)
- Physical Sciences and Mathematics (13)
- Public Law and Legal Theory (13)
- Information Security (12)
- Marketing Law (12)
- First Amendment (10)
- Consumer Protection Law (9)
- Law and Society (9)
- Constitutional Law (7)
- Contracts (7)
- Human Rights Law (7)
- Legal Education (7)
- Legal Profession (7)
- Legal Writing and Research (7)
- Institution
-
- DePaul University (47)
- Duke Law (19)
- Seattle University School of Law (13)
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (12)
- Georgia State University College of Law (8)
-
- Southern Methodist University (8)
- Brooklyn Law School (6)
- Cleveland State University (5)
- UIC School of Law (5)
- University of Colorado Law School (5)
- University of Washington School of Law (5)
- Washington and Lee University School of Law (5)
- University of Georgia School of Law (4)
- Columbia Law School (3)
- Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University (3)
- The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law (3)
- University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law (3)
- University of New Hampshire (3)
- Vanderbilt University Law School (3)
- American University Washington College of Law (2)
- Pace University (2)
- Penn State Dickinson Law (2)
- Roger Williams University (2)
- San Jose State University (2)
- University of Miami Law School (2)
- University of Michigan Law School (2)
- Yeshiva University, Cardozo School of Law (2)
- Boston University School of Law (1)
- Chicago-Kent College of Law (1)
- Cornell University Law School (1)
- Keyword
-
- Internet (19)
- Technology (19)
- Privacy (16)
- AI (13)
- Copyright (11)
-
- Artificial Intelligence (10)
- Cyberspace (9)
- GDPR (8)
- Regulation (8)
- Business (7)
- Data (7)
- Machine Learning (7)
- Artificial intelligence (6)
- Consumer (6)
- Data Analytics (6)
- Intellectual property (6)
- Bitcoin (5)
- Compliance (5)
- First Amendment (5)
- Blockchain technology (4)
- Cryptocurrency (4)
- Information (4)
- Law (4)
- Liability (4)
- Social media (4)
- Software (4)
- Barlow (3)
- Blockchain (3)
- Communications Decency Act (3)
- Computer (3)
- Publication
-
- DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law (47)
- Duke Law & Technology Review (19)
- Seattle University Law Review (13)
- Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law (11)
- Georgia State University Law Review (8)
-
- SMU Science and Technology Law Review (8)
- Cleveland State Law Review (5)
- Faculty Scholarship (5)
- Publications (5)
- Articles (3)
- Canadian Journal of Law and Technology (3)
- Law Faculty Scholarship (3)
- UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law (3)
- Washington and Lee Law Review (3)
- Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law (2)
- Brooklyn Journal of International Law (2)
- Catholic University Journal of Law and Technology (2)
- Faculty Scholarly Works (2)
- Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal) (2)
- Maryland Law Review (2)
- Pace Law Review (2)
- Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals (2)
- Scholarly Works (2)
- University of Miami Law Review (2)
- Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law (2)
- Annual ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law (1)
- Articles, Chapters in Books and Other Contributions to Scholarly Works (1)
- Biennial Conference: The Social Practice of Human Rights (1)
- Brooklyn Law Review (1)
- Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (1)
- Publication Type
Articles 91 - 120 of 191
Full-Text Articles in Computer Law
Forensic Cell Site Analysis: Mobile Network Operator Evidence Integrity Maintenance Research, John B. Minor
Forensic Cell Site Analysis: Mobile Network Operator Evidence Integrity Maintenance Research, John B. Minor
Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law
Mobile Network Operator (MNO) and Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) evidence have become an important evidentiary focus in the courtroom. This type of evidence is routinely produced as business records under U.S. Federal Rules of Evidence for use in the emerging discipline of Forensic Cell Site Analysis. The research was undertaken to determine if evidence produced by operators should be classified as digital evidence and, if so, what evidence handling methodologies are appropriate to ensure evidence integrity. This research project resulted in the creation of a method of determining if business records produced by MNO/MVNO organizations are digital evidence and …
Examining The Correlates Of Failed Drdos Attacks, Thomas Hyslip, Thomas Holt
Examining The Correlates Of Failed Drdos Attacks, Thomas Hyslip, Thomas Holt
Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law
Over the last decade, there has been a rise in cybercrime services offered on a feefor- service basis, enabling individuals to direct attacks against various targets. One of the recent services offered involves stresser or booter operators, who offer distributed reflected denial of service (DRDoS) attacks on an hourly or subscription basis. These attacks involve the use of malicious traffic reflected off of webservers to increase the volume of traffic, which is directed toward websites and servers rendering them unusable. Researchers have examined DRDoS attacks using realtime data, though few have considered the experience of their customers and the factors …
Df 2.0: An Automated, Privacy Preserving, And Efficient Digital Forensic Framework That Leverages Machine Learning For Evidence Prediction And Privacy Evaluation, Robin Verma, Jayaprakash Govindaraj Dr, Saheb Chhabra, Gaurav Gupta
Df 2.0: An Automated, Privacy Preserving, And Efficient Digital Forensic Framework That Leverages Machine Learning For Evidence Prediction And Privacy Evaluation, Robin Verma, Jayaprakash Govindaraj Dr, Saheb Chhabra, Gaurav Gupta
Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law
The current state of digital forensic investigation is continuously challenged by the rapid technological changes, the increase in the use of digital devices (both the heterogeneity and the count), and the sheer volume of data that these devices could contain. Although data privacy protection is not a performance measure, however, preventing privacy violations during the digital forensic investigation, is also a big challenge. With a perception that the completeness of investigation and the data privacy preservation are incompatible with each other, the researchers have provided solutions to address the above-stated challenges that either focus on the effectiveness of the investigation …
A Commercial Law For Software Contracting, Michael L. Rustad, Elif Kavusturan
A Commercial Law For Software Contracting, Michael L. Rustad, Elif Kavusturan
Washington and Lee Law Review
Since the 1980s, software is at the core of most modern organizations, most products and most services. Part II of this Article examines how the U.C.C. evolved as the primary source of law for the first generation of computer contracts during the mainframe computer era. Part III examines how courts have overextended U.C.C. Article 2, as the main source of law for software licensing, to the limits. Part IV argues that the ALI and the NCCUSL should propose a new Article 2B for software licensing. Part V recommends a new Article 2C for “software as a service.”
Text Messages Are Property: Why You Don’T Own Your Text Messages, But It’D Be A Lot Cooler If You Did, Spence M. Howden
Text Messages Are Property: Why You Don’T Own Your Text Messages, But It’D Be A Lot Cooler If You Did, Spence M. Howden
Washington and Lee Law Review
This Note proceeds as follows: Part II offers a brief overview of what text messages are and what they are not. Part III covers the history of intangible personal property law and reviews the evolution of “cybertrespass” claims. Part IV explores the judiciary and the Fourth Amendment’s failure to protect text messages. Finally, Part V evaluates whether text messages constitute property and the practical implications of this finding.
Next Generation Of Evidence Collecting: The Need For Digital Forensics In Criminal Justice Education, Scott H. Belshaw
Next Generation Of Evidence Collecting: The Need For Digital Forensics In Criminal Justice Education, Scott H. Belshaw
Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice
Digital forensics poses significant challenges to law enforcement as the information found in a computer system is often present at most crime scenes in the form of computer data and cell phones. Digital evidence contained on common devices, such as cell phones and laptops, includes information that can be pertinent to the investigation of crimes. Law enforcement is increasingly identifying the need to be able to process their evidence internally warranting the exploration of the need for digital forensics training as part of a broader study of criminal justice for future law enforcement practitioners. This paper uses telephone surveys of …
Automatically Extracting Meaning From Legal Texts: Opportunities And Challenges, Kevin D. Ashley
Automatically Extracting Meaning From Legal Texts: Opportunities And Challenges, Kevin D. Ashley
Georgia State University Law Review
This paper surveys three basic legal-text analytic techniques—ML, network diagrams, and question answering (QA)—and illustrates how some currently available commercial applications employ or combine them. It then examines how well the text analytic techniques can answer legal questions given some inherent limitations in the technology. In more detail, ML refers to computer programs that use statistical means to induce or learn models from data with which they can classify a document or predict an outcome for a new case. Predictive coding techniques employed in e-discovery have already introduced ML from text into law firms. Network diagrams graph the relations between …
Legal Intelligence Through Artificial Intelligence Requires Emotional Intelligence: A New Competency Model For The 21st Century Legal Professional, Alyson Carrel
Georgia State University Law Review
The nature of legal services is drastically changing given the rise in the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Legal education and training models are beginning to recognize the need to incorporate skill building in data and technology platforms, but they have lost sight of a core competency for lawyers: problem-solving and decision-making skills to counsel clients on how best to meet their desired goals and needs. In 2014, Amani Smathers introduced the legal field to the concept of the T-shaped lawyer. The T-shaped lawyer stems from the concept of T-shaped professionals who have a depth of knowledge in …
Legal Analytics, Social Science, And Legal Fees: Reimagining "Legal Spend" Decisions In An Evolving Industry, Nancy B. Rapoport, Joseph R. Tiano Jr.
Legal Analytics, Social Science, And Legal Fees: Reimagining "Legal Spend" Decisions In An Evolving Industry, Nancy B. Rapoport, Joseph R. Tiano Jr.
Georgia State University Law Review
To give you a feel for the power of legal analytics, imagine that you are the managing partner of a law firm. With a good set of algorithms and the push of a few buttons, you can make sure that you’ve delegated each part of an assignment to the professional with the exact combination of experience, talent, and diligence to maximize your firm’s client satisfaction and profitability. The client will be pleased both with the work product and its efficiency—and will pay your full bill without any grumbling or request for a reduction of the fees. The client will even …
The Model Rules Of Autonomous Conduct: Ethical Responsibilities Of Lawyers And Artificial Intelligence, Ed Walters
The Model Rules Of Autonomous Conduct: Ethical Responsibilities Of Lawyers And Artificial Intelligence, Ed Walters
Georgia State University Law Review
Practitioners use artificial-intelligence (AI) tools in fields as varied as finance, medicine, human resources, marketing, sports, and many others. Now, for the first time, lawyers are beginning to use similar tools in the delivery of legal services. Where once lawyers may have only used AI for electronic discovery (eDiscovery), today they are using AI for legal research, drafting, contract management, and litigation strategy. The use of AI to deliver legal services is not without its detractors, and some have suggested that the use of AI may take the jobs of lawyers—or worse, make lawyers obsolete. Others suggest that using AI …
Predicting Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Case Outcomes Using The Federal Judicial Center Idb And Ensemble Artificial Intelligence, Warren E. Agin, Gill Eapen
Predicting Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Case Outcomes Using The Federal Judicial Center Idb And Ensemble Artificial Intelligence, Warren E. Agin, Gill Eapen
Georgia State University Law Review
In this project, the authors obtained public data on over 100,000 Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and used machine and deep-learning methodologies to explore whether models could be designed to predict Chapter 11 case outcomes. The data used was obtained from the Federal Judicial Center’s bankruptcy Integrated Database and included information about case filing dates, the court where the case was filed, the type of business entity, and basic information about assets and liabilities. Using this information, the authors initially sought to predict whether a particular case was dismissed, converted to another Chapter under the Bankruptcy Code, or closed with a …
Where Do We Go From Here? Transformation And Acceleration Of Legal Analytics In Practice, Patrick Flanagan, Michelle H. Dewey
Where Do We Go From Here? Transformation And Acceleration Of Legal Analytics In Practice, Patrick Flanagan, Michelle H. Dewey
Georgia State University Law Review
The advantages of evidence-based decision-making in the practice and theory of law should be obvious: Don’t make arguments to judges that seldom persuade; Jurisprudential analysis ought to align with sound social science; Attorneys should pitch legal work to clients that demonstrably need it. Despite the appearance of simplicity, there are practical and attitudinal barriers to finding and incorporating data into the practice of law.
This article evaluates the current technologies and systems used to publish and analyze legal information from a researcher’s perspective. The authors also explore the technological, economic, political, and legal impediments that have prevented legal information systems …
Artificial Intelligence And Law: An Overview, Harry Surden
Artificial Intelligence And Law: An Overview, Harry Surden
Georgia State University Law Review
Much has been written recently about artificial intelligence (AI) and law. But what is AI, and what is its relation to the practice and administration of law? This article addresses those questions by providing a high-level overview of AI and its use within law. The discussion aims to be nuanced but also understandable to those without a technical background. To that end, I first discuss AI generally. I then turn to AI and how it is being used by lawyers in the practice of law, people and companies who are governed by the law, and government officials who administer the …
An Agent-Based Model Of Financial Benchmark Manipulation, Gabriel Virgil Rauterberg, Megan Shearer, Michael Wellman
An Agent-Based Model Of Financial Benchmark Manipulation, Gabriel Virgil Rauterberg, Megan Shearer, Michael Wellman
Articles
Financial benchmarks estimate market values or reference rates used in a wide variety of contexts, but are often calculated from data generated by parties who have incentives to manipulate these benchmarks. Since the the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) scandal in 2011, market participants, scholars, and regulators have scrutinized financial benchmarks and the ability of traders to manipulate them. We study the impact on market quality and microstructure of manipulating transaction-based benchmarks in a simulated market environment. Our market consists of a single benchmark manipulator with external holdings dependent on the benchmark, and numerous background traders unaffected by the benchmark. …
Law And The “Sharing Economy”: Regulating Online Market Platforms By Derek Mckee, Finn Makela & Teresa Scassa, John D. Gregory
Law And The “Sharing Economy”: Regulating Online Market Platforms By Derek Mckee, Finn Makela & Teresa Scassa, John D. Gregory
Canadian Journal of Law and Technology
No abstract provided.
Digital Evidence: A Practitioner’S Handbook By Gerald Chan & Susan Magotiaux, Robert J. Currie
Digital Evidence: A Practitioner’S Handbook By Gerald Chan & Susan Magotiaux, Robert J. Currie
Canadian Journal of Law and Technology
No abstract provided.
Forensic Analysis Of Spy Applications In Android Devices, Shinelle Hutchinson, Umit Karabiyik
Forensic Analysis Of Spy Applications In Android Devices, Shinelle Hutchinson, Umit Karabiyik
Annual ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law
Smartphones with Google's Android operating system are becoming more and more popular each year, and with this increased user base, comes increased opportunities to collect more of these users' private data. There have been several instances of malware being made available via the Google Play Store, which is one of the predominant means for users to download applications. One effective way of collecting users' private data is by using Android Spyware. In this paper, we conduct a forensic analysis of a malicious Android spyware application and present our findings. We also highlight what information the application accesses and what it …
Where To Prosecute Cybercrimes, Jacob T. Wall
Where To Prosecute Cybercrimes, Jacob T. Wall
Duke Law & Technology Review
Selecting the appropriate venue for a criminal trial has been a matter of constitutional concern since the founding of the country. The issue is thought to be essential to the fair administration of justice and thus public confidence in the criminal justice system. Constitutionally, crimes must be prosecuted in the states and districts in which they were committed. However, the rise of cybercrime has complicated the venue inquiry: cyberspace, the domain of cybercrime, and physical space have become increasingly decoupled. Consequently, under America’s primary but dated cybercrime law, the ideal location for a trial may not be a constitutionally proper …
Information Mischief Under The Trump Administration, Nathan Cortez
Information Mischief Under The Trump Administration, Nathan Cortez
Chicago-Kent Law Review
The Trump administration has used government information in more cynical ways than its predecessors. For example, it has removed certain information from the public domain, scrubbed certain terminology from government web sites, censored scientists, manipulated public data, and used “transparency” initiatives as a pretext for anti-regulatory policies, particularly environmental policy. This article attempts to tease out an emerging “information policy” for the Trump administration, explain how it departs from the information policies of predecessors, and evaluate the extent to which both legal and non-legal mechanisms might constrain executive discretion.
Better Left Forgotten: An Argument Against Treating Some Social Media And Digital Assets As Inheritance In An Era Of Platform Power, Shelly Kreiczer-Levy, Ronit Donyets-Kedar
Better Left Forgotten: An Argument Against Treating Some Social Media And Digital Assets As Inheritance In An Era Of Platform Power, Shelly Kreiczer-Levy, Ronit Donyets-Kedar
Brooklyn Law Review
Restraining technological platforms’ power has become one of the main concerns of our era. The control over cyberspace and data ownership are among the key issues addressed in the literature. Yet, the ongoing vigorous debate surrounding the inheritance of digital assets remains surprisingly oblivious of the platform’s involvement in shaping memory and continuity. Current legal scholarship and legislation ask whether social network profiles are inheritable property; they balance the user’s privacy and wishes against family members’ interests, without addressing or even considering the corporate power at play. This article argues that we are constantly asking the wrong questions. Instead of …
On The Clock, Best Bet To Draft Cyberdefensive Linemen: Federal Regulation Of Sports Betting From A Cybersecurity Perspective, William H. Williams
On The Clock, Best Bet To Draft Cyberdefensive Linemen: Federal Regulation Of Sports Betting From A Cybersecurity Perspective, William H. Williams
Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law
On May 14, 2018, Justice Alito delivered the majority opinion for the United States Supreme Court in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Professional and Amateur Protection Act (PASPA), a twenty-six-year-old federal statute, was deemed unconstitutional; thus, this decision allows state legislatures to legalize sports betting within their borders. With many states independently legalizing sports gambling, the regulatory landscape throughout the country is becoming a patchwork of state statutes. Additionally, top tier sporting organizations heavily depend on data analytics to formulate game plan strategy, train efficiently, rehab player injuries, gauge team and player performance, etc. The popularity of …
Playing Fair: Youtube, Nintendo, And The Lost Balance Of Online Fair Use, Natalie Marfo
Playing Fair: Youtube, Nintendo, And The Lost Balance Of Online Fair Use, Natalie Marfo
Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law
Over the past decade, YouTube saw an upsurge in the popularity of “Let’s Play” videos. While positive for YouTube, this uptick was not without controversy. Let’s Play videos use unlicensed copyrighted materials, frustrating copyright holders. YouTube attempted to curb such usages by demonetizing and removing thousands of Let’s Play videos. Let’s Play creators struck back, arguing that the fair use doctrine protects their works. An increasing number of powerful companies, like Nintendo, began exploiting the ambiguity of the fair use doctrine against the genre; forcing potentially legal works to request permission and payment for Let’s Play videos, without a determination …
Exploring The Interfaces Between Big Data And Intellectual Property Law, Daniel J. Gervais
Exploring The Interfaces Between Big Data And Intellectual Property Law, Daniel J. Gervais
Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications
This article reviews the application of several IP rights (copyright, patent, sui generis database right, data exclusivity and trade secret) to Big Data. Beyond the protection of software used to collect and process Big Data corpora, copyright’s traditional role is challenged by the relatively unstructured nature of the non-relational (noSQL) databases typical of Big Data corpora. This also impacts the application of the EU sui generis right in databases. Misappropriation (tort-based) or anti-parasitic behaviour protection might apply, where available, to data generated by AI systems that has high but short-lived value. Copyright in material contained in Big Data corpora must …
The Gdpr: It Came, We Saw, But Did It Conquer?, Leila Javanshir
The Gdpr: It Came, We Saw, But Did It Conquer?, Leila Javanshir
Seattle University Law Review
On February 1, 2019, the Seattle University Law Review held its annual symposium at the Seattle University School of Law. Each year, the Law Review hosts its symposium on a topic that is timely and meaningful. This year, privacy and data security professionals from around the globe gathered to discuss the current and future effects of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that was implemented on May 25, 2018. The articles and essays that follow this Foreword are the product of this year’s symposium.
Regulating The Gdpr: Perspectives From The United Kingdom, Hannah Mccausland
Regulating The Gdpr: Perspectives From The United Kingdom, Hannah Mccausland
Seattle University Law Review
Hannah McCausland leads the international group at the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO’s International Engagement functions as the gateway to other data protection and privacy authorities on international matters. She’s involved in the work of the EU European Data Protection Board advising the commissioner and the deputy commissioner on international positioning of the ICO, and she has played a key role over the past six years in the ICO’s strategy on navigating the EU’s data protection framework. Hannah has also played a major role at the global level and advancing the practical tools that data protection and privacy …
Privacy, Freedom, And Technology—Or “How Did We Get Into This Mess?”, Alex Alben
Privacy, Freedom, And Technology—Or “How Did We Get Into This Mess?”, Alex Alben
Seattle University Law Review
Can we live in a free society without personal privacy? The question is worth pondering, not only in light of the ongoing debate about government surveillance of private communications, but also because new technologies continue to erode the boundaries of our personal space. This Article examines our loss of freedom in a variety of disparate contexts, all connected by the thread of erosion of personal privacy. In the scenarios explored here, privacy reducing activities vary from government surveillance, personal stalking conducted by individuals, and profiling by data-driven corporations, to political actors manipulating social media platforms. In each case, new technologies …
Confiding In Con Men: U.S. Privacy Law, The Gdpr, And Information Fiduciaries, Lindsey Barrett
Confiding In Con Men: U.S. Privacy Law, The Gdpr, And Information Fiduciaries, Lindsey Barrett
Seattle University Law Review
In scope, ambition, and animating philosophy, U.S. privacy law and Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation are almost diametric opposites. The GDPR’s ambitious individual rights, significant prohibitions, substantive enforcement regime, and broad applicability contrast vividly with a scattershot U.S. regime that generally prioritizes facilitating commerce over protecting individuals, and which has created perverse incentives for industry through anemic enforcement of the few meaningful limitations that do exist. A privacy law that characterizes data collectors as information fiduciaries could coalesce with the commercial focus of U.S. law, while emulating the GDPR’s laudable normative objectives and fortifying U.S. consumer privacy law with a …
General Data Protection Regulation (Gdpr): Prioritizing Resources, Jennifer Dumas
General Data Protection Regulation (Gdpr): Prioritizing Resources, Jennifer Dumas
Seattle University Law Review
This Article will discuss and analyze the years of preparation for the GDPR and provide recommendations for dealing with the GDPR forevermore. It will assess whether the preparation and panic were worth it. In other words, was the time, expense, and distraction my peers and I expended and experienced over the past years proportionate to the requirements and impact of the GDPR? Further, was the high level of preparation and panic many legal departments in countless companies undertook and experienced appropriate now that we have had a chance to see the initial impact of the GDPR?
Privacy Statements Under The Gdpr, Mike Hintze
Privacy Statements Under The Gdpr, Mike Hintze
Seattle University Law Review
The need to include specific types of information in a privacy statement is a GDPR compliance obligation that does not get as much attention as some other GDPR requirements. Perhaps that is because privacy statements have been much maligned in recent years. They are too long and full of legalese. Nobody reads them. They are part of a notice and consent approach to privacy that puts an unrealistic burden on consumers to make informed choices. But despite these well-known criticisms, the GDPR doubles down on privacy statements. In fact, gauging by the roughly fourfold increase in privacy statement requirements compared …
Requiem For Cyberspace: The Effect Of The European General Privacy Regulation On The Global Internet, Steven Tapia
Requiem For Cyberspace: The Effect Of The European General Privacy Regulation On The Global Internet, Steven Tapia
Seattle University Law Review
The dream of a perpetual, limitless, non-dimensional space is an idea that has transfixed clergy, philosophers, and poets for ages. Whether it is called “heaven,” “the afterlife,” “nirvana,” or another linguistic stand-in, the dream of a dimension beyond the bounds of time, space, and the laws of nature seems as universal as any concept ever. From its initial development in the 1970s (as a military, academic, and governmental experiment in creating a wholly alternative means of communication capable of surviving catastrophic failures of any parts of the communications conduits) until essentially now, the Internet seemed to be the closest incarnate …