The year 2022 was a busy one at the intersection of technology and international arbitration, both for the arbitration community and for the Kluwer Arbitration Blog. Virtual hearings further cemented their status as a mainstay of arbitral practice; we saw a burst of guidance, soft law instruments and rule-setting activity; and our Arbitration Tech Toolbox…

Social media are meant to facilitate connections. They make it possible to meet inspiring people from all over the world, especially now that we are subject to travel bans due to the protracted sanitary emergency. Connections are indeed a wonderful asset. However, as professionals involved in disputes, have we reflected thoroughly on how these connections…

Both in Formula 1 and in international arbitration, small yet innocent mistakes can trigger significant risks. Lack of proper cybersecurity measures can lead to irreversible results with negative impact on all stakeholders involved. In Formula 1 racing, the risk of danger is at every corner and one simple wrong move can change the outcome of…

Cybersecurity and data protection have been dominating conversations in the international arbitration community in recent years. From an analysis of how the stakeholders may be best equipped to address cybersecurity risks, to considerations on maintaining confidentiality in international commercial arbitration, as well as calls to address the impact of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”)…

Since COVID-19, virtually everything that can be moved online has been moved online. The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (“SIAC”)’s flagship event, SIAC Congress, is no exception and as such, it was most befitting that the motion of the debate was “This House believes that Virtual Hearings are just as effective as In-Person Hearings“. The debate…

It would be difficult not to have encountered at least one arbitration event in the past year where data protection or cybersecurity was discussed. As these discussions become more frequent, one may wonder: what are the practical implications of data privacy and cybersecurity on the actual conduct of international arbitrations? This was what the Singapore…

In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in cyber-attacks on corporates, governments and international organisations. Arbitration proceedings are not immune from the threat of attack as previous incidents demonstrate. The publication last year of a draft Cybersecurity Protocol for International Arbitration by the International Council for Commercial Arbitration, the International Institute for Conflict…

Parties to arbitration, just like “millennials”, are dependent on digital data and network systems. Currently, most of the data created is used and stored in digital formats using internet and computer technology. This should not be surprising; the online world enables people to interact and behave in new and efficient ways. However, the resulting dependence…