Governing the Digital Commons

Authors

Madelyn Rose Sanfilippo, University of IllinoisFollow
Brett Frischmann, Villanova University Charles Widger School of LawFollow
Michael J. Madison, University of PittsburghFollow
Katherine J. Strandburg, New York UniveristyFollow

Recommended Citation

Madelyn R. Sanfilippo, Brett Frischmann, Michael J. Madison & Katherine J. Strandburg, Governing the Digital Commons, Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 4369 (2026).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/facpubs/240

Abstract

The digital commons, as the coproduction of data, digital cultural products, and community, raise a variety of governance issues. From questions of participation, including voice mechanisms, to the legitimacy of decision-making or ownership, to specific action arenas, governance is complex and dynamic, reflecting the characteristics of the networks in which these commons are situated. This mini-track explores governance challenges and solutions across an array of case studies to highlight governance failures and solutions, many of which focus on reconciling the intersections of different action arenas and aligning policies with contextual norms.

Keywords

Governance, Platforms, Data, Knowledge Management, Collective Action

Disciplines

Law