Designing Ethical Online Dispute Resolution Systems: The Rise of the Fourth Party

Details

Author(s):
Publish Date:
January 3, 2021
Publication Title:
Negotiation Journal
Format:
Journal Article Volume 37 Issue 1 Page(s) 49-64
Citation(s):
  • Leah Wing, Janet Martinez, Ethan Katsh & Colin Rule, Designing Ethical Online Dispute Resolution Systems: The Rise of the Fourth Party, 37 Negotiation Journal 49 (2021) (part of: "Special Issue: Artificial Intelligence, Technology, and Negotiation").
Related Organization(s):

Abstract

As the pandemic forces public and private institutions to move online, many court and business leaders are looking to the field of online dispute resolution (ODR) for best practices and lessons learned. Developed over the last twenty years, largely in response to the growth of e-commerce, the ODR field has generated a deep well of theory and practice while also identifying potential ethical dilemmas and risks. The application of technology, the “fourth party,” plays an increasingly integral role in how we negotiate resolutions to our disputes, with or without a third party. A brief overview of the history of ODR’s development will set the context for the exploration of the range of tools and techniques encompassed by online dispute resolution. Consideration of the ethical challenges raised by ODR practice will illuminate key questions and choices that need to be made in designing ODR systems and in governing their use.