It'll be interesting to see "solutions" like that run into the first clashes with a legal system that is not inclined to accept "the software won't let us do that" as a valid excuse for not complying.

I tend to think about it the other way. I think it'll be interesting to see a legal system's first clashes with "code doesn't do that".

Most legal systems have hundreds of years of experience with clashes with people saying "we can't do that". It's one of the oldest excuses around.

The solution tends to be to either assign whatever applicable fines or other punishments applies, or to put someone in jail for contempt until the come up with a solution.

If you have structured your company in a way that makes it impossible for you to comply with a courts decision, then that is your problem - it does not absolve you of the responsibility to comply with the courts decision.

There's simply nothing new there. Blaming technology will rank up there with "the dog ate my capitalization table" on the list of arguments the court will not care about.

I think we're moving into a post-Westphalian world.

Interesting, but a pretty strong claim to leave implicit in your statement, to say the least.

As far as I can see there is today both a massive technological and social gap to what is needed to force a crisis that might result in such a world, but it's interesting to think about.

I wasn't trying to argue or prove that we're entering a post-Westphalian world. Just stating my belief that that is the case . . . I do have a day job . . .

Anyway, I bet Trump could do it!