Mapping the legal landscape of information law in times of crisis

Data is critical for tackling the ongoing global pandemic. Oftentimes, however, access to data and information and its further use may be limited because of “information rights” such as the rules on Personal Data Rights or Intellectual property. This contribution maps the information law landscape and unpacks some of the overlapping rights that moderate the flow of data in times of crisis. After a brief introduction, it explores the potential data needs posed by this health crisis. Next, it describes data protection law, copyright, database, and patent law, focusing, in particular, on the scope of protection and embedded legal “flex” mechanisms that could be utilised to bolster and improve data-powered crisis management. Lastly, it discusses commonalities and differences across the surveyed protection models and offers some concluding remarks.