Dispute Resolution, Online

Abstract Online dispute resolution (ODR) refers to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes such as mediation, negotiation, and arbitration, conducted with the assistance of online information and communication technologies (ICTs). ODR typically uses tools such as e‐mail, instant messaging, and bulletin boards, but some theorists expand the definition to include video‐ or telephone conferencing and even communication via mobile phones and community radio. Online information management that is part of a dispute resolution process, such as e‐filing of court documents, is also considered ODR. ODR can be used to resolve disputes that occur in the online world, such those over purchases on eBay, and also those that arise in the offline world, such as business or family disputes. However, websites that simply provide information about ODR are not included in the definition, because ODR necessitates that some resolution of the dispute is attempted. This essay briefly reviews the history and different applications of ODR and delineates some of the key topics in the literature, including legal and regulatory issues, trust, communication, efficiency, culture, and the applicability of ICTs in different regions of the world.