Consumer protection compliance in agent negotiated business to consumer transactions

Much of the focus in the literature relating to the legal issues associated with intelligent software agents focuses on issues associated with the valid conclusion of contracts involving the use of such agents. While contractual validity is of fundamental importance, suppliers and consumers in any business to consumer transaction transacted in an e-commerce environment are also concerned to establish what types of consumer protection measures might be applicable in agent negotiated or moderated transactions. Once that has been established both consumers and suppliers need to understand the interaction between the intelligent software agent and the consumer protection measures, particularly as those measures relate to obligations to supply information and the entitlement of consumers to withdraw from contractual arrangements. Only once that interaction has been established with clarity can both consumers and suppliers be certain as to their respective rights and liabilities in relation to both the concluded contract and the consumer protection measures which are either contractually incorporated or deemed to apply to the contract.