Responsive Reformulation of Consumer Protection Law in the Digital Era: A Perspective of Lawrence M. Friedman’s Legal System Theory

Abstrak

The development of the digital economy demands transaction systems that are efficient, transparent, and capable of ensuring legal protection for consumers. Regulations such as Law Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection and Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions are expected to realize legal certainty, utility, and justice. However, in practice, several problems still arise, particularly the weak responsibility of business actors in algorithm-based systems, the absence of clear norms regarding algorithmic decision-making, and the low level of consumer legal awareness in the digital space. This study aims to analyze the legal system of consumer protection in the context of the digital economy and to formulate a concept of legal reconstruction that is responsive to technological developments. The method used is normative legal research with conceptual and statutory approaches, analyzed through Lawrence M. Friedman’s legal system theory, which emphasizes the integration of legal structure, legal substance, and legal culture. The results show that the consumer protection system remains partial and not yet adaptive to the dynamics of the digital economy. Therefore, a reformulation is required in the form of establishing an integrated digital consumer protection authority, regulating algorithmic accountability and personal data protection, and strengthening digital legal literacy in order to achieve a balance between legal certainty, utility, and justice.