The regulation of public social life: Communication law revisited

A complex arena of legal regulations governing public space and the built environment shape the opportunities for and nature of social interaction. This article develops a taxonomy of the indirect or accidental, intentional, or unintended regulations which influence social interaction in public spaces and suggests an expansion of the scope of communication law. The taxonomy developed through a case study of a suburban municipality and encompasses zoning laws (which address signage, facade, parking, display windows, take‐out and delivery service, and vending machines, the segregation of functions, design districts), penal codes, minimum drinking and driving ages, and the regulation of smoking in public places. These form the regulatory web around which communication in public life revolves.

Key concepts:

• Public spaces
• communication law
• social interaction
• zoning
• drinking laws
• driving laws
• anti‐smoking laws