You are cordially invited to the seminar organised by Bilkent University Faculty of Law.
“Liability for Defective Digital Products”
Dr. Alican Çalışkan
24 June 2026, Wednesday – 11:00
Art Gallery, Main Campus Library
The seminar will be held in English.
The rapid digitalization of modern society has transformed the nature of products and the risks they pose to consumers. Software, artificial intelligence systems, cloud services, smart devices, and autonomous technologies have become essential parts of everyday life. At the same time, defects in these digital products may result in physical injury, property damage, data loss, or pure economic loss. These developments have challenged traditional product liability rules, which were originally designed for tangible products. In response to these technological changes, the European Union adopted a new Product Liability Directive in 2024. The Directive explicitly extends the definition of a “product” to include software, digital manufacturing files, and certain digital services, thereby addressing long-standing gaps in consumer protection. It also introduces new rules concerning liability for digital products, the burden of proof, and damages caused by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. The seminar focuses on the evolving framework of product liability in the digital age, with particular attention to the new EU Product Liability Directive. It further evaluates the current state of Turkish law and discusses the challenges and future prospects of liability for defective digital products.
Dr. Alican Çalışkan completed his bachelor’s degree in law at the Istanbul University Faculty of Law, in 2017. He pursued his master’s studies at Istanbul University and completed his master’s degree in 2021 by defending his thesis titled “Gıda Üreticisinin Hukuki Sorumluluğu”. He completed his doctoral studies in 2026 by defending his thesis entitled “Tazminat Alacağının Devri” at Kadir Has University. After working as a lawyer for three years while pursuing his master’s degree, he has been serving as a research assistant in the Department of Civil Law at Kadir Has University Faculty of Law since 2022.
Dr. Alican Çalışkan has national and international publications in the field of civil law. He is an active researcher at the Liability Law Research and Practice Center and the Climate Change and Law Laboratory (CCLLAB) at Kadir Has University. Additionally, he has conducted comparative law research abroad, notably at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law in Hamburg and at the University of Manchester. His primary research interests lie in tort law, contract law, product liability, and the assignment of claims.