Information Technology Law (Distance Learning) (P01141)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : LAW-P-P01141

The aim of this course is to respond to the immense impact computers and the Internet have had and are having on substantive law. 'Computer law' has developed since the Seventies from a patchwork of specialist applications of ordinary rules of contract, criminal, commercial law etc to a rapidly growing specialist cognate discipline. It has now expanded to embrace the new field of the legal regulation of the Internet. The course intends to examine the legal ramifications of computerisation and the Internet, including topics such as e-commerce, intellectual property in software and hardware, privacy rights in relation to electronic information, content liability, censorship and freedom of expression on the Internet, computer crime, consumer protection on the Internet, etc. Themes relevant throughout the course will be discussed such as globalisation, trans-jurisdictionality, enforcement issues, regulatory forms (including self-regulation and soft law) and the competing lobbies for consumers, corporations, industry players, rights-holders and cyber-libertarians. Sources will be drawn from the legal systems of Scotland, England, the UK, the US, the EC and Australia. Particular attention will be paid to the current efforts of the EU to respond to e-commerce eg the E-Commerce Directive which was been implemented in the UK in summer 2002.

Session titles are:
Introduction to cyberspace & cyberlaw
E-signatures
E-contracts
E-commerce - payment systems
E-consumer law
Privacy & data protection
Privacy & state and employee surveillance
Intermediary/ISP liability
Cybercrime
Dispute resolution in cyberspace & ADR/ODR

Entry Requirements

? Costs : Students should have regular and reliable access to the Internet. Print consumables (paper and ink) would be recommended to provide hard copy of some on screen text and materials (e.g. articles).

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Law, (School of Law, Schedule F)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

The objectives of the course are to enable students to:
(a) understand and deal with the legal issues associated with software, hardware, the computer industry, convergence and the Internet, and
(b) understand what part markets, community norms and computer technology play in regulating the Internet as well as law;
(c) understand how the law can and cannot regulate a transnational medium
(d) think about the needs placed on law both by commerce and consumers, citizens and states in establishing the rules to guide private and public transactions on the Internet.
(e) observe how fundamental rights and freedoms operate in the new environment of cyberspace.

Assessment Information

One essay, 6000 words (80%) and coursework assessment (20%).

Note: Completion of the Certificate, the Diploma and progression through the LLM programme will be subject to participation in and completion of core activities within this module.