Module Identifier LAM3220  
Module Title COMPUTER NETWORKS & THE LAW  
Academic Year 2002/2003  
Co-ordinator Dr Diane Rowland  
Semester Semester 1  
Other staff Ms Uta Kohl-Piotrowicz  
Course delivery Seminars / Tutorials   1.5 hour seminar per week  

Learning outcomes

Three main objectives will be pursued namely to familiarise students with the theoretical debate surrounding governance of the internet, to assess critically the implications of this debate in some specific legal disciplines and to formulate alternative theoretical and practical solutions where appropriate. As a result, on completion of the module, students should be able to discuss the theoretical aspects of internet governance and the problems of jurisdiction and choice of law. They should be able to assess the practical factors affecting legal regulation of the internet in specific areas and should be able to analyse the approaches taken in a number of jurisdictions to regulate activities on global computer networks.

Brief description

This module introduces students to the legal challenges created by the increasing use of global computer networks. The impact of the use of the internet and world wide web both within the business environment (and more widely) extends far beyond its use as a vehicle for commercial transactions. In order to gain full benefit from the advantages that can be gained from the use of these networks it is vital to recognise the legal problems and assess the proposed solutions. The purpose of the module is to provide students with the theoretical and practical background surrounding the continuing legal challenges arising out of this activity and to enable informed criticism about the nature of the current legal solutions.

Content

Syllabus

1. Theories of regulation and internet governance

2. Jurisdiction and choice of law

3. Privacy protection and data protection. The conflict between the different regulatory approaches taken in the US and EU.

4. Regulation of content on the internet and world wide web with particular reference to freedom of expression and defamation.

5. Intellectual property rights on the Internet including the problems of linking and framing and the protection available for domain names.

6. Computer crime and hacking.

Reading Lists

Books
** Essential Reading
Rowland & Macdonald. (2000) Information Technology Law. 2nd. Cavendish
Lloyd. (2000) Legal Aspects of the Information society. Butterworths
Marden. (2000) Regulating the Global Society. Routledge
Edwards & Waelde. (2000) Law and the Internet. 2nd. Hart
Akdeniz. (2000) The Internet, Law & Society. Longman
Lessig. (1999) Code and other laws od cyberspace. Basic Books