Regulation of the Digital Economy and the Information Society
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| LAWW4167 | Law | 4 | 15 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- LAWW4167
- School
- Law
- Level
- 4
- Credits
- 15
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
This module offers an in-depth examination of the laws and regulatory perspectives relating to the digital economy and challenges which users of information and communications technology face in their daily experience of it. It explores the implications of UK, European and international rules that apply to digital platforms and Big Tech, and their impacts on end-users and digital consumers. Additionally, it considers norms, technological modalities and information architectures that continue to emerge from digital platforms and frame life in the digital economy and the various commercial, social and cultural structures that this comprises. Therefore, the module engages with a series of themes and topics, which may include privacy and commercial surveillance in data-driven economies, cybersecurity, cloud services and advanced online commercial setups, the Gig Economy, online creativity and user-generated content, social media and online harms, algorithmic governance and automation. It critically analyses established policies and legal rules, it questions suggested regulatory alternatives, and it contests the role of commercial digital platforms in deciding the terms of information society participation for digital citizens.
Target Students
Available to postgraduate (PGT) students in the School of Law. Also available to Exchange students hosted by the School of Law.
Classes
This module is taught in seminar format.
Assessment
- 100% Coursework: 15 pages
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
The module aims to explore the theme of digital platform regulation by providing students with extensive insights into online service setups and the regulatory experiences of their end-users. It offers a critical examination of: the impact of online privacy policies and user surveillance techniques of Big Tech on individuals and groups, examining the broad variety of user creativity and online harm instances which emerge from immersion in social media and such networking environments; the parameters and social impacts of the evolving Gig Economy; and the transformation of platform-embedded, data-driven automated operations and processes into a dominant regulatory paradigm for future societies.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
- Students will show systematic knowledge of the UK, European and international legal principles and concepts applying to information technologies and digital platforms.
- They will develop deep understanding of the relevant social, commercial, economic and cultural implications for online users.
Intellectual skills
- Students will develop critical responses to rules and practices relating to the digital economy, online privacy, cybersecurity, digital copyright, online harms, social media and misinformation, electronic surveillance, and the uses of algorithms and A.I. specifically by digital platforms and generally in ICTs.
- Students will systematically synthesise information from a number of primary and secondary legal sources, as well as from other disciplinary accounts, to appreciate their relative value and to achieve in-depth knowledge and understanding of applied policies, regulatory approaches and their impacts.
- Students will undertake analysis of the relevant doctrines and policies, judging their appropriateness and framing complex arguments to recommend alternative approaches in law and digital platform practices.
Professional practical skills
- Students will undertake independent research in areas of laws applying to the ICTs and the information society, reading and discussing legal materials which are written in complex and technical language.
Transferable skills
- Students will develop written communication & research skills, being able to identify and retrieve legal and other supporting material to construct a reasoned critical argument in writing, supported by appropriate sources and authorities.