JUR5630 – Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
New course code starting from the springsemester 2012 - please see the website for JUS5630 – Privacy and Data Protection (the course now gives 10 credits).
The primary aim of the course is to facilitate a solid understanding of legal policies on privacy and data protection, particularly in the context of distributed computer networks such as the Internet. More specifically, the course seeks to illuminate the rationale and regulatory logic of such policies along with the various technological challenges that they face.
The secondary aim of the course is to facilitate an understanding of the regulatory impact of information technology; that is, to analyse the significance and role of what has been termed “lex informatica” (Reidenberg).
The course seeks also to illuminate legal-regulatory issues related to freedom of expression, the increasing automatisation of decision-making processes, the increasingly cross-national character of organisational transactions, and the interaction of legal norms with the regulatory effects of IT and other non-legal instruments, such as sectoral codes of practice.
The themes taken up in the course may be summed up with the following key-words: privacy, data protection, surveillance, Internet, cyberspace, encryption, freedom of expression, automated decision making, rule of law, codes of practice, electronic commerce.
With respect to law on privacy and data protection, the primary points of departure for course discussion will be the 1995 EC Directive on data protection (Directive 95/46/EC of 24.10.1995) and case law pursuant to Article 8 of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR). Special attention will also be given to the 2002 EC Directive on privacy and electronic communications (Directive 2002/58/EC) and Norway’s Personal Data Act of 2000 (Personopplysningsloven).
Learning outcome
From the course, one gains a firm understanding of the basic rules and principles for protecting privacy and personal information, particularly as laid down in EU and other international instruments. One gains also insight into the myriad regulatory challenges in the field. Further, one learns about the potential for technological development to both threaten and enhance privacy protection.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams
they wish to sign up for by registering a study plan in StudentWeb.
You may register for this course if you have admission to a Master of Law-programme at UiO, the faculty's exchange-programme or have admission to Law-electives at masters-level. All applicants must fill the formal prerequisites.
International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
- Admission to the faculty’s exchange-programme or
- Active study-right for a study programme, masters-level at the University of Oslo or
- Norwegian Masters of Laws degree or equivalent or
- Passed forth year, 96 – Cand. Jur programme (or exams that are equivalent) or
- Passed JUR3000, Masters of Laws programme at the University of Oslo (or exams that are equivalent).
Recommended previous knowledge
Three years of law studies.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with JUR1630 – Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (BA)
- 15 credits overlap with VALPRIV – Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (discontinued)
- 15 credits overlap with JUXPRIV – Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (discontinued)
- 15 credits overlap with JUTPRIV – Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (discontinued)
- 15 credits overlap with ICTLPRIV – Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (discontinued)
Teaching
Lectures/seminars.
Examination
4 hour written examination.
Examination support material
Auxiliary materials allowed during examinations for courses taught in English.
Language of examination
Students may answer the examination question in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish pursuant
to Regulations governing studies and examinations at the University of Oslo. (§ 5.4 Forskrift om studier og eksamener ved Universitetet i Oslo)
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Resitting an examination.
- There are special rules for resitting a passed examination in the master's programme in Law.
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take this exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
There are special rules for resitting a passed examination in the master's programme in Law.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Please se Detailed regulations for the Faculty of Law, Chapter 3 regarding application, responsibilities and special measures.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.
Other
This subject is taught at Master 's level. The subject is also taught at Bachelor's level (15 ECTS credits), see JUR1630 – Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (BA). Please see the chapter above, regarding overlap. For instances of overlap, credits will be deducted on the subject at Bachelors's level.