The Law which governs digital society

This elective subject teaches students the fundamental legal principles of the digital society which governs essential areas of our lives through electronic communication and technical processes. The areas of eJustice, eGovernment and eBusiness require an understanding of the technology behind the internet and its security and so the students of this elective subject are taught the fundamental principles of the relevant technologies.

The material covered in this elective subject is closely linked to the fundamental legal principles of Private and Public Law, in particular the general part of the German Civil Code and the Law of Obligations as well as Constitutional Rights and Administrative Law. It is therefore useful repetition and consolidation of the syllabus covered by the compulsory part of the First Legal State Exam.

This elective subject is open to all students who want to be equipped to deal with the legal challenges caused by new developments in information technology (Internet, Big Data, Robotics) and the digital society in business, the administration and the judiciary.

Partipicants

• Prof. Dr. Georg Borges (head of the elective subject area)
• Prof. Dr. Jan Henrik Klement
• Prof. Dr. Hannes Ludyga
• Prof. Dr. Christoph Sorge
• as well as honorary professors and lecturers from the Department

Course of Studies

The course of studies for the elective subject takes 1 year (2 semesters) to complete and starts each year in the winter semester. It ends with final exams at the end of the following summer semester. The final exams cover all of the material dealt with in the elective subject’s compulsory lectures.

During the winter semester

• The Civil Law Foundations of IT-Law (2 contact hours per week)
• The technical foundations of the Internet (1 contact hour per week)
• Copyright Law (2 contact hours per week)
• Public Law of Information (2 contact hours per week)
• Telecommunications Law (1 contact hour per week)
• Total in winter semester: 8 contact hours per week

During the summer semester

• Advanced IT-Law (2 contact hours per week)
• Internet Security (2 contact hours per week)
• Data Protection Law (1 contact hour per week)
• Seminar (2 contact hours per week)
• Colloquium, tutorial or other teaching event in the elective subject (1 hour per week)
• Gesamtumfang: 9 SWS
• Total in summer semester: 9 contact hours per week

Total number of contact hours for the elective subject: 17 contact hours per week