PRIVATE LAW FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Academic Year 2021/2022 - 2° Year
Teaching Staff: Giuliana Amore
Credit Value: 6
Scientific field: IUS/01 - Diritto Privato
Taught classes: 40 hours
Term / Semester:

Learning Objectives

  1. Knowledge and understanding

The course of Private Law for Information Technology aims to analyze the impact of the Internet on legal rules and to identify the regulation of Internet behavior, with particular reference to the relationships between private subjects and to the complexity of the diffusion of artificial intelligence. The course aims also to give the keys to an adequate knowledge and understanding, as well as the normative sources and the relative interpretative principles, of the fundamental institutions of private law strictly connected to the Web in terms of subject regulation and protection of personal data, of the goods and of the circulation of internet rights, of the contract in general and of contracts on line.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course, the student will be able to understand the legal issues raised by the technological context and to identify the solutions, both by reconstructing and interpreting the different situations and the legally relevant interests in the network on the private level, both by applying in practice the knowledge and tools acquired during the course of lessons and developed with a careful study of the subject.

3. Making judgements

The rapid development of information technology has exacerbated the need for robust personal data protection, the right to which is safeguarded by both European Union (EU) and Council of Europe (CoE) instruments. Safeguarding this important right entails new and significant challenges as technological advances expand the frontiers of areas such as surveillance, communication interception and data storage. This course is designed to familiarise students not specialised in data protection with this emerging area of the law. In particular, the student will be placed in a position to distinguish between positive and negative aspects, advantages and disadvantages associated with data protection regulation and the possible options between alternative forms of protection ready by the legislature. The teaching tends to let the student's ability to understand and explain key case law, summarising major rulings of both the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights.

4. Communication skills

The course must put the student in a position to transfer and apply the knowledge gained outside, using an exposure mode logical argument conforms to the main principles of matter and also suits a technically appropriate legal language. In particular, he must be able to provide opinions, advice and assistance on issues object of study.

5. Learning skills

Exceeding the matter must be based on a rigorous assessment in the examination of the achievement by the student of a level of preparation and competence that allows him to approach the study of the other teachings, also not legal, but which may present significant implications with them.


Course Structure

Lectures, classroom discussions, practical training on new regulation and case law; any course tests aimed at verifying the results and level of learning.


Required Prerequisites

Nobody.


Attendance of Lessons

Not mandatory.


Detailed Course Content

Context and background of European data protection law; data protection terminology, principles and rules; data subjects’ rights and their enforcement; international data transfer and flows of personal data; specific types of data and their relevant protection rules; modern challenges in personal data protection (big data, algorithms and artificial intelligence); data and contracts on line.


Textbook Information

C. Giakoumopoulos - G. Buttarelli – M. O’Flaherty, Handbook on European data protection law, 2018 edition, EU publications; (and)



Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1Note: Topics that will be the subject of discussion in class. Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus. 
21 International legal frameworkChapter 1 
32. The right to personal data protection,terminology and users of personal data Chapters 1, 2 
43 Interaction with other rights and legitimate interestsChapter 1 
54 Principles of European data protection Law Chapters 3,4 
65 Principles of European data protection LawChapter 3 
76 Rules of European data protection LawChapter 4 
87 Data subject's rightsChapter 6 
98 Data subject's rights and their enforcementChapter 6 
109 Independent Supervisory AuthoritiesChapter 5 
1110 Specific types of data and their protection rulesChapter 9 
1211 Specific types of data and their protection rulesChapters 9, 10 
1312 Big data: specific rules and rightsChapters 2, 10 
1413 International data transfers and protection data in international transfers Chapter 7 
1514 Data protection in the context of police and criminal justiceChapter 8 
1615 Data protection in the context of police and criminal justice:other legal instrumentsChapter 8 
1716 Data protection in EU-level joint information systemsChapter 8 
1817 DLT and GDPRHandouts 
1918 Blochchain and GDPRHandouts 
2019. Smart contractsHandouts 
2120. Rules on smart contractsHandouts 

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Multiple choice test.

Note: Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.


Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

  1. “Accuracy” principle: definition and applications
  2. The right to be forgotten
  3. Benefits and risks of big data
  4. Types of data and their relevant data protection rules
  5. Contracts on line and digital signature.