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  3. Law of Commercial Cyberspace

Law of Commercial Cyberspace (LAWS90162)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2024

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Overview

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This subject deals with legal aspects of the commercial exploitation of the Internet, in particular, with the use of the Internet as a platform for content and service delivery. It includes theoretical as well as technical backgrounder to illustrate the complexity of the Internet value chain and to enable students not only to understand the architecture of the Internet but also to comprehend its implications (and limitations) for business. The subject presents the legal landscape of e-commerce against the background of current business trends and developing commercial practices, such as surveillance capitalism or the sharing economy. By giving a snapshot of the e-commerce market, its major players and dominant revenue models, the individual topics focus on existing challenges of both legal and technological nature. They discuss the respective legal issues that arise at various stages of setting up an online business or adapting an existing business to the online environment. The subject is practice-oriented and designed to give students more confidence when confronting legal problems of technological origin.  It also enables students to tackle basic regulatory issues and equips them with the tools necessary to build convincing arguments.

Intended learning outcomes

A student who has successfully completed this subject will:



  • Be able to navigate the legal landscape of commercial cyberspace and, on a detailed level, be able to identify the legal problems accompanying recent technological developments such as AI and blockchains;
  • appreciate the commercial, legal and regulatory implications of individual Internet technologies and emerging business models;
  • be able to identify the main legal problems arising in the use of technology in commercial transactions, especially with regards to transaction automation;
  • differentiate between the public and private law aspects of the Internet; and
  • be able to meaningfully participate in both theoretical and practical discussions on the subject.

Generic skills

  • On completion of the subject, a student will have developed the following skills: • The ability to navigate the legal landscape of commercial cyberspace and, be able to identify the legal problems accompanying recent technological developments such as AI and blockchains; • The ability to critically analyse the commercial, legal and regulatory implications of individual Internet technologies and emerging business models; • The ability to identify and analyse main legal problems arising in the use of technology in commercial transactions, especially with regards to transaction automation; • The ability to differentiate between the public and private law aspects of the Internet; • The ability to meaningfully participate in both theoretical and practical discussions on the subject.

Last updated: 30 January 2024