MKU SCHOOL OF LAW JANUARY 2012

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE LAW

MLP 329
Mercv Mutheu
LL.M (John Marshall Law School), LL.B (Hons) Moi,
Dip. Law (KSL) ACI (Arb)

Course Otliective

The course introduces students to Information technology and it focuses on the legal side
of Information technology. At the end of this course students will be able to employ skills
of various computer usage taking to mind the legal consequences. Apply legal norms in
protection of individual, institution, state and other entities in the process of computer
usage. Students will be able to define the legal remedies available for violation of
computer usage.

Week l: Introduction
a. {Jse of Computers, internet
b. History of Internet development
c. World Wide Web
d. The right to information
e. Discussions on attempts to regulate the lnternet.
f. Cyberspace and legal aspects of IT Law

Reading Materials : Cyber Space Law 2"d Edition Yee Fen Lim2007 Oxford
page 2l to 29 and 68
Privacy
Pg 136 to 142 andpage Zl8-220

Week2:
1. Privacy Law
a. Invasion of privacy of individual
b. Invasion of privacy of institutions
Privacy in the digital age
Personal information access
Encryption
E-commerce

Required reading
Cyber Space Law 2"d Edition Yee Fen Lim2007 Oxford
Pg 136 to 142 and page 218 -220

Introduction to computer law, Longman 4th edition, 2000 chapter 1

Internet Law: Text and Materials, Reed C (2000) Butterworth's: London

Week 3:

2. Violation of intellectual property rights

a. Copyright
b. Trademarks
c. Patents

Required reading

Computer Law, The Law Regulation of Information Technology 6'h Edition

Reed and Angel Oxford 2007 pages337 to 357

lntellectual property (Sweet and Maxwell 2006) chapter 2

Week 4:
3. Commons
4- Domains
5. Peer to peer sharing
6. What is the Internet vis a vis World Wide Web
7. Is there need for regulation

Required reading
Computer Law, TLe Law Regulation of Information Technology 6th Edition Reed and
Angel Oxford 2007Pg 568

Week 5:

8. Confidentiality
. Trade secrets and confidentiality

9. Misrepresentation
. Computer fraud or cries interfering with state security of
communication.

Week 6 Cat 1

o Sitting Cat

Week 7:
E- commerce
o Introduction- what is e-commerce
. Judicial and legal considerations
o Electronic contracts- In Kenya and Other jurisdictions
. Jurisdiction problems under cyber space law
 o Identification under cyberspace
o Electronic banking and other cyber payments
. Cyber crimes under E- Commerce
o Privacy Policies and Procedures

Required reading
Compuier Law, The iaw Regulation of Information Technology 6th Edition Reed
and Angel Oxford 2007 pages 197 to220

Introduction to computer law, Longman 4th edition, 2000 chaptet 2 and3

Week 8:

10. Jurisdiction problems under cyber space law.

1 1. Identification under cyber space
L2. Electronic banking and other cyber payments
13. Types of cyber crimes under E-commerce
14. Formation and enforcement of (e-commerce) contract
o Disclaimers and implication of cross border of transnational
transaction
Required reading
Cyber Space Law 2oo Edition Yee Fen Lim2007 Oxford page276 to 300

Introduction to computer law, Longman 4th edition, 2000 chapter 4

Week 9: CatL take home

Remedies available in breach or computer crimes
-. Civilcauses of action
. Criminal proceedings
. Offences- conspiracy to defraud
. Crimes and civil relief
. Administrativeprocedures

Week 10:
15. Civil causes of Action
. General torts covering economic loss
' Injunctions
o Damages
. Delivery up

Required reading
Intellectual ptop".ty (Sweet and Maxwell2006) chaptet 2
a

Week11:
16. Criminal proceedings
. Offences
. Conspiracy to defraud
. Crimes and relief
o Law enforcement in case of cases of cyberspace crime

Required reading
Intellectual property (Sweet and Maxwell 2006) chapter 2

Week 12:
L7. Administrativeprocedures
o Trading standard authorities
r Advertising standard authority
Required reading
Intellectual property (Sweet and Maxwell 2006) chapter 2

Week 13:
18. Evolution of computer crime.
19. The future of Internet and Computers

Computer Law The Law Regulation of Information Technology 6'h Edition Reed and
Angel Oxford 2007 pages 197 to 220

Week 14:
20. Revision week