Internet Commerce
Two credits, 24 class meetings
Focus on core contract and intellectual property topics
[Adapted from syllabus created by Professor Randy E. Barnett, Boston University School
of Law]
Class
No.
Chapter
Reading
Topics
Assignment
Principal Materials
1
Chapter 1
Regulatory
Paradigms for
Electronic
Commerce
pp. 1-34
Setting the Stage: The
Legitimacy and
Possibility of
Government
Regulation of Online
Activity
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A Pluralist Approach
to Regulation of
Online Conduct
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2
pp. 38-66
Regulatory Reach in a
Borderless World:
The Problem of
Controlling Activity
Based Outside the
Jurisdiction
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3
Chapter 2
Protecting
Commercial
Identity Online:
Trademarks
pp. 78-110
Traditional Trademark
Infringement: The
Requirement of
Consumer Confusion
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Barlow, A Declaration of the
Independence of Cyberspace
Johnson & Post, Law and
Borders—The Rise of Law
in Cyberspace
Goldsmith, Against
Cyberanarchy
Rothchild, Protecting the
Digital Consumer: The
Limits of Cyberspace
Utopianism
Transnational Cyberspace
Law
Contractual Ordering
Norms
Coordinated Private Actions:
The Realtime Blackhole List
Code
Extraterritorial Assertions of
Regulatory Authority
Country-of-Origin vs.
Country-of-Destination
Regulation
Statement of Minnesota
Attorney General on Internet
Jurisdiction
American Libraries
Association v. Pataki
State of Washington v.
Heckel
Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v.
Universal Tel-A-Talk, Inc.
Albert v. Spencer
Niton Corp. v. Radiation
Monitoring Devices, Inc.
Note: Metatagging and
Search Engines
Brookfield Communications,
Inc. v. West Coast
Class
No.
Chapter
Reading
Topics
Assignment
Principal Materials
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4
pp. 110-33
Trademark Dilution
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5
pp. 133-160
Trademark Defenses
Online
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6
Chapter 3
Domain Names
pp. 12141225; 161-86
Traditional Trademark
Law and Domain
Names
Appendix B: The
Domain Name
System
7
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pp. 186-216;
225-29
Trademark Dilution
The Anticybersquatting
Consumer Protection
Act
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8
Chapter 4
Contracting
Online
pp. 274-5;
297-319
Binding Commitment:
Shrinkwrap and Its
Online Analogues
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Entertainment Corp.
Bihari v. Gross
Federal Trademark Dilution
Act
Toys “R” Us, Inc. v.
Feinberg
Avery Dennison Corp. v.
Sumpton
Brookfield Communications,
Inc. v. West Coast
Entertainment Corp.
Bihari v. Gross
Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v.
Welles
Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v.
Netscape Communications
Corp.
Planned Parenthood
Federation of America, Inc.
v. Bucci
Bally Total Fitness Holding
Corp. v. Faber
Name.Space, Inc. v.
Network Solutions, Inc.
Lockheed Martin Corp. v.
Network Solutions, Inc.
Green Products Co. v.
Independence Corn ByProducts Co.
Cardservice International,
Inc. v. McGee
Teletech Customer Care
Management, Inc. v. TeleTech Co.
Panavision International,
L.P. v. Toeppen
Lemley, The Modern
Lanham Act and the Death
of Common Sense
Senate Report 106-140
Sporty’s Farm L.L.C. v.
Sportsman’s Market, Inc.
ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenberg
Hill v. Gateway 2000, Inc.
Klocek v. Gateway, Inc.
Class
No.
9
10
11
Chapter
Reading
Topics
Assignment
Principal Materials
pp. 319-42
Clickwrap
Agreements
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Browsewrap
Agreements
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pp. 366-71;
531-8; 10821090
Unconscionability
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Forum-selection
clauses
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pp. 342-66;
450-55; 29097
Capacity to Contract,
Agency, and Machineto-Machine Contracts
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The Role of
Standardization in
Electronic Contracting
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UCITA and Consumer
Protection
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E-mail Deals
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I.Lan Systems, Inc. v.
Netscout Service Level
Corp.
UETA, § 14
Pollstar v. Gigmania, Ltd.
Specht v. Netscape
Communications Corp.
In re RealNetworks, Inc.,
Privacy Litigation
UCITA, § 111
Forum-selection clauses
Brower v. Gateway 2000,
Inc.
UCITA, §§ 112, 206 &
102(a)(27)
UCITA, §§ 2(2), 2(3), 2(5)
& 2(6)
ESIGN, §§ 101(h) & 106(3)
Middlebrook & Muller,
Thoughts on Bots: The
Emerging Law of Electronic
Agents
Smed, Intelligent Software
Agents and Agency Law
UCITA, §§ 102(a)(44),
102(a)(45), & 209
Radin, Online
Standardization and the
Integration of Text and
Machine
Validation of Shrinkwrap
Licenses
Shattuck v. Klotzbach
Electronic contract
formation and the mailbox
rule
Restatement (Second) of
Contracts, §§ 63 & 64
The Electronic Messaging
Task Force, ABA, The
Commercial Use of
Electronic Data
Interchange—A Report and
Model Trading Partner
Agreement
UETA, § 15
UCITA, §§ 102(a)(28) &
215
Class
No.
Chapter
Reading
Topics
Assignment
Principal Materials
12
Chapter 5
Authentication
and Digital
Signatures
pp. 372-411

Digital Signatures
The Functions of
Signatures
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Digital Signature
Technology
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The Statute of Frauds
Online
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Electronic Records as
Writings
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Authentication as
Signature
Digital Authentication
Around the World
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13
Chapter 6
Consumer
Protection
Online
pp. 412-50;
455-66
Overview of
Consumer Protection
Regulation
The Extent of
Fraudulent Practices
Online
Online Advertising
Issues
Online Contracting
and Its Perils: UCITA
and Consumer
Protection
Electronic Signature
Statutes
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Merrill, Proof of Who, What
and When in Electronic
Commerce Under the Digital
Signature Guidelines
Smedinghoff, Certification
Authority: Liability Analysis
In re RealNetworks, Inc.,
Privacy Litigation
Parma Tile Mosaic &
Marble Co., Inc. v. Estate of
Short
Statutory Updates to the
Statute of Frauds
UETA, §§ 7, 2(7), 2(8),
2(13) & 5
ESIGN, §§ 101, 106(4),
106(5) & 106(9)
UCITA, §§ 107, 108,
102(a)(6), 102(a)(55) & 201
Fischer, Saving Rosencrantz
and Guildenstern in a Virtual
World? A Comparative
Look at Recent Global
Electronic Signature
Legislation
Fraud-Facilitating Features
of the Online Environment
Note: Payment Mechanisms
Regulatory Agency
Responses
New Law Enforcement
Tools
Federal Trade Commission,
Dot Com Disclosures
Applicability of Rules with
Terms Like “Written,”
“Writing,” “Printed,” or
“Direct Mail”
Deceptive Use of a Domain
Name
Blurring of Advertising and
Editorial Content
Online Sweepstakes
Displacement of Existing
Consumer Protection Laws
Electronic Self-Help
Provisions
ESIGN, § 101
Note: ESIGN and UETA on
Class
No.
Chapter
Reading
Topics
Assignment
Principal Materials
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14
Chapter 7
Jurisdiction
pp. 467-517
Background: Personal
Jurisdiction
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The Due Process
Requirement Applied
to Online Activities
Operation of
Websites
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The effects test
Consumer Consent to
Electronic Notifications
Preservation of Existing
Consumer Protections
Exceptions for Certain
Notifications
Zippo Manufacturing Co. v.
Zippo Dot Com, Inc.
Cybersell, Inc. v. Cybersell,
Inc.
Panavision International,
L.P. v. Toeppen
An international application
of the effects test
CompuServe, Inc. v.
Patterson
Entering Into
Commercial
Transactions via
Online
Communications
Distribution of
Publications Online
Use of Computer
Equipment Located in
the Forum State
Combining Offline
and Online Contacts
15
Chapter 8
Privacy Online
pp. 548-558,
565-94
Background: Privacy
Protection in the
Online Commercial
Environment
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Tensions Within the
Idea of Privacy
Fair Information
Practice Principles
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Online Technologies
of Surveillance and
Their Implications for
Data Privacy
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Federal Trade Commission,
Privacy Online: Fair
Information Practices in the
Electronic Marketplace
Reidenberg & Gamet-Pol,
The Fundamental Role of
Privacy and Confidence in
the Network
Federal Trade Commission,
Privacy Online: A Report to
Congress
Technologies of Surveillance
Columbia Insurance Co. v.
seescandy.com
Class
No.
Chapter
Reading
Topics
Assignment
Principal Materials
Online Profiling
Online Privacy
Policies: Uses and
Abuses
Piercing the Veil of
Online Anonymity
16
pp. 594-623
Models for Protecting
Online Privacy
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17
Chapter 9
Copyright
pp. 629-659
A Brief Overview of
the Law of Copyright
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Copyright
Infringement Online
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Direct Infringement
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Model I: Industry SelfRegulation via Codes of
Conduct
Model II: Third-Party
Certification via Privacy
Seals
Model III: Empowerment of
Individuals Through
Technological Tools
U.S. Senate Judiciary
Committee, Know the Rules,
Use the Tools—Privacy in
the Digital Age: A Resource
for Internet Users
Note: Platform for Privacy
Preferences
Model IV: Plenary
Regulation—The EC
Directive
Model V: Commodification
of Privacy?
Laudon, Extensions to the
Theory of Markets and
Privacy: Mechanics of
Pricing Information
Litman, Information
Privacy/Information
Property
Radin, Incomplete
Commodification in the
Computerized World
Note: Digitally Repurposed
Works
Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v.
Frena
Religious Technology
Center v. Netcom On-Line
Communication Services,
Inc.
Kelly v. Arriba Soft Corp.
Class
No.
Chapter
18
Reading
Topics
Assignment
Principal Materials
pp. 659-705
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Contributory
Infringement
Vicarious Liability
for Copyright
Infringement
Defenses to Copyright
Infringement
Fair Use Online
The First-Sale
Doctrine
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19
Chapter 11
Technological
Protection of
Digital Goods
pp. 799-814;
822-57
Introduction to
Trusted Systems
Special Protection for
Technological
Management Systems:
Title I of the Digital
Millennium Copyright
Act
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20
pp. 862-876
Trusted Systems and
Fair Use
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21
Chapter 12
pp. 877-895;
Patent Basics

Religious Technology
Center v. Netcom On-Line
Communication Services,
Inc.
Intellectual Reserve, Inc. v.
Utah Lighthouse Ministry,
Inc.
A & M Records, Inc. v.
Napster, Inc.
Religious Technology
Center v. Netcom On-Line
Communication Services,
Inc.
A & M Records, Inc. v.
Napster, Inc.
UMG Recordings, Inc. v.
MP3.com, Inc.
A & M Records, Inc. v.
Napster, Inc.
Kelly v. Arriba Soft
Corporation
Video Pipeline, Inc. v.
Buena Vista Home
Entertainment, Inc.
Stefik & Silverman, The Bit
and the Pendulum:
Balancing the Interests of
Stakeholders in Digital
Publishing
RealNetworks, Inc. v.
Streambox, Inc.
Universal City Studios, Inc.
v. Reimerdes
Universal City Studios, Inc.
v. Corley
Bell, Fair Use vs. Fared Use:
The Impact of Automated
Rights Management on
Copyright’s Fair Use
Doctrine
Nimmer, A Riff on Fair Use
in the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act
Burk & Cohen, Fair Use
Infrastructure for Rights
Management Systems
State Street Bank & Trust
Class
No.
Chapter
Reading
Topics
Assignment
Patent
905-936
Background: The
(Former) Business
Method Exception
Principal Materials
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Software Patents: The
Changing Legal
Landscape
The Demise of the
Business Method
Exception
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Co. v. Signature Financial
Group, Inc.
Amazon.com’s One-Click
Patent
Priceline.com’s Patent on
Reverse Auctions
Cybergold’s Pay-Per-View
Advertising Patent
Amazon.com, Inc. v.
Barnesandnoble.com., Inc.
The Prior-User
Defense
Examples of ECommerce Business
Method Patents
Patent Litigation:
Amazon.com v.
Barnesandnoble.com
22
Chapter 13
Harmful
Activities Online
pp. 937-77
Intrusion on
Proprietary Networks:
Unsolicited
Commercial E-mail
Challenging UCE in
Court
Trespass to chattels
General Computer
Protection Statutes;
Trademark
infringement and
dilution
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The Costs of UCE
Benefits of UCE
CompuServe Inc. v. Cyber
Promotions, Inc.
America Online, Inc. v.
LCGM, Inc.
California Business &
Professions Code
California Penal Code
Delaware Code
Colorado Revised Statutes
Media3 Technologies, LLC
v. Mail Abuse Prevention
System, LLC
Legislative
Approaches
Self-Help Approaches
23
pp. 977-1018
Intruding on
Proprietary Networks:
Speech Directed at
Employees via a
Corporate Network
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Intel Corp. v. Hamidi
eBay, Inc. v. Bidder’s Edge,
Inc.
Register.com, Inc. v. Verio,
Inc.
EF Cultural Travel BV v.
Class
No.
Chapter
Reading
Topics
Assignment
Principal Materials
Acquiring Data from
Another’s Website
24
Chapter 14
Liability of
Intermediaries
pp. 1019-61
Liability of Service
Providers for
Reputational Harm
Caused by Availability
of Harmful Content
Liability as
“Distributor” of
Defamatory Material
Liability as
“Publisher” of
Defamatory Material
Legislative Response:
Service Provider
Immunity
A Comparative View
Explorica, Inc.
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Cubby v. CompuServe, Inc.
Stratton Oakmont, Inc. v.
Prodigy Services Co.
Zeran v. America Online,
Inc.
Blumenthal v. Drudge
Note: Liability of Internet
Service Providers in the
European Union