Law in the Information Age
Topic 1:
Introduction
Law and the legal system
The Information Age
Welcome to Law in the
Information Age
Two centres
Subject outline
See outline
Course requirements
See outline
Teaching method and
student input
Interactive: ask, discuss
Intensive: start now!
Class attendance
80% rule
Course commitment
3 UoC
80 hrs
Assessment
Media Diary 40
Research essay 60
Resources
Required
Other
Housekeeping
Times
Note taker
About the subject
What is the Information Age?
l What is convergence?
l Fluidity
l Opportunities and risks
What is ‘the law’,
and how does it work?
l Examples:
l Spam: one Act, simple
l Internet Content regulation: Acts,
Regs, Codes, cases: complex
The documentary
basis of law
Cases
Laws (legislation) & regulations
‘Code’ and Codes
(Lessig: business practice, norms)
Cases (Common law system)
Decisions of a court
Specifics of the case: people, actions
Specifics of jurisdiction: where, what
Specifics of time and date: when
Read ‘full text’? Primary legal document
Commentary, summaries, media reports
Principles, rules, interpretations, changes
Laws and regulations
 Decisions of a legislature: Parliament, Congress
 Process: Review, Bill, Debate, C’tee, Amend, Act
 Specifics of an Act: sections, definitions
 Specifics of jurisdiction: where, what, who
 Specifics of date: start, end? Amend? Repeal?
Replace?
 Read ‘full text’? Primary legal document
 Commentary, summaries
 Principles, specific requirements; Regulations
Law, Politics, Media
Laws are made by politicians
Politicians do politics, not science,
common sense, or ‘fairness’
Media can drive politics
Spin can turn black into white
Laws can affect media owners and journos
New technology can change the rules
Politics can re-make the rules
Look closely at what is being said
Media Watch, Hollow Men,
Who is writing, what is their interest
Commercial, political, other?
Conflict of interest?
Sources? Spin? Manipulation?
Clues?
Assertions, factoids, original documents…
Topical developments – stories?
NBN: Telstra v govt?
iiNet case: US movie industry v. ISPs ©
Internet filter proposal
Digital TV / ‘Freeview’: why need to sell it?
Computers for schoolies: issues, risks?
User-Generated content: issues, risks?
Lack of info balance about costs and risks
ANPR – why no stories? cf. Streetview