'Law in the Information Age 2.0'
GENL 0231 / LAWS 3431 - Summer 2012-13

David Vaile - OMB 150

This 6 unit course was run for the first time in Summer 2010-11, as a replacement for the old 3 unit GENL0230 'Law in the Information Age' (which is not a prerequisite for this new course).

News and updates:

Core documents

The printed materials for this course contain most of the required reading and details about the assessment.
This page has references to presentations, and some cases.

Media Diary - see Course Outline, above, for details (30%).

Tips: You don’t need to research the law or dig up legal rules, or attempt to apply them or give advice. It is a bare summary of the article itself, very simple. Only mention details of the law if the story itself covers them, and only summarise the issues it mentions. This is NOT an invitation to go away and do more research!

Don't beat about the bush with an intro, often you can start with what the story says: “Dr  XXX, head of security at XXX Pty Ltd , recently raised concerns about disclosure of confidential info...”.

NB: Like a journalist, be specific, be concrete: make sure you use as much as possible the actual names, dates and places, document titles, product names, countries, case names etc. which are anchor the story in a specific incident or event, not just broad concepts, anonymous characters and generalities.

Essay questions

The Essay questions require one essay of 4,000 words (60%).
They will be available here and handed out in class.

Word count: the major essay now includes the bibliography, not excludes it, in the word count. However, make sure the bibliography is proportionate to the text, not excessively long.

Alternative: Online contribution

Contribution to online resource or similar ‘user generated’ service – Recent developments in communications and information law (60%) (60%)

This is a research project requiring students to consider recent events and developments since those documented in the course materials. The nature of the item is a contribution describing for instance a particular case, piece of legislation or specific policy debate in narrow terms, submitted to an online resource such as Wikipedia, or similar UGC host.

Students must propose a topic provided and submit in writing for approval by the course convenor by middle of first week of class, or in any case before you complete the final writing and research.

Your short proposal must identify the case, law or policy topic, and the relevant materials below. Submit the request with:

  1. a short title specifying the precise and narrow scope of the proposed topic (the narrower the better, not a broad summary; also check it is not already done!)
  2. a one sentence description explaining the scope of the proposed topic
  3. a reference, with URL, for the full text of the case, law or law reform report (or similar) you will be creating the item about,
  4. a reference to a short commentary article from a suitable expert, to demonstrate you have looked for an overview already the online service you propose to submit to (Name, jurisdiction and URL)
  5. confirmation you have searched already and there is either no entry on your topic; or there is one identical or very similar - if so, give title - but it is minimalist, incomplete and would benefit from thorough upgrade.
  6. A summary of the requirements for the highest standard of entry, such as Wikipedia’s Feature Article status, including the criteria for inclusion in that status. (Include a link to the policy of the service setting out the requirements for this highest quality submission.)

The obvious service is Wikipedia, and its Featured Article model (not just an ordinary article), but there may be others which are suitable.

Maximum length for the proposal: 1500 words on paper - note you must cite sources and summarise in your own words to demonstrate you understand what is being asked of you in relation to 6., not just copy the text from WikiPedia, without attribution!

The actual content of the online item should be the appropriate length for the highest, most complete standard of entry. There is no fixed length. You do not need to be excessive.

Deadline: Wed 21 December Friday 13 January 2012 - online submission (subject to confirmation in class).

You will be assessed on:

Presentations

As they become available, Powerpoint presentations for certain classes will be posted here.

See also the detailed timetable for extra links to supplementary material and topics.

Defamation cases

Some of the cases listed in the Defamation Law Guide may be hard
to track down, too old or generic. Some interesting additional cases:

Using the Wrong Term
Lenox Hewitt v Queensland Newspapers Pty Limited No. SC283 of 1993 [1995] ACTSC 54
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/act/ACTSC/1995/54.html

Tarring with the same brush
Chakravarti v Advertiser Newspapers Limited [1998] HCA 37
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/1998/37.html

Broadcast Blues
Thompson v Australian Capital Television Pty Ltd & Ors [1996] HCA 38 (10 December 1996)
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/1996/38.html

Other cases which are either legally important or about real life
people and events students may have some familiarity with:

Dow Jones & Company Inc v Gutnick [2002] HCA 56
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/high_ct/2002/56.html

Nationwide News Pty Ltd v Sleeman [2005] NSWCA 349
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/nsw/NSWCA/2005/349.html

John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v O'Shane [2005] NSWCA 164
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/nsw/NSWCA/2005/164.html

Costello and Abbott v Random House Pty ltd [1999] ACTSC 13 (5 March 1999)
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/act/ACTSC/1999/13.html

Vincenzo Bellino vAustralian Broadcasting Corporation F.C. 96/008 [1995] HCA 34 (20 June 1995)
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/1995/34.html

Contact

For more information contact David Vaile d.vaile [at] unsw.edu.au

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