Course Overview

Course Title: Internet Law and Ethics

Relevant SDGs:  Goal 9

Credit(s): 2 credits

Course Description:

With the rapid advancement of Internet technology and the rise of large-scale technological platforms such as Facebook, Weibo, Twitter, Whatsapp, WeChat, Spotify, Uber, Dropshipping and Airbnb, the mode of interpersonal communication on a global scale has experienced unprecedented changes. These innovations have not only greatly enriched people's communication methods and broadened the channels of information access, but also brought many challenges and opportunities to the established legal system. In the face of this series of legal and ethical dilemmas arising from technological advances, courts, policymakers and law enforcement officials around the world are actively seeking solutions in order to promote the healthy development of technology while maintaining social order.

This course aims to explore in depth the far-reaching impact of the Internet on law and ethics in different dimensions and a wide range of areas, covering core topics such as the protection and infringement of intellectual property rights, the exploration of the boundaries of cyber morality and ethics, the safeguarding of personal privacy, and the protection of consumers' rights and interests in online transactions. In addition, the course will analyze the latest legal practices and theoretical explorations of platform regulation and sharing economy regulation in China, the United States, Europe and other regions from the perspective of comparative law, providing students with an international perspective and cutting-edge academic dynamics. This course is especially suitable for students who are interested in Internet law, intellectual property law, e-commerce law and related fields, and who are eager to gain an in-depth understanding of and devote themselves to future legal practice.

Academic Team

PI:

• Zhang Chenguo(张陈果), Professor, Koguan School of Law, zhangcg25@gmail.com

Collaborators:

• Jyh-An Lee, Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, jalee@cuhk.edu.hk

What skills will students get?

Knowledge Level:

1. Mastering core concepts and theories: students should have an in-depth understanding of the foundational concepts and core theoretical framework of Internet law and ethics, including but not limited to the basic principles of cyberlaw, the legal boundaries of data protection and privacy, and the applicability of intellectual property rights in cyberspace.
2. Familiarity with cutting-edge issues and cases: students are required to keep abreast of the latest developments in the field of Internet law and ethics, familiarize themselves with typical case studies at home and abroad, and understand how technological innovation affects the practice of law and how law adapts to and regulates technological development.

Ability Level:

1. Interdisciplinary research ability
2. Academic cooperation and reporting ability
3. Academic writing ability

Quality level:

1. International vision and cross-cultural communication
2. Sense of ethical responsibility

Mode of Teaching

Case Study & Group Report

Grading

1. Class discussion: 20 points
2. Course project: 80 points

Course-specific Restrictions

None.

Class Schedule

Instructors

Zhang Chenguo

Zhang Chenguo is a professor at Koguan School of Law of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Shanghai Eastern Scholar. Her main research areas are civil and commercial law and civil procedure law, intellectual property law and competition law, information technology law and international dispute resolution. Her writings can be found in Chinese and Foreign Law, Global Legal Review, Politics and Law, Contemporary Law, Tsinghua Law, Guangming Daily, The China Quarterly, Journal of World Trade, Computer Law and Security Review, European Business Organization Law Review, Queen Mary Journal of Intellectual Property, ZUM (German Copyright Law and Media Law, GRUR Int.). She has published over thirty papers in Chinese, English, and German, with one English and German monograph each. She has also translated several works, and some related papers have been reprinted by Xinhua Digest.

Jyh-An Lee

Jyh-An Lee is a Professor and the Executive Director of the Centre for Legal Innovation and Digital Society (CLINDS) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Faculty of Law. He has been a faculty member of the CUHK EMBA program since 2018. Professor Lee also coaches the New Ventures Legal Team (NVLT), a clinical support group collaborating with CUHK’s Pre-Incubation Centre for startup companies. Professor Lee has been featured on ABC News, BBC News, Bloomberg News, Financial Times, Fortune, and South China Morning Post as an expert on intellectual property and Internet law. He has authored four monographs and over sixty papers, and his works have been cited by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the UK High Court of Justice, the US International Trade Commission, and the European Union (in a WTO dispute-settlement case).

Course Contact

Zhang Chenguo: zhangcg25@gmail.com