Module manager: Kisby Dickinson
Email: K.M.Dickinson@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
| LAW3031 | Cyberlaw: Regulation of Information Society |
| LAW3033 | Cyberlaw: Contemporary Issues |
LAW3030 Cyberlaw: Information Technology, Law and Society
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module examines the impact of the internet, AI, and cyberspace on the development of the contemporary 'information society'. The aim of the module is to provide detailed knowledge and understanding of the role technology plays in shaping the creation, distribution, and regulation of information on a global scale. The module discusses the challenges posed by state jurisdiction in a digital world without borders and conducts an evaluation of current policy and regulatory issues. It looks at the dynamic relationship between technology, society, and governance in the context of networked technologies, analysing how these elements influence modern regulatory practices.
The aim of the module is to provide detailed knowledge and understanding of the role technology plays in shaping the creation, distribution, and regulation of information on a global scale. The module introduces students to the regulatory challenges associated with law and governance in cyberspace. Students will develop knowledge and understanding of the role technology plays in shaping the creation, distribution and regulation of information on a global scale, and the associated regulatory challenges for law-makers.
Learning activities are designed to introduce key legal and regulatory challenges in cyberspace, and to develop collaborative critical understanding of potential solutions to developing regulatory challenges in the online environment.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
Critically analyse and synthesise cyberlaw principles and concepts to assess their effectiveness;
Apply cyberlaw and regulation principles and scholarship to propose solutions to regulatory challenges in cyberspace;
Interpret and critically evaluate the interactions between law and technology across different social and political contexts, to evaluate the efficacy and impact of legal frameworks;
Critically reflect on the role of law within the contemporary cyber context, suggesting improvements or alternatives.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in analysing complex legal and ethical issues, proposing solutions.
Employ advanced research methodologies to tackle complex legal questions, integrating diverse sources of information to support reasoned conclusions.
Cyberlaw is found at the cutting edge of the law, where the ability of the law to achieve its goals is challenged. Thus, the “law” in Cyberlaw tends to take not only the law that applies to the Internet but also the broader range of regulatory responses and strategies of governance that subsequently arise. It is as much about the “law in action” as the “law in books”. The module will provide students with an in-depth look at some of the existing and emerging legal issues in Cyberspace. It will begin by considering the debate about the nature of the influence of information technology on the development of “new” legal doctrine through topics such as (but not limited to) – privacy, data protection, freedom of expression, surveillance, disinformation, cybercrime, cyber harassment, cyber pornography, cyberwar. Students will have an opportunity to consider how the current issues challenge Cyberspace Law and analyse its responses and proposed responses.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Seminar | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 179 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 21 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
179
A formal formative assessment opportunity will be provided for the summative assessment task, which is specifically pedagogically aligned to that task. As part of this, each student will receive feedback designed to support the development of knowledge and skills that will be later assessed in the summative task.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Coursework | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team