Information Technology Law, 6th Edition

Are you a user of Twitter or Facebook? Do you download your music or shop online? How often do you log on to the Internet using your mobile phone? Aspects of information technology permeate every aspect of our lives. From websites such as Facebook and Twitter, to online music and shopping stores, to CCTV cameras, it is rare that a person is not touched by some form of IT every day. But how often do we stop and think about the legal dimensions of these every day brushes with IT? Since the pioneering first publication of Internet Technology Law in 1993, both the book and the subject have become widely recognized and respected both academically and professionally. Focussing primarily on developments within the UK and EU, along with some comparative international aspects, this book provides a broad-ranging introduction and analysis of the frequently difficult relationship between the law and IT. Information Technology Law is essential reading for undergraduates and postgraduates on law courses covering the law relating to IT, including IT law, criminal law, intellectual property, and contract law. It will also be highly valuable to business and management students, practitioners, and professionals working in the area. In this sixth edition: – There is increased focus on the Internet and related activities – Further information on topical areas such as defamation, computer hacking, virus dissemination, and online gambling will be included – A new concluding section, ‘Living in the Internet World’ considers the legal implication of our immersion in virtual environments. It asks tantalising questions such as whether a virtual personality can be the victim of assault or theft Online Resource Centre: – For this new edition the Online Resource Centre hosts an exciting new author blog, a catalogue of web links to key readings, as well as regular updates.

Table of Contents

PART I: PRIVACY, ANONYMITY, AND DATA PROTECTION
Chapter 1 Privacy, technology, and surveillance
Chapter 2 The emergence of data protection
Chapter 3 The scope of data protection
Chapter 4 Supervisory agencies
Chapter 5 The data protection principles
Chapter 6 Individual rights and remedies
Chapter 7 Sectoral aspects of data protection
Chapter 8 Transborder data flows

PART II: COMPUTER-RELATED CRIME
Chapter 9 The phenomenon of computer-related crime
Chapter 10 Legislating for computer crime
Chapter 11 Computer forgery and fraud
Chapter 12 The Internet and computer pornography
Chapter 13 Detecting and prosecuting computer crime

PART III: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUES
Chapter 14 Intellectual property law
Chapter 15 Key elements of the patent system
Chapter 16 Patents and software
Chapter 17 Copyright protection
Chapter 18 Copyright in the information economy
Chapter 19 Protection of databases
Chapter 20 Trade mark and domain name issues
Chapter 21 Competition and intellectual property issues

PART IV: E-COMMERCE
Chapter 22 International and European initiatives in e-commerce
Chapter 23 Cryptography, electronic signatures, and the Electronic Communications Act 2000

PART V: LEGAL ISSUES OF THE INTERNET
Chapter 24 Contractual liability for defective software
Chapter 25 Non-contractual liability
Chapter 26 Defamation and the Internet
Chapter PART VI: REGULATION OF THE INTERNET
Chapter 27 Internet regulation and the rise, fall, and rise of .com

PART VII: LIVING IN AN INTERNET WORLD
Epilogue: IT law—Past, present, and looking into the future