CYBERLAW - 2025/6

Module Overview

 Digital technology influences every aspect of daily life, shaping the way that individuals live, work and socialise (and therefore also inevitably matters of civil law, such as contract and tort) but it has a less positive aspect as it has also transformed criminal behaviour. This module considers the legal, regulatory and commercial issues relating to the internet and digitisation as well as the dark side of technology that has led to the growth of online crime. It reflects on the ensuing impact on the digital economy, platforms and the wider business community plus the legal regulation thereof taking account of the unprecedented transformation in the digitisation of the law and the way business is conducted in the 21st century. The module encourages critical engagement with the way in which the law operates in an effort to both facilitate digitisation as well as combat cybercrime. It brings together theoretical ideas about the function of law with the practical considerations of the impact of criminal behaviour on society. It also engages with the challenges of preventing online crime and policing the internet. 

Module provider

School of Law

Module Leader

DATOO Akber (Schl of Law)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

The module will cover a range of topics from amongst the following:

 

• Big data business models and proposed legal and regulatory responses.


• The theoretical foundation of cybercrime and the regulation of harmful or undesirable behaviour in cyberspace.


• An exploration of the nature of online harm and the regulation of speech on the internet including harmful, obscene and otherwise undesirable content, defamation and intermediary liability issues.


• Liability for attacks on computer systems including hacking, spam, viruses and denial of service attacks.


• The control and security of online data including issues of privacy and data governance.


• Introduction to intellectual property 


• Net Neutrality.


• Algorithmic discrimination.


• Crimes committed using technology such as phishing, romance fraud, identity theft and online grooming.


• Regulation, jurisdiction and policing cyberspace including the rise of digilantism.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy

 

Students are assessed through a 4 hour online examination.

The assessment will be in the form of a single written essay related to the content of the module.

 

Formative Assessment: a single essay assignment of identical style to the main assessment for which individual and general feedback provided to students.

Module aims

• Promote understanding of new innovations in law and technology and evaluate the social, legal and economic implications of new technologies and digital markets.
• Provide a foundation of knowledge and understanding of the complexities associated with the regulation of cyberspace and the challenges that cybercrime presents to the criminal justice system.
• Equip students with the knowledge and skills to engage in critical evaluation of the current approach to the regulation of cyberspace, taking into account private and public approaches to enforcement and the jurisdictional challenges inherent in this area of law.
• To explore the criminogenic potential of the online environment and to consider a range of offences committed using computers, the relationship between cybercrime and social harm and the prevalence and impact of a range of different cybercrimes.
• Examine the moral and ethical issues related to the internet, platforms, digital economy, AI and algorithmic governance.
• Explore how legal institutions and rules can help accountability and justice online while also appreciating the limitations of governmental actions and the need for softer forms of governance, norms and interventions.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy follows a mix of didactic and problem-based learning.

Seminars adopt a flexible learning approach, with a combination of interactive seminars and consideration of possible scenarios, delivered by academics with room for visiting members of industry where appropriate.

Basic legal knowledge and policy-oriented problem solving will be blended in with the substantive subject-specific seminars.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: LAWM163

Other information

Employability: The module prepares students for the 21^st century workplace by equipping them with knowledge of the issues relating to the internet, the implications of new technologies and digital markets, and how the platform economy drives commerce, political and social developments. Transferrable are acquired, including problem-solving skills, independent research and the ability to select relevant examples from practical commercial and legal settings for use in the assessment.

Digital capabilities: Students will acquire an understanding of the ways in which technology and the internet shape society and business. Students will understand new innovations in law and technology, and how the platform economy drives commerce, political and social developments.

Global and Cultural Capabilities: This module develops students’ critical awareness of the moral and ethical issues related to the internet, platforms, digital economy, AI and algorithmic governance. Students will gain an understanding of how legal institutions and rules can help accountability and justice online while also appreciating the limitations of governmental actions and the need for softer forms of governance, norms and interventions. Students will engage with the challenges society grapples with due to new and emerging technologies

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students are required to conduct independent research and reflect on their serf-development in preparation for teaching events and assessment.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.