JUS5630 - Privacy and Data Protection
Course content
The course studies legal rules on data protection—i.e., a set of norms which specifically govern the processing of data relating to persons (personal data) in order to protect, at least partly, the privacy and related interests of those persons.
Outside Europe, such norms tend to be described in terms of protecting “privacy”, “information privacy”, or increasingly, “data privacy”. The main focus is on European and international codes, primarily the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) Article 8 and Directive 95/46/EC, along with case law pursuant to these instruments. Special attention is also given to Directives 2002/58/EC and 2006/24/EC, and to Norway’s Personal Data Act of 2000 (Personopplysningsloven). The latter is used to illustrate how the international codes are nationally implemented.
The themes taken up in the course may be summed up with the following key-words: privacy, data protection, surveillance, Internet, cyberspace, encryption, freedom of expression
Learning outcome
The primary aim of the course is to facilitate a solid understanding of legal policies on privacy and data protection, particularly in the context of distributed computer networks such as the Internet. More specifically, the course seeks to illuminate the rationale and regulatory logic of such policies along with the various technological challenges that they face.
The course seeks also to illuminate legal-regulatory issues related to freedom of expression, the increasing automatisation of decision-making processes, the increasingly cross-national character of organisational transactions, and the interaction of legal norms with the regulatory effects of IT and other non-legal instruments, such as sectoral codes of practice.
From the course, one gains a firm understanding of the basic rules and principles for protecting privacy and personal information, particularly as laid down in EU and other international instruments. One gains also insight into the myriad regulatory challenges in the field. Further, one learns about the potential for technological development to both threaten and enhance privacy protection.
A further aim of the course is not just to impart knowledge of the relevant legal rules as they currently stand but also to encourage critical appraisal of them. This involves analysing and challenging the assumptions upon which the rules are based, and discussion of alternative regulatory possibilities.
Admission
Id does not exist in shared textYou may register for this course if you have admission to a Master’s programme at UiO or the faculty's exchange programme. You can also register for this course if you do not have admission to any programme at UiO, but meet the formal prerequistites.
All students are required meet the formal prerequistites.
Have you met the formal prerequisites at another institution than the University of Oslo, and the results are not formally registered at UiO, you must apply for admission to courses at Master’s level . Students with admission to Master’s degree programmes at other faculties than The Faculty of Law must also apply for admission.
When your admission is in order you must register for courses in StudentWeb
Id does not exist in shared textPrerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Students must fill one of these requirements:
- Passed 1st - 3rd year of studies in Master's of Law (masterstudiet i rettsvitenskap at UiO) or examinations that qualify for exemption from these) or
- Having a 5-years Master’s degree in Laws (masterstudiet i rettsvitenskap at UiO) or equivalent.
Students with admission to the faculty’s exchange programme and students with admission to any master’s degree programme at the University of Oslo (except masterstudiet i rettsvitenskap) has an exemption from the formal prerequisites.
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with JUR1630 - Privacy and Data Protection, 10 credits overlap with VALPRIV - Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (discontinued), 10 credits overlap with JUXPRIV - Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (discontinued), 10 credits overlap with JUTPRIV - Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (discontinued), 10 credits overlap with ICTLPRIV - Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (discontinued) and 10 credits overlap with JUR5630 - Privacy, Data Protection and Lex Informatica (discontinued).Teaching
Lectures, 20 hours.
Language of teaching for this course is English. This means that all
communication during lectures/seminars will be in English, and all
literature and auxiliary materials are in English.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
Examination consists of two parts; a mid-term paper and a 4-hour written examination.
Students who fail or do not deliver the mid-term essay will not be allowed to deliver the final assignment.
In case of retake, a candidate must retake both examinations, even if the candidate has successfully passed one of the examinations.
Please note that if a student wish to file an appeal in only one of the examinations, both examinations will automatically undergo a regrading.
Use of sources and rules for citing.
Be sure that you are familiar with the use of sources and the rules for citing/quoting from others’ work
UiO uses a plagiarism checking tool as one of several instruments for detecting suspicion of cheating and attempted cheating.
Examination support material
Id does not exist in shared textRegulations for support materials permitted at examination for courses taught in English . Please read all three chapters.
Language of examination
Id does not exist in shared textThe language of examination for this course is English. This means
that the examination question will be given in English, and students
may answer in English only.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
The mid-term paper will account for 30% of the grade, while the written examination will account for 70%.
Explanations and appeals
You may request an explanation of your grades, and you may also appeal against your grades or make a complaint about formal examination errors. Read more about explanations and appeals.
Resit an examination
You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.
Withdrawal from an examination
Id does not exist in shared textSpecial examination arrangements
If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.
Evaluation
Id does not exist in shared textOther
The language for this course is English. Students enrolled in the
Masterprogrammet i rettsvitenskap must pass one
English subject as part of their degree, this course will meet these
obligations.
This subject is taught at Master 's level. The subject is also taught at Bachelor's level (10 ECTS credits), see JUR1630 - Privacy and Data Protection. Please see the chapter above, regarding overlap. For instances of overlap, credits will be deducted on the subject at Bachelors's level.