This topic aims to promote awareness of, and critical thinking in relation to, the regulation of new technologies. It will provide a basic introduction to many areas of interface between the technology and the law, along with some conceptual frameworks, and encourage students to critically examine the practicalities of regulating technology. Regulation will be considered not only from the perspective of black letter law (contract, tort, general and specific legislation, relevant constitutional elements) but will also consider regulatory sandpits, self regulatory codes, quasi regulation and the evolution from practice to formal control, as well as considering alternative extra-legal means of control (e.g. social norms and technology based means including "code as law"). While the topic will take an Australian perspective, it will reference comparative international approaches. Students will select a research project of their own choice for seminar presentation and a written paper.
This topic aims to examine and develop an understanding of the following questions:
(*The topic will not address the application of technology to the practice of the law, and neither will it cover IP issues, as both are the subject of separate topics)
Timetable details for 2021 are no longer published.