SIE 525 INFORMATION SYSTEMS LAW

University of Maine

SIE 525 INFORMATION SYSTEMS LAW

Fall 2003

11:00 - 12:15 Tues & Thurs, Room 126 Barrows Hall

onsrud@spatial.maine.edu

Course Objectives

This course reviews the current status of information systems law in regard to rights of privacy, freedom of information, confidentiality, work product protection, copyright, security, legal liability, and a range of additional legal and information policy topics. We will investigate the legal difficulties that technological innovations are causing in all of these areas. We will focus particularly on these issues in regard to their impact on the use of databases and, more specifically, spatial databases. Legal options for dealing with the conflicts caused by technological change and likely adaptations of the law over time in response to societal changes will be explored.

Course Materials

Note that this is a graduate course in information systems law and ethical issues for non-law students. The typical enrolled student is pursuing a graduate degree in engineering, information systems, or computer science. As such, substantial time is spent on introductory legal concepts. Further, we will focus on overview books for most of the readings rather than use the text of case law or legislation. (For materials appropriate for a law school course, see for instance, Law 276.1 Cyberlaw.)

Required readings include several books. The reading assignments are much heavier than experienced normally in engineering or science courses so you should begin them immediately and pace yourself to ensure their completion. The required books should be available through the university bookstore. Most are also readily available by ordering them from online sources but if a book has to be back ordered I highly recommend that you acquire it instead at the bookstore so you have it when you need it.

Course lectures will NOT correspond exactly with the readings. Additional reading materials will be made available and linked from the web syllabus over time. Geographic data conflict examples are often used in this course to illustrate principles.

Discussion Piece (Read this in the first week of the semester. You will be assigned to develop intellectual property arguments later concerning one of the scenarios so note such arguments as you go through your readings.)

Communications

All enrolled students must obtain a FirstClass mail account. Delivery of assignments, exams, and written communications among the class as a group will occur through use of this system. Information on obtaining a FirstClass account and information on acquiring additional free software to access course materials may be found at access, hardware and software. Contacts for phone and e-mail technical assistance are also provided. All students, whether enrolled on campus or from a distance, should read and adhere to the distance education considerations below. Some of your lectures will be viewed by you using the technologies described.

Notes Concerning First Class: Please note that messages may be sent from anywhere on the Internet to the rest of the class by sending a message to SIE525@umit.maine.edu. If you prefer using another e-mail address, you can set FirstClass to forward any e-mails arriving on your FirstClass account to your standard e-mail address (or vice versa.) All assignments and exams will be delivered by electronic mail by you to a FirstClass assignment folder.

Important Notice to All Students

Introductory materials are available for those students interested in GIS Law issues.

Term Paper Instructions

Book Review Instructions

Distance Education Considerations

Some students may be taking this course at a distance through live and/or delayed streaming video on the web. To sign up for the course from a distant location, contact the UMaine Continuing Education Division. In order to take the course by distance methods, access, software and hardware requirements must be met. To ensure that all technologies are working you should be able to view (1) this web page, (2) the slides for a lecture, and (3) the streaming video all at the same time on your screen in three separate windows. After you have followed the download instructions, test that you are operational prior to the first class meeting by clicking on "Slides 1" and "Lecture 1" in the syllabus below. If you can't view the web and these two items at the same time, call the technical assistance folks as noted for help.

Lectures may be viewed during the time they are occurring on campus (11:00 - 12:15 T & Th) by accessing LIVE STREAMING VIDEO. (If you have problems, call 1-877-947-4357). The videos may be viewed a day or so after they occur by clicking on the lecture links below.

Self Study Lectures

A few lectures on the syllabus are listed as self-study lectures (designated by "SS"). For these sessions you are expected to view the class lectures archived from a previous year by "webcast" and follow along with the accompanying PowerPoint slides (see the instructions under "Distance Education Considerations"). On campus students may choose to listen to the lectures on the computers in Rooms 137 and 138 Boardman if you don't have high speed access elsewhere. Bring a cheap set of headphones or you may find a communal pair in the room.

Office Hours

I am in the office most days and you are welcome to drop by or call at any time although appointments are sometimes better for longer discussions. E-mail is the simplest way to get a message through and a response <onsrud@spatial.maine.edu>. Another way to get help is to post your question to other students in the course in the SIE525 folder on FirstClass at SIE525@umit.maine.edu .

Approximate Schedule of Lectures

Wk	Day	Date	Topic	Book Reading Assignments*	Extra Assignments	Class Video
1	T	Sept 2	Introductory Materials [SlidesIntro]	Book 1: Ch 1 Book 2: Ch 1-5 Book 5: Exec Sum, Ch 1, Appendix C		Lecture 1
	TH	Sept 4	(continued)			Lecture 2
2	T	Sept 9	Liability [SlidesLiability]	Book 2: Ch 6-8	Read Liability in Use of GIS	Lecture 3
	TH	Sept 11	(continued)			Lecture 4
3	T	Sept 16	Ethics [SlidesEthics]	Book 3: Ch 1		Lecture 5
	TH	Sept 18	(continued)		1. Liability Scenario Response Due 9/22	Lecture 6
4	T	Sept 23	Privacy [SlidesPrivacy]	Book 1: Ch 8 Book 2: Ch 11 Book 3: Ch 5 Book 4: All		Lecture 7
	TH	Sept 25	(continued)			Lecture 8
5	T	Sept 30	Privacy [SlidesPrivacyLBS]			Lecture 9
	TH	Oct 2	Intellectual Property Basics [SlidesIPBasics]	Book 1: Ch 3-4 Book 2: Ch 9-10 Book 3: Ch 4 Book 5: Ch 2, 4, Appendix D		Lecture 10
6	T	Oct 7	(continued)			Lecture 11
	TH	Oct 9	Copyright			Lecture 12
7	T	Oct 14	Fall Break
	TH	Oct 16	(continued)		2. Privacy Scenario Response Due	Lecture 13
8	T	Oct 21	Database Legislation & Academic Research [SlidesDtbs]			Lecture 14
	TH	Oct 23	Self-help Technologies: Contracts & Information Commons Concepts [SlidesCpyLt]	Book 1: Ch 5 Book 5: Ch 5	Read Tragedy of Info Commons	Lecture 15 view 2001 lecture
9	T	Oct 28	(continued) [SlidesDataCommons]	[DataCommnsDemo]		Lecture 16
	TH	Oct 30	Public Information [SlidesFOIA]	Book 5: Ch 3	.	Lecture 17
10	T	Nov 4	Public Information (con't)		.	Lecture 18 view 2001 lecture 19
	TH	Nov 6	Public Information [SlidesLocalGovt]		Read Ten Ways - just published	Lecture 19 view 2001 lecture 20
11	T	Nov 11	IP Discussion Piece on MP3s		3. In class IP exercise	Lecture 20
	TH	Nov 13				Lecture 21
12	T	Nov 18	Free Speech [SlidesFreeSpeech]]	Book 1: Ch 9-10 Book 2: Ch 12 Book 3: Ch 3		Lecture 22
	TH	Nov 20	Evidentiary Admissibility [SlidesEvid]]		Evidence from GIS	Lecture 23
13	T	Nov 25	Jurisdiction and the Internet [SlidesJuris]	Book 1: Ch 2 Book 2: Ch 14 Book 3: Ch 2		Lecture 24
	TH	Nov 27	Thanksgiving Break
14	T	Dec 2	Security, Encryption, and IP Management Issues	Book 1: Ch 11 Book 3: Ch 6 Book 5: Appndx E	4. IP, Public Info, Jurisdiction, Free Speech Scenario Response Due	Lecture 25
	TH	Dec 4	International Law and Trade [SlidesILT]]	Book 1: Ch 13		Lecture 26
15	T	Dec 9	(continued)			Lecture 27
	TH	Dec 11	Review	Book 2: Ch 15-17 Book 5: Ch 6		Lecture 28
		Dec 18	Final Exam (10:00 am -12:00)		5. Final Exam	Lecture 29