Spring term, Block K
Mr. Urs Gasser
2 classroom credits LAW-97853A
The Internet has initiated a series of fundamental shifts in our information
ecosystem. First, anyone with a computer and Internet access can create a
message, while the costs of production have dramatically decreased in the
digital age. Second, the message network of the Internet enables global and
real-time transmission of information at marginal costs close to zero. Third,
the Internet leads to an unprecedented level of access both to information
infrastructure and content. Fourth, the Internet has shaped what users do with
information. These four shifts have in turn permitted the emergence of new
businesses and business models: Wikipedia and MySpace illustrate the power of
user-created content. Grokster and iTunes are two examples of new forms of
content distribution.
Search engines like Google are the symbols of new ways to access information.
And sites like YouTube or Facebook illustrate the increased levels of
interactivity among users on the one hand and content on the other.
In this seminar, Urs Gasser will work with a small group of students to gain a
deeper understanding of the legal implications of these seismic shifts at the
intersection of law, technology, and new business models. The seminar takes a
phenomenological approach: Instead of dividing topics along the lines of
traditional areas of law (such as, e.g., competition law, privacy, IP, etc.),
we will discuss the multi-faceted legal questions in their respective context,
based on studies of recent cases and developments. The seminar also takes into
account that online businesses operate in a global environment. While
addressing key questions such as, for example, the liability of online
intermediaries, we will be discussing statutory and case law from both the U.S.
and from Europe. Urs Gasser will invite a small group of outside speakers to
participate in a subset of class meetings.
The seminar has three main objectives. First, it seeks to familiarize the
students with important and enduring changes in the information economy.
Second, it analyzes focusing on online businesses the key legal and regulatory
problems faced by decision-makers in the private (and public) sector. Third, it
aims to introduce a set of frameworks and analytical tools that might be
helpful to lawyers when dealing with future shifts triggered by the Internet.