IST 432Legal and Regulatory Environment of Information Science and Technology

3 credits · Information Sciences and Technology · Penn State

Legal environment of information technology, constitutional/political issues, intellectual property, management, e-commerce, privacy, access, computer contracting, cyberspace regulation. IST 432 Legal and Regulatory Environment of Information Science and Technology (3) The new information technologies are creating a global economy heavily dependent upon networked information, hardware, software, and electronic commerce, which calls for adaptation of existing legal and business practices. In many cases, the new technologies pose problems that existing laws or legislation are inadequate to cope with; but the complexity of the environment makes new solutions elusive. This course examines the legal, regulatory, and political environment within which intellectual property rights and examination of contracting issues, licensing of information and products, data protection, patents, cyberspace regulation, and implications for personal privacy. It also focuses on where technology is making regulation difficult by challenging previous concepts upon which our legal and regulatory systems depend.