Student guide Faculty of Law A.Y. 2007/08

The course provides students with a reference framework on the use of informatics in the field of law and introduces them to the main issues of the Law of Informatics.
The course tackles the subjects of documentary and meta-documentary (or cognitive) informatics and introduces students to the Law of Informatics and the problem issues of the automation of the public administrative authorities.
In the case of documentary informatics, the course concentrates on problems connected with the search for legal documents. This is possible due to the training module offered during the course of the fist and second years, which teaches students how to use the data banks and search engines. In this part of the course workshop exercises are set.
In the case of meta-documentary informatics students are introduced to the study of cognitive systems of law, offering chances for reflection on the application of informatics to the analysis of legal texts and to the methods of representation of legal terminology.
As far as Informatics Law is concerned the following subjects are emphasised: the analysis of legal matters of importance that have been determined by the use of technology; tackling the problems of information security; the introduction of control instruments on the use of the Internet and email; the phenomenon of spamming and data collection, and the method of resolution of on-line disputes.
In the case of the public authorities, the following are outlined: the legal problems connected to the utilisation of informatics in the automation of decisions; the rules and guidelines that have been adopted in the treatment of personal data in a public ambit; protocols, the employment of technology for the acquisition of goods and services (e-procurement) and the improvement of the relationship with the public and business (e-government).

1. Informatics for Law and the Law of Informatics. Historical outline of the two disciplines

2. Documentary Informatics
2.1 Searching for legal materials. Legal data banks and sources of law on the Internet
2.2 Documentary resources of Italian and Community Law
2.3 Workshop

3. Meta-documentary Informatics
3.1 Problems connected with the application of informatics to the analysis of legal texts and methods of representation of legal terminology (expert and "legimatic" systems).

4. Introduction to the Law of Informatics
4.1 Legal aspects of information security
4.2 The legitimacy of controls on the Internet
4.3 Personal data protection in Internet transactions
4.4 E-commerce and the resolution of on-line disputes
4.5 Legal aspects of virtual reality communities

5. The automation of public authorities
5.1 Legal forms in electronic form
5.2 Public data banks: access and privacy
5.3 Digital documents and forms, protocols and digital signatures in the public sphere
5.4 Acquisition of goods and services with electronic procedures (e-procurement)
5.5 The move towards digital citizenship for the general public and business (e-government)

The exam will consist of a practical in searching for legal materials and of an oral test on the subjects covered in the classroom.

On the part of the course dealing with searching for legal material the use of the e-book available of the LIUC website is recommended.
For the oral test, reading and study material will be indicated in the classroom and on the pages of the LIUC website given over to the course.
The slides from the classroom presentations will be available on the LIUC website.