Master 2022/2023

Critical studies in media law

Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'

Type: Compulsory course (Critical Media Studies)

Area of studies: Media Communications

Delivered by: Institute of Media

Where: Faculty of Creative Industries

When: 1 year, 4 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Ilya Kiriya, Valentina Pavlenko

Master’s programme: Критические медиаисследования

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

Contact hours: 32

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course is aimed at improving students’ awareness of legal issues in the media industry. Topics to be covered include freedom of expression, privacy and personal data protection in the digital field, intellectual property and copyright protection, as well as advertising regulation. The course will touch on global trends in digital media platforms regulation. It will examine the role of social media platforms in online content regulation and users’ data commodification. The focus of the course is on a critical analysis of how the law applies to the media industry.

Learning Objectives

• To develop an understanding of the role of law in the capitalist society
• To examine peculiarities of privacy and personal data protection in the digital field
• To introduce students to the major trends in the regulation of digital media platforms
• To provide insight into the basics of copyright law
• To develop students ability to critically evaluate media laws, policies, and regulations

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Explain the role of media law in maintaining the status quo of society
• Identify the main sources of media law at the international level
• Discuss and reflect over freedom of expression in a national, regional and global setting
• Critically analyze specific media laws, regulations and policies
• Critically examine how media law upholds the right to privacy and personal data protection
• Explain how copyright law applies in the production of media content
• Specify the basic restrictions and requirements for online advertising
• Appraise media law cases

Course Contents

• Power and inequality in the capitalist society: Media and law
• Online content regulation: The role of governments, platforms, and Internet users
• Privacy and personal data protection in the digital field
• Copyright protection
• Advertising regulation

Assessment Elements

• Test
• Case analysis
• Collective discussion on transparency obligations for digital platforms
• Debates on social media content moderation
• Final essay

Interim Assessment

• 2022/2023 4th module
  0.5 * Final essay + 0.15 * Debates on social media content moderation + 0.1 * Case analysis + 0.1 * Test + 0.15 * Collective discussion on transparency obligations for digital platforms

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Nataraj Venkataramanan, & Ashwin Shriram. (2017). Data Privacy : Principles and Practice. Chapman and Hall/CRC.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Armand Mattelart, & Michael Palmer. (1993). Shaping the European Advertising Scene. Commercial free speech in search of legitimacy. Réseaux. The French Journal of Communication, 1(1), 9–26. https://doi.org/10.3406/reso.1993.3268
• Castells, M. (2013). Communication Power (Vol. 2nd edition). Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=620218
• Fuchs, C. (2019). Rereading Marx in the Age of Digital Capitalism. Pluto Press.