module

Postgraduate Module Descriptor

LAWM129: Human Rights and Modern Technologies

This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.

Overview

Technology currently permeates every aspect of our lives in our contemporary society. From GPS tracking on our smart phones to our social media activities; from artificial intelligence-powered smart assistants to face recognition, digital technologies have become part of our current reality.

As technologies evolve, many legal issues arise in the field of the protection of human rights law. For example, privacy and data protection rights should be secured in the digital space, notably considering the ever so important issues of state surveillance and cybersecurity. Similarly, inherent biases in artificial intelligence can lead to discrimination based on race, gender or other grounds which are expressly prohibited by international human rights law.

In this module you will learn how human rights law responds to the challenges posed by new technologies. You will acquire and deepen your understanding of human rights law, including the protection of privacy, data protection, freedom of expression, non-discrimination and due process in the digital age. You will have the opportunity to critically think about how the law should evolve to better tackle these issues, regulating innovation without hindering the development of new technologies.

Knowledge of this area of law is a strong and desirable asset for students wishing to pursue a career in the private sector (e.g., information technology and law, human rights litigation etc.), NGO sector (e.g., human rights workers), and public sector alike.