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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CMS/LAW 399"
COURSE NAME: "Special Topics in Communications and Law: Multimedia Law and Ethics"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session II 2015
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Tracy Mitrano
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MTWTH 9:00 AM 10:45 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Topics may vary. May be taken more than once for credit with different topics.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
Multimedia Law and Ethics is the culture, law and politics of the Internet.  To understand it is to begin with an understanding of some of the foundational building blocks that undergird that superstructure such as governance, communications technologies, market pressures, social norms, as well as emergent issues such as in the area of intellectual property, privacy, Internet law and the development of on-line communities, as well as a review of journalist professional responsibilities disrupted and under pressure in this complex and media rich new environment.

This course will be run as a seminar, although in addition to discussion and some lecture there will be an emphasis on in class moot court, role-play and other participatory exercises. Course content covers the laws, social norms, market forces and technologies that undergird the multimedia culture of the Internet.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The goal of this course is for the student to have an analytic framework by which to think about the Internet and digital media culture and to regard that culture with greater analytic understanding and skills by course completion.  Specifically, the student will understand the historical context and relevance of the phenomenon of the Internet, and see it in its market, legal, social norms and technical perspectives that
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Refer to the course Schedule...     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Book Reports 50%
Class Participation 25%
Class Exercises 25%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Week 1: Internet Analytic Framework, Copyright as Example, and Net Neutrality

Lawrence Lessig, Code 2.0,  http://codev2.cc/

Video: http://youtu.be/LSs1Y8sq_9o

New York Times, contemporary articles and video on Net Neutrality, together with other media of your choosing.

 

Week 2:  Internet Culture at Its Core: Silicon Valley

Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs, http://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-Walter-Isaacson-ebook/dp/B004W2UBYW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1426447896&sr=1-1&keywords=steve+jobs+walter+isaacson

 

Jeff Gould:  The Natural History of Gmail Data-Mining, https://medium.com/@jeffgould/the-natural-history-of-gmail-data-mining-be115d196b10

 

Video:  The Social Network:  Screening TBA

 

Week 3, 4 and 5:  Internet Privacy, Security and Electronic Surveillance  

Bruce Schneider, Data & Goliath, http://www.amazon.com/Data-Goliath-Battles-Collect-Control-ebook/dp/B00L3KQ1LI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1426449553&sr=1-1&keywords=data+and+goliath

 Glenn Greenwald, No Place to Hide, http://www.amazon.com/No-Place-Hide-Snowden-Surveillance/dp/162779073X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426449596&sr=8-1&keywords=no+place+to+hide

Gabriella Coleman, Coding Freedom, http://www.amazon.com/Coding-Freedom-Ethics-Aesthetics-Hacking/dp/0691144613/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426449643&sr=8-1&keywords=coding+freedom

Video:  Hackers and Citizen Four:  Screenings TBA

Course Expectations: A Note on Assignments, Exams and Grades

This course covers selected areas of interest in the Culture, Law and Politics of the Internet.  These areas constitute weekly themes of copyright, net neutrality, privacy, security, government electronic surveillance and the culture of Silicon Valley.  For a five-week summer course, it is an ambitious agenda.  The saving grace is that class time is designed not only for instruction but also for interactive exchange between and among students and the professor.  Therefore, it is strongly recommended that students who choose this class be highly motivated to embrace the subject matter – no matter what their previous interests or academic background – and to engage actively in class on a daily basis.  Not every assignment is predetermined as some or many may emerge from the content of instruction organically.  Exams will be given as a last resort for the failure to embrace dynamic creativity and grades determined as much by genuine participation as by demonstrated proficiencies.