Information Technology and Human Rights Practicum

Catalog description

In light of the ongoing digital transformation, societies are more reliant than ever on innovative technological solutions and ICT to address modern-day challenges. At the same time, this can raise fundamental rights issues in the digital space that confront companies and require highly skilled legal counsel to guide companies in their risk and impact assessments, due diligence and compliance processes, and government relations. The course examines timely human rights issues pertaining to digital technologies (especially ICT) in the areas of data privacy, content regulation, and other on- and offline fundamental rights issues in a US, transatlantic and international context. The goal is to provide students with the knowledge and tools to advise corporate clients on how to navigate these cutting-edge legal challenges. There are many highly topical and timely human rights issues pertaining to digital technologies and ICT confronting companies and their legal counsel, that this course will cover. Challenges around these emerging issues dominate the headlines almost on a daily basis and include biases in artificial intelligence, privacy issues in cross-border data transfers and innovative technologies (i.e. IoT, digital identity), disinformation and election integrity, government access to personal data (on public policy grounds, including public health, national security, etc.), hate speech and other harmful online content, cyberattacks (including during armed conflicts), and internet shutdowns. The course also features an optional practicum component (for one additional credit hour) providing interested students with the opportunity to become engaged in a real-life project on the topic with a relevant entity involving ICT companies and intersecting in a systemic and impactful way with human rights issues in IT, domestically or internationally. The class will be held synchronously via Zoom every Saturday from 9.30am to 11.30am CST. This will enable live class discussions with students and the instructor. Guest speakers from the industry, international organizations, law firms, and/or civil society may occasionally join the class discussion. For any questions about the course, please email Dr. Caroline Kaeb at [email protected]; Dr. Kaeb is a policy officer on digital issues at the European Commission in Brussels and you can find more information about Dr. Kaeb's profile at https://www.luc.edu/law/faculty/facultyandadministrationprofiles/kaeb-caroline.shtml