Syllabus – eCommerce Law – DRT 6455 – Master of Laws (LL.M.) Business Law in a Global Context

The following course is made of eight different themes teach in June 2008 from June 3rd to June 26th. Each of these lessons is suppose to be treating in about 3 hours but some overlaps may be made.
The present document is also available in a pdf version.

LESSON 1 – Introduction to eCommerce Law

Preliminary Paragraph – Course Presentation

• Course Presentation
   Presentation of teacher
   Presentation of students
   Presentation of course organization
• Assessment
   Calendar
   Website
   General
   Etc.
• Course Description
   Lesson 1 – Introduction
   Lesson 2 – Security and Law
   Lesson 3 – eCommerce and Liability
   Lesson 4 – eContract
   Lesson 5 – Internet and Privacy
   Lesson 6 – IT and Intellectual Property
   Lesson 7 – Web 2.0 and Law
   Lesson 8 – Electronic Dispute Resolution
• Presentation of Lesson 1 (today June 3rd, 2008)
   Definitions
   Legal sources
   Is IT Law different from more traditional areas ?

1 – Definitions
1-1-A – Law
1-1-A-1 – Law is not …
1-1-A-1-1 – Law is not just a social norm

• Social norms
• More complex solutions
   Aristotle => Law = substantial element (as a norm)
   Plato => Law = education process (as a process)

1-1-A-1-2 – Law is different from Morality

• Classical vision (Jeremy Bentham)
• Modern vision
• Examples (Napster etc.)

1-1-A-1-3 – Law is different from Justice

• Distinction
• Links between them
• Examples

1-1-A-1-4 – Law is different from Equity

• Distinctions
• Links between them
• Examples (IP, contract, etc.)

1-1-A-1-5 – Law is not just Law

• Classical secondary instruments
   History
   Comparative law
   Philosophy
• Modern secondary instruments
   Sociology
   Political perspective
   Management
   Computer science

1-1-A-2 – Law is …
1-1-A-2-1 – Law Functions

• Classical function = infraction management
• Modern function = promote eCommerce

1-1-A-2-2 – Law characteristics

• Generality
• Impersonality
• Permanent
• Political mechanism ?

1-1-A-2-3 – Law categories

• Private law
   Civil law
   Commercial law
   Consumer law
   Criminal law
   Etc.
• Public law
   Constitutional law
   Taxation law
   Administrative law
   Etc.

1-1-A-2-4 – Political organization

• Legislative branch
• Executive branch
• Judicial branch

1-1-B-1 – eCommerce

• Depending from the structure
   EDI
   Marketplace
   Point to point
• Depending from actors
   B2B
   B2C
   B2G
   C2C
   Etc.
• eCommerce myths

1-1-B-2 – Security

• Advantages
• Inconvenient
• Myths

2 – Legal instruments
1-2-A – Constitution
1-2-B – Treaties
1-2-B-1 – “Real” Treaties
1-2-B-2 – “False” Treaties
1-2-C – Laws

• Definitions
• Characteristics

1-2-D – Regulations

• Definitions
• Characteristics

1-2-E – Jurisprudence

• Structure
   Facts
   Development
   Conclusions
• Common law principles
   Stare decisis
   Quebec distinction
   Distinction between droit civil and common law

1-2-F – Usages (and the notion of lex electronica)
1-2-F-1 – An old legal instrument …

• Distinction between usage (trade usage) and custom
• Conceptual approach of trade usage
   Usage as a norm
   Usage as an implicit contract

1-2-F-2 – … and its rebirth !

• Problems associated to others legal instruments (as laws, regulations, treaties, etc.)
• Substantial reasons
   Common in commercial law
   Common in international law
   Common in technical areas
   Common in variable areas
   Example : T.J. Hooper case (1932)
• Formal reasons
   Flexibility
   Vague

1-2-F-3 – Vague legal recognition

• Civil Code
• Outside of Law ?
• Criteria
   Old criteria
   Need for new one ?
   Rare jurisprudence using usage

1-2-G – Doctrine

• More and More Electronic Sources
• SSRN

3 – is eCommerce law different ?
1-3-A – Evolution or Revolution ?

• Factual perspective
• Historical perspective
   Michel Serres
   Different generations of Internet (from web 1.0 to web 2.0)
• Technological perspective
• Legal resistances to change

1-3-B – Conceptual perspectives

• Lessig and ways to control cyberspace
   Law
   Market
   Social norms
   Technology
• Barlow and the virtual anarchy
• Easterbrook and the statu quo theory

1-3-C – Our position

• Technical Law = Revolution
   Substantial differences
• “Law of the Horse”
• New Concepts
• Technological Neutrality
• Functional Equivalent
• Etc.
   Formal Differences
• IT Law and the importance of “process”
• New Laws
• Techniques of Law = Evolution
   Old Tools
• Fictions
• Presumptions
   Old Concepts to reconsider
• Example of “Contract Law”
• Example of “Trade Usages”

LESSON 2 – Legal Security Management and Analysis of An Act to establish a legal framework for information technology (Quebec)

1 – Illustrations of Innovation
2-1-A – New Risks
2-1-B – New Technologies
2-1-C – New Advantages
2-1-D – New Inconvenients
2-1-E – New Objectives
2-1-F – New Words
2-1-G – New Laws
2 – Guiding Principles
2-2-A – Technological Neutrality

• Definition
• Quebec
• Canada
• Comparison with others jurisdictions
• International Documents

2-2-B – Functional Equivalent

• Definition
• Application
   Writing
   Signature
   Original
   Copy
• Comparison with others jurisdictions
• International Documents

2-2-C – Integrity

• Definition
• Application
• Civil Law Concept

2-2-D – Writing

• Definition
• Criteria
   Integrity
   usable for subsequent reference
• Quebec
• Canada
• Comparison with others jurisdictions
• International Documents

2-2-E – Signature

• Definition
• Criteria
   Intention
   Identity
   Reliability
• Quebec
• Canada
• Comparison with others jurisdictions
• International Documents
• Biometric Limitations

2-2-F – Original

• Definition
• Criteria
• Quebec
• Canada
• Comparison with others jurisdictions
• International Documents

3 – Managing Technology-Based Documents in a Secure Manner
2-3-A – How to transfer a technology-based document to another medium ?

• Definition
• Examples
• Legal Conditions

2-3-B – How to retain a technology-based document ?

• Definition
• Examples
• Legal Conditions

2-3-C – How to ensure that a technology-based document is accessible at all times ?

• Definition
• Examples
• Legal Conditions

2-3-D – How to ensure the transmission of a technology-based document is accessible at all times ?

• Definition
• Examples
• Legal Conditions

4 – Using Technology-Based Documents as Evidence
2-4-A – Main Principles

• General Admission of Technology-Based Documents
• Example of An Act to establish a legal framework for information technology (Quebec)
• Example of UNCITRAL Convention

2-4-B – Example of email as Legal Evidence

• Admissibility
• Probative Force
• Presumptions
   About environment
   About document providing from Companies
   others
• Jurisprudence in Quebec
• Jurisprudence in other Jurisdictions

2-4-C – Conclusions

• Complexity
• Revolution = Documentation

5 – Legal Management of Digital Signature
2-5-A – Different Legal Regime
2-5-B – Different Kind of Signatures
2-5-C – Different Actors involve in Signature Process
2-5-D – Different Documentations need for Digital Signature Management
2-5-E – Conclusion

• Complexity
• Applicable in some Precise Situations

LESSON 3 – eCommerce and Liability

1 – Hosting Services Provider Liability
3-1-A – General Principle : Intermediaries Non-Liability

• Definition
• Exceptions
• Examples
   eBay Case
   Yahoo ! Case
   Etc.

3-1-B – Other Intermediaries Liability

• Referral Services
• Retention Services
• Archiving Services

2 – Editor Liability
3-2-A – Traditional Media Rules
3-2-B – Traditional Liability Rules
3-2-C – Examples
3 – Transmission provider Liability
3-3-A – General Principle : Intermediaries Non-Liability

• Definition
• Exceptions

3-3-B – Examples
4 – Blogger Liability
3-4-A – Blogger Liability

• Definition
• Exceptions

3-4-B – Commentaries Liability

• Definition
• Exceptions

5 – Certification Services Provider Liability
3-5-A – Certification Authority Liability
3-5-B – Subscriber Liability
3-5-C – Relying Party Liability
3-5-D – Others Liability Consideration
6 – Electronic Payment Process Liabilities : Example of Credit Card Organization
3-6-A – Bank Liabilities
3-6-B – Merchant Liabilities
3-6-C – Consumer Liability
3-6-D – Possible Future Obligations

LESSON 4 – eContract

1 – Generality
4-1-A – Definition
4-1-B – References
4-1-C –Historical Perspectives
2 – Formalism and eContract
4-2-A – UNCITRAL Convention (United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts (2005) (CUECIC))

• Objectives
   Remove legal obstacles to eCommerce
   Remove Uncertainty
   Provide Uniform Solutions
• Main Issues
• Formal Requirements
   Writing
   Signature
   Original

4-2-B – eContract Formation

• UNCITRAL Minimalist Approach
• Time and Place of Conclusion
• Automated Contract

3 – eConsent
4-3-A – Communication

• Principle
• 10 Pathologies
• Solutions

4-3-B – Acceptance
4-3-B-1 – « Shrinkwrap »
4-3-B-2 – « Signwrap » or interference between Pape rand Electronic
4-3-B-3 – « Clickwrap »
4-3-B-4 – « Linkwrap » or Dell Case
4-3-B-5 – « Changewrap »
4-3-B-6 – « Browsewrap »
4-3-B-7 – « Rollingwrap »

LESSON 5 – IT and Privacy

1 – Internet and Privacy in General
5-1-A – Generality
5.1.A.1 – Legal References about Internet and Privacy

• Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Schedule 1) (Federal)
• Protection of personal information in the private sector, An Act respecting the, R.S.Q. c. P-39.1
• C.c.Q
• Legal framework for information technology, An Act to establish a, R.S.Q. c. C-1.1
• Etc.

5.1.A.2 – New Situations and old Laws
5.1.A.3 – Definitions
5.1.A.4 – International Situation
5-1-B – Main Principles
5-1-B-1 – 10 General Principles

• Accountability
• Identifying Purposes
• Consent
• Limiting Collection
• Limiting Use, Disclosure, and Retention
• Accuracy
• Security
• Openness
• Access
• Challenging Compliance

5-1-B-2 – 10 Specific Principles

• Obligation to publish a privacy policy
• Identification and publication of different purposes
• Consent Management
• Cookie usage
• Access process
• Security Management
• List of personal information used by a company
• Special situations management
• Applicable law
• Access by mail to the privacy department

2 – IT and Privacy at Workplace
5-2-A – Presentation of Internet and Email Usage in Workplace

• Internet Usage
   Infringement huge potentiality
   Employer control huge potentiality
• Search for a legal balance
   Legal references
   Jurisprudence

5-2-B – Practical Solutions

• Employer arguments
   Efficiency
   Confidentiality
   Intellectual Property
   Ability to control work
   Loyalty
• Employee arguments
   Dignity
   Reasonability
   Discrimination
• Practical organization
   Notice
   Control modality
   Proportionality
   Others
• Employer limitations
   Privacy expectation
   Reasonability
   No surveillance as a pretext
   Proportionality
   Burden of proof
• Employee considerations
   Aggravating factors
   Exonerating factors
• Privacy policy example
   Formal element
   Substantial elements

LESSON 6 – IT and Intellectual Property

1 – Internet and Copyright
6-1-A – Uncertain Copyright Fundaments
6-1-A-1 – Uncertainty

• Human rights versus commercial rights
• Common law versus “droit civil”
• Property versus usage rights

6-1-A-2 – Certainty : Search for a Balance
6-1-B – Copyright Conditions
6-1-B-1 – Originality
6-1-B-2 – Fixation
6-1-C – Copyright Protection
6-1-C-1 – Patrimonial Rights

• Reproduction Rights
• Rights of Communication to the Public

6-1-C-2 – Moral Rights
6-1-C-3 – Protection Modalities

• Duration
• Formalities
• Exceptions

6-1-D – Copyright and New Technologies : Who will pay ?

• Intermediaries (P2P)
   Napster Case
   Kazaa Case
• Consumers (users)
   In Canada : BMG Case
   Different in US and Europe
• Blank support
• Internet Services Providers

6-1-E – Future Changes to Canadian Copyright Act

• Rights of communication to the public enlargement
• Circumvention of effective technological measures
• ISP denouncement

2 – Internet and Trademark
6-2-A – Trademark Fundaments

• Definition
• Examples
• Conditions

6-2-B – Trademark and Domain Names
6-2-B-1 – Presentation

• Definition
• Geographical domain name
• Generic domain name

6-2-B-2 – Dispute Resolution about “Cybersquatting“

• Efficient process
• 3 main principles to respect
• Large jurisprudence

6-2-C – Trademark and Metatag

• Definition
• US Jurisprudence
• Canadian Jurisprudence

3 – Internet and Patent
6-3-A – Generality
6-3-B – Business Method Patent Problematic

LESSON 7 – Law and Web 2.0

1 – Web 2.0 Presentation
7-1-A – Definition
7-1-B – Characteristics

• Iteration
• Open (Free + Open) technologies
• Iconoclast

2 – Legal Risks
7-2-A – Facebook Example : List of Potential Legal Risks

• Intellectual Property
   Copyright
• Reproduction
• Rights of Communication to the Public
• Moral rights
• Cession (see Facebook Contract)
   Trademark : Trademark and free expression
   Patent
• Libel
• Right to one’s image
• Privacy
   Example of Facebook contract
   Consent
• Blog liability
• Security
• eContract
• Advertising law
• Hate Propaganda
• etc.

7-2-B – Libel

• 1457 CCQ
• 35 CCQ
• Person
• Speech
• Fault
• Link between fault and injury
• Examples

7-2-C – Right to one’s image

• Principle
• Situation in a Crowd : Aubry Case

7-2-D – Advertising Law

• New danger
• False or misleading representations
• Advertising for persons under 13

7-2-E – Hate Propaganda
7-2-F – Special Situations

LESSON 8 – Electronic Dispute Resolution

1 – Electronic ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution)
8-1-A – Justifications for Electronic ADR

• Small conflicts on Internet
• International conflicts on Internet
• Bad agreement is better as a good trial
• Imprecision of Law
• Technical aspect of conflicts on Internet
• Etc.

8-1-A – CyberMediation
8-1-A-1 – Main Experiences

• Ombuds Online Office
• Cybertribunal

8-1-A-2 – Changes in Comparison of Traditional Mediation

• Difficult to do mediation with no social link
• Difficult to do mediation about very small conflict

8-1-A-3 – Cybermediation in the Future
8-1-B – Cyberarbitration
8-1-B-1 – Justifications of Arbitration Popularity

• Class action
• Cost
• Confidentiality
• Relevant for technical question
• Time
• Less formalism

8-1-B-2 – Main Experiences

• Cybertribunal
• Virtual Magistrate
• Cyberarbitration.com
• Webdispute.com
• BBBonline.com
• ICANN
• CIRA

8-1-B-3 – Material Limits

• Arbitrability
• Dell Case
• Change in the Consumer Protection Act
• New York Convention (1958 – art. 5)
• Hill v Gateway (1996)

8-1-B-4 – Formal Limits

• Writing
• Signature
• Place of the Arbitration
• Clause by Reference (as in Dell Case)

2 – International Private Law and Internet
8-2-A-1 – Generality
8-2-A-2 – Canadian Approach
8-2-A-3 – Quebec Approach

• Contractual Relationship
• Non-Contractual Relationship
• Specific situations

8-2-A-4 – American Approach
8-2-A-5 – European Approach
8-2-A-6 – International Approach
8-2-A-6 – Specific Approaches
 

Ce contenu a été mis à jour le 22 janvier 2014 à 14 h 45 min.