In the digital age, commerce enters into and pushes the frontiers of a new domain-cyberspace. E-commerce presents tremendous new opportunities but also involves new perils, risks and liabilities. It is vital for any person engaging in electronic commerce to know the legal and regulatory landscape and appropriate stategies for minimising legal risks. In this unit, you will study: the national and international legal framework governing e-commerce, contractual issues and electronic banking and payment systems; intellectual property rights and infringement risks; privacy, consumer protection and content regulation, together with cybercrime and data protection. This unit assumes no prior knowledge of contract law, intellectual property law or the legal system at large. Reflecting the unit aims, objectives and content, this unit is only offered externally and is taught exclusively online. There is no residential school. Teaching and learning strategies revolve around the ECM331/531 web-page, utilizing WebCT. These strategies require you to engage with Internet technology and participate in active learning situations. You will participate in the on-line discussion forum; engage in problem solving and in-depth research.