LL4S4 Half Unit
Digital Rights, Privacy and Security
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Damian Clifford
Availability
This course is available on the LLM (extended part-time), LLM (full-time), MSc in Law and Finance, MSc in Regulation and University of Pennsylvania Law School LLM Visiting Students. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
How to apply: Priority will be given initially to LLM, MSc Regulation and MSc Law and Finance students on a first-come-first-served allocation.
Spaces permitting, requests from all other students will be processed on the same first-come-first-served allocation from 10am on Thursday 2 October 2025
By submitting an application, students are confirming that they meet any pre-requisites specified. Providing an additional written statement will not aid a student's chances of being accepted onto a course, and statements are not read.
Deadline for application: Not applicable
For queries contact: Law.llm@lse.ac.uk
Basic knowledge of EU law is desirable, but not essential, for this course. Students who do not have this background knowledge are advised to do some preparatory reading (2-3 chapters) before the seminar begins.
This course has a limited number of places and demand is typically high. This may mean that you’re not able to get a place on this course.
Course content
Personal data is an important factor of production in data-driven economies, and the processing of personal data can generate significant economic and social benefits. However, personal data processing can also have a detrimental impact on established rights and values, such as autonomy, privacy and data protection. As a result, legal frameworks to regulate personal data processing have been enacted across the world, with the EU legal model used as a blueprint. Yet, despite the development of such legal frameworks, critical questions remain unanswered. For instance, disagreement persists regarding how the balance should be struck between effective data protection and other rights (such as freedom of expression and freedom of information) and interests (such as innovation and national security).
This course will critically evaluate the legal framework applicable to personal data processing. It will be do this predominantly with reference to the EU framework, as this has served as a model for over 100 other jurisdictions. Participants will be introduced to techniques and technologies for monitoring and processing personal data in the information society. In order to bring key issues to life, a number of case studies will be considered, including the application of data protection rules to online behavioural advertising and the use of automated decision-making in the criminal justice context. In addition, this course will explore the impact of AI systems’ development and use in the processing of personal data.
Teaching
20 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.
Formative assessment
All students are expected to contribute to a series of class exercises and to submit one piece of formative work for assessment.
Indicative reading
• Bygrave: Data Privacy Law: An International Perspective (OUP, 2015)
• Clifford: Data Protection Law and Emotion (OUP, 2024)
• Kuner: Transborder Data Flows and Data Privacy Law (OUP, 2013)
• Lynskey: The Foundations of EU Data Protection Law (OUP, 2015)
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 150 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Key facts
Department: LSE Law School
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 58
Average class size 2024/25: 29
Controlled access 2024/25: NoCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
For this course, please see the following link/s:
LL4S4 Digital Rights, Privacy and Security Course Guide Video https://youtu.be/RaMlV_F0Hmo
Personal development skills
- Communication
- Specialist skills