General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW3075 |
| Course name: | Privacy and Data Protection |
| Programme offered under: | LLB Programme |
| Semester: | First |
| Designated research course: | Not applicable |
| Specialization: | Not applicable |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | No |
| Course offered to non-law students: | No |
| Credit point value: | 6 credits |
1.2 Course description
and its balance with security and technology innovation. Developments in privacy and data protection law in China and Hong Kong will be analyzed, along with the impact of emerging technologies like AI.
This course will explore privacy and data protection in an increasingly interconnected data economy, with a focus on developments in Hong Kong. The Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and the data protection principles will be studied in depth, making reference to court judgments and Administrative Appeal Board cases.
Topics will include: (a) the concept of privacy, its origins, political/philosophical/economic underpinnings; (b) global developments and international cooperation on privacy laws; (c) crossborder data flows and data localization (d) online privacy and right to be forgotten; (e) privacy vs surveillance and (f) balancing privacy and cybersecurity given risks like the unprecedented scale of data collection and analysis enabled by AI.
The course will focus on privacy and data protection law in Hong Kong and the PRC with reference to the EU and the rest of the world. Regional and international dimensions will also be explored, including Mainland China, OECD and EU legal frameworks. Students will gain an understanding of the philosophical debate around privacy as well as practical legal implications in the age of A
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor | Adam Au | adamikau@hku.hk | N/A | By email |
1.4 Course outline (for elective course)
| Please click the link here for the course outline (HKU Portal login required). |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Critically analyze the concept of privacy, including its philosophical, political, and economic foundations, and its balance with security, innovation, and technological advancements .
CLO 2 Understand and apply key privacy and data protection laws, including the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance in Hong Kong, as well as relevant frameworks in Mainland China, the EU, and other international jurisdictions.
CLO 3 Evaluate the impact of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, on data privacy, cybersecurity, and the ethical implications of large-scale data collection and analysis.
CLO 4 Examine global developments in privacy law, including cross-border data flows, data localization, online privacy, and the “right to be forgotten,” with reference to recent cases and legal precedents.
CLO 5 Assess the practical legal and regulatory challenges related to privacy and data protection in the context of banking, global regulatory standards, and future trends in an interconnected data economy.
2.2 LLB Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Please refer to the following link: https://course.law.hku.hk/llb-plo/
2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course
| PLO A | PLO B | PLO C | PLO D | PLO E | PLO F | |
| CLO 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Class participation | 20% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | |
| Inclass presentation | 20% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | |
| Two essays (30% each) | 60% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| *Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher) | |
| 1 | A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle |
| 2 | Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle |
| 3 | Individual review meeting upon appointment |
| 4 | Group review meeting |
| 5 | In-class verbal feedback |
3.2 Assessment Detail
To be advised by course convenor(s). See also Course Outline above.
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
Learning Activities
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Seminar | 3 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.
4.2 Details of Learning Activities
To be advised by course convenor(s).
Learning Resources
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | TBA |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/