LLAW6124 & JDOC6124

General Course Information

1.1 Course details

Course code: LLAW6124 /JDOC6124
Course name: Communications Law
Programme offered under: LLM Programme / JD Programme
Semester: First
Prerequisites / Co-requisites: No
Credit point value: 9 credits / 6 credits

1.2 Course description

This course examines how the telecommunication and broadcasting industries are regulated in Hong Kong, and introduces the main features and problems of the relating legislation and regulation. The course covers also spamming and other communications-related crimes, as well as interception and surveillance.

Topics may include:

  • TV and radio licensing
  • Foreign ownership control
  • Cross media ownership control
  • Content regulation
  • Competition regulation in broadcasting sector
  • Telecommunications licensing
  • Interconnection
  • Competition regulation and consumer protection in telecommunications sector
  • Convergence
  • Interception and surveillance
  • Spamming and other communications-related crimes

1.3 Course teachers

Name E-mail address Office Consultation
Course convenor Desmond Chan dsh_chan@hotmail.com N/A By email

Learning Outcomes

2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course

CLO 1 know how the telecommunication and broadcasting industries are regulated, and the main features of the relating legislation and regulation.

CLO 2 be able to evaluate the adequacy or inadequacy of the regulatory regime.

2.2 LLM and JD Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Please refer to the following link:

LLM – https://course.law.hku.hk/llm-plo/

JD – https://course.law.hku.hk/jd-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

Assessment(s)

3.1 Assessment Summary

Assessment task Due date Weighting Feedback method* Course learning outcomes
Class participation N/A 10% 1, 2
Group project 25 Oct 2022 20% 1, 2
Research paper 21 Dec 2022 70% 1 1, 2
*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).

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

Lecture: 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/