Privacy Law Seminar

This seminar covers foundational information privacy law in the United States, from the beginning of the country through the 1977 Restatement and beyond. There is no textbook; readings from various available sources will be assigned. Students who complete the seminar will have a basic understanding of certain key issues in privacy, including the privacy-related torts (misappropriation, intrusion, publication of private facts), the rise of data privacy, privacy-related freedom-of-information laws and the governmental role, HIPAA's privacy protections, and Europe's influence on privacy matters in the United States. Students will choose a narrower information privacy topic within or outside these foundational privacy areas on which to write a paper and make a presentation. A paper will be written that can be used to meet the Substantial ULWR.