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Software and the law

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Software and the law
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In this free course, Software and the law, you'll look at the laws relevant to software and its use, taking a global perspective. A major part of this course is devoted to intellectual-property law, the issue of who owns software and digital content and how that ownership can be protected using instruments like copyright and patents. We also cover how contracts are used to formalise the relationship between purchasers and suppliers of software. Finally, we look at some of the laws that apply to information technology and software to ensure that organisations meet their responsibility of care towards employees, customers, and the general public.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

  • explain the differences between various types of intellectual property and the legal frameworks that apply to each type
  • understand the issues that arise when drawing up contracts relating to acquiring or developing software
  • explore the legal frameworks relating to software systems in a specific context.

First Published: 12/03/2015

Updated: 01/08/2018

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