As shown in the observations of the former acting FTC Chairman and the current FCC Chairman, this course has explored the source, substance and suitability of regulations related to electronic commerce. At the heart of our discussion has been:
• Who should regulate: consumers, business or government?
• How should e-commerce be regulated?
• Is more or less regulation desirable and appropriate?
In exploring these issues, this course has raised the following topical questions:
1. What is Electronic Commerce?
2. What are the Legal Aspects of Presenting and Gathering Information Online?
3. How are Privacy and Consumer Protection Law Applicable to Electronic Commerce and Digital Trade?
4. What Regulations Relate to E-Commerce Technology?
5. What is Crowdfunding and How Is It Regulated?
6. What Are the Trademark Issues for Internet Content and Domain Names?
7. What Key Copyright Issues Arise in Electronic Commerce?
8. What Are Legal Issues Arising in Online Financial Transactions?
9. What Issues Affect the Regulation of Electronic Commerce Internationally?
10. How Does Network Neutrality Impact Electronic Commerce?
FOR YOUR ASSIGNMENT, PREPARE A POLICY PAPER ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE THAT, BASED ON THE COURSE’S MATERIALS AND TOPICS (NUMBER 1-10 ABOVE), EXPLORES THE FOLLOWING:
1. The best source of the regulations – consumers, government, or business;
2. The type of regulation needed – sectoral or centralized; and
3. The amount of regulation – more or less than currently in place.
This format is meant to be flexible to allow you to organize your ideas on these topics in the way that is most logical to you and that best supports the policies you will advocate using the course materials. Make sure that your discussion is comprehensive enough to show an understanding of and familiarity with all the course topics.
To accompany the policy paper, prepare a PowerPoint presentation to highlight the key points of your policy positions. The PowerPoint should serve as your executive summary.
Additional Instructions
• Please limit the length to no more than 10 pages double-spaced in a professionally appropriate 12-point font.
• Please limit the PowerPoint to no more than 5 slides.
• Please prepare this paper as a policy paper with a title page. Prepare the PowerPoint as a separate document.
• Include a list of the sources used at the end of the policy paper. If you include sources that you have located through your own research, please make a notation to that effect.
• Make sure that you appropriately attribute the paper’s source materials by showing quoted language and identifying the source in the policy paper. You should also use footnotes as needed for direct quotes or other heavily borrowed information.
• Please note that substantial copying from sources without clear and adequate attribution will lower your grade on this assignment.
