The Law Society of Ireland is inviting members of the public and professionals from across Ireland, and the globe, to take part in this year’s five-week complimentary Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Social Media and the Law, commencing tomorrow, Tuesday 30 May 2023.
“Defamation law, hate speech, and online safety are just some of the key topics that will be addressed by expert speakers in this year’sMassive Open Online Course”, explained Claire O’Mahony, Head of the Diploma Centre at the Law Society of Ireland.
“With the growth of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence, and a raft of new legislation affecting social media, this year’s course has never been so timely. Our expert contributors will dive into the discourse of social media; they will examine a full suite of topics including, misinformation, data privacy, defamation laws, trolling and content moderation.
“Now in its ninth year, the MOOC is an important element of the Law Society’s Public Legal Education initiative, which aims to increase access to legal education.
“This year’s MOOC is an excellent way to learn more about our rights and obligations when using online platforms, and to gain insight into the laws relating to this dynamic and fast-moving area.”
Social Media and the Law will focus on:
- Online Safety and Media Regulations Act 2022,
- Online harassment,
- Disinformation/fake news,
- Cancel culture,
- Data privacy,
- Child safety online,
- Social media in the Courts,
- ChatGPT, and much more.
Expert contributors
Some of the expert contributors providing insights and expertise for MOOC participants include:
- Niamh Hodnett, Online Safety Commissioner, Coimisiun na Meán
- Daniel Coady, Solicitor and Principal Privacy Counsel, RTÉ
- Kate Colleary, Director of Pembroke Privacy
- Barry Crushell, Principal Solicitor, Crushell & Co Solicitors
- Siobhan Cummiskey, Director of Content Policy, Meta
- Clare Daly, Solicitor, Comyn Kelleher Tobin LLP
- Samantha Holman, CEO, Irish Copyright Licensing Agency
- David Kerrigan, Technology Analyst and author, speaker on emerging technologies
- Andrea Martin, Consultant, MediaLawyer Solicitors
- Ciarán O’Connor, Senior Analyst, Institute for Strategic Dialogue Global
- Dr. Eoin O’Dell, Associate Professor, School of Law, Trinity College Dublin
- Michael O’Doherty, BL
- Mary Cloonan, Marketing Clever Ltd.
- Orla Twomey, CEO, Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI)
Engaging content
“Social Media and the Law will be delivered through live panel discussions, engaging pre-recorded videos and weekly quizzes provided from experts in the area. Importantly, you do not need a background in law to take part and the flexible format means that participants can join the course at anytime from anywhere.
“Since its inception in 2014, the MOOC has attracted over 24,000 participants from 92 countries worldwide. Previous courses covered topics such as environmental law, entertainment law, sports law and aviation law. In 2022 alone, over 3,500 people took part in the course on employment law and remote working over the summer months, with keynote speakers including An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar.
Register now
Registration for this year’s MOOC is open now. Participants can continue to register after the start date and can catch up on lectures on demand.
To register and for more information about Social Media and Law, see: https://mooc2023.lawsociety.ie
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