MAKHANDA- As technology advances faster than legislation, Rhodes University law students are being challenged to think beyond the law as it exists and consider the laws society may need in the future.
The Faculty of Law has introduced Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Law as a new elective on 15 September 2026 for final-year bachelor of laws(LLB )students.
The module responds to the growing influence of artificial intelligence(AI), digital platforms, data-driven systems and online commerce on everyday life.
Although it is currently offered as an elective, the Faculty plans to introduce ICT Law as a compulsory final-year module in its proposed new LLB curriculum in 2028.
The postgraduate offerings in ICT Law are also being considered.
Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at Rhodes University Dr Ntando Ncamane, said the subject was increasingly important as technologies such as AI connected devices, big data and machine learning continued to reshape society.
“It is thus important that the faculties of law produce LLB graduates who are equipped with the knowledge of ICT law, given the need and relevance of this law in today’s age of Industrial Revolution (4IR),” Dr Ncamane said.
Unlike traditional areas of law, ICT Law is developing alongside the technology it seeks to regulate. As a result, students are not simply studying a fixed body of rules; they are examining legal questions that are still emerging.
The module covers electronic contracts, online commerce, privacy and data protection, cybercrime, digital evidence, telecommunications, freedom of expression online and intellectual property.
For LLB student Sello Seshibe, the uncertainty surrounding the subject is part of its appeal.“I was drawn to studying an area of law whose rules are still being written,” he said.
However, Seshibe said the module had also challenged his belief that technology was mainly the domain of science and engineering students.
“I previously assumed that technology was the domain of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students alone,” he said.
For Rhodes University student Jenelle Ramasamy, the relevance of ICT Law can be seen in ordinary digital interactions, including accepting online terms and conditions, sharing personal information and using digital platforms.
“The module has made me realise that technology and law cannot really be viewed as separate fields,” she said.
In addition, a single click on an “I agree” button can create a legally binding relationship, while a digital message may later become evidence in legal proceedings.
Personal information can also raise important questions about privacy and data protection.
Kgodiso Matemane said she chose the module because it connected legal education with the future.
“I wanted a module that felt like the future, not just theory from decades ago,” she said.
“It makes you feel like you’re part of shaping it, not just learning it.”
Furthermore, the module is intended to prepare future lawyers for difficult questions surrounding accountability, cybersecurity, digital evidence and artificial intelligence.
As technology continues to move forward, Rhodes University students are being equipped not only to interpret existing laws but also to help shape the legal framework of tomorrow.
Courtesy of IMAGE: Rhodes University
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