Coursera

Privacy in the USA (Coursera)

Offered by EIT Digital,
Privacy in the USA (Coursera)

After having followed Privacy in the Western world you have become acquainted with the overall global legal system and the origins of privacy as a concept as well as privacy as a (human) right. This course deals with the American legal system to protect privacy. In the USA privacy is protected through different legal concepts. Constitutional protection through the 4th Amendment plays a crucial role in protecting the US citizen against unjust governmental intrusion. As part of a myriad of consumer protection laws (e.g. health, financial) personal data is also protected.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

And last but not least there are a number of specific laws dealing with the (privacy) protection of all sorts of communications, such as mobile telephony, e-mail, online searches, etc.
The course deals with the main legal concepts in such a way that the learner will, after having successfully completed the course, be able to follow the legal developments in the USA.
We hope you enjoy the course!

What You Will Learn

  • Understand the legal fundamentals of American privacy law and the role of the Supreme Court
  • Create awareness for the role of privacy protection and the rule of law
  • Learn about the human rights background of privacy protection
  • Become aware of the essential role of law in designing IT, crypto and security systems

Course 2 of 5 in the Privacy and Standardisation Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Introduction
After having followed Privacy in the Western world you have become acquinted with the overall global legal system and the origins of privacy as a concept as well as privacy as a (human) right. This course deals with the constitutional and the overall legal system of privacy protection in the USA. In the USA privacy is protected through different legal concepts, constitutional protection through the 4th Amendment plays a crucial role in protecting the US citizen against unjust governmental intrusion. As part of a myriad of consumer protection laws (e.g. health, financial) , privacy is also protected. And last but not least there a number of specific laws dealing with the (privacy) protection of all sorts of communications, such as mobile telephony, e-mail, searches, etc. The course only deals with the main legal concepts but this has been done in such a way that the learner will, after having successfully completed the course, be able to follow the legal developments in the USA. We hope you enjoy this course.

WEEK 2
Overview History USA

WEEK 3
The Legal System

WEEK 4
Constitutional / Bill of Rights

WEEK 5
Consumer Rights

WEEK 6
Telecommunications and ISPs
Correspondance

WEEK 7
Examination

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Chemerinsky on Constitutional Law - The Structure of Government (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Chemerinsky on Constitutional Law - The Structure of Government (Coursera)

Law Social Sciences

This course will highlight the construction and interpretation of the U.S. Constitution through the centuries. You'll learn the history behind the Constitution, cases that formed important precedent, and how changes in interpretation have been dependent on shifts in cultural and political climate as well as the composition of the Supreme Court.

Nov 9th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Law Government Federalism
Details
Benjamin Franklin and His World (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

Benjamin Franklin and His World (Coursera)

History

Welcome to Benjamin Franklin and His World! In this course, we explore the life of one of the United States’ most important historical figures. We examine Franklin’s early life growing up in the American colonies, his professional career as a printer and scientist, and his role in the American Revolution and the founding the United States as a new nation on the world stage.

Nov 16th 2026
4 Weeks
History United States US History
Details
Security and Privacy for Big Data - Part 2 (Coursera) Coursera
EIT Digital

Security and Privacy for Big Data - Part 2 (Coursera)

CS: Information & Technology

This course sensitizes regarding privacy and data protection in Big Data environments. You will discover privacy preserving methodologies, as well as data protection regulations and concepts in your Big Data system. By the end of the course, you will be ready to plan your next Big Data project successfully, ensuring that all privacy and data protection related issues are under control.

Nov 16th 2026
1 Week
Security Big Data Privacy
Details
Digital Footprint (Coursera) Coursera
University of Edinburgh

Digital Footprint (Coursera)

Personal and Professional Development

If I Googled you, what would I find? As we move around the online world we leave tracks and traces of our activity all the time: social media accounts, tagged images, professional presences, scraps of text, but also many artefacts we don't always realise we are leaving behind, or that others leave about us. In this course you will hear from a range of experts and you will have an opportunity to explore and reflect on your own online tracks and traces, to understand why your digital footprint is important. We will introduce you to some of the tools and approaches to effectively manage your online presence (or digital footprint).

Nov 2nd 2026
3 Weeks
Digital Personal Development Social Media
Details
Infonomics II: Business Information Management and Measurement (Coursera) Coursera
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Infonomics II: Business Information Management and Measurement (Coursera)

Business

Even decades into the Information Age, accounting practices yet fail to recognize the financial value of information. Moreover, traditional asset management practices fail to recognize information as an asset to be managed with earnest discipline. This has led to a business culture of complacence, and the inability for most organizations to fully leverage available information assets. This second course in the two-part Infonomics series explores how and why to adapt well-honed asset management principles and practices to information, and how to apply accepted and new valuation models to gauge information’s potential and realized economic benefits.

Nov 9th 2026
4 Weeks
Business Big Data Accounting
Details
Standardisation & Technology (Coursera) Coursera
EIT Digital

Standardisation & Technology (Coursera)

Business

Welcome to the course standardisation and technology! Do you already know what standards are? Could you image a world without standards? It is certainly not easy to visualize a world without standards and the huge importance of standards is often underestimated in our society. That is because such a vast amount are common to us and have been for ages. We don’t even realise they are standards anymore.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Business Technology Standards
Details
Community Awareness: Police Brutality in the U.S. (Coursera) Coursera
University of Michigan

Community Awareness: Police Brutality in the U.S. (Coursera)

Social Sciences

The tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have sparked a wave of renewed protests against police brutality across the United States. These nationwide uprisings have transformed into an intense interest from the public around understanding systemic racism and abuse of power. Millions of Americans and people around the world are watching incidents of police violence and excessive force captured on video, but are looking to learn about the inequalities at the root of these incidents. While the calls of Black Lives Matter protesters to #DefundThePolice are being heard for the first time by many Americans, they are part of a longstanding effort by communities and activists to reinvest in communities rather than policing and prisons.

Nov 16th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Social Sciences United States Violence
Details
Privacy Law and HIPAA (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

Privacy Law and HIPAA (Coursera)

Business

What does it take to comply with privacy laws? In this course, we’ll look at the practical aspects of navigating the complex landscape of privacy requirements. Better understanding privacy laws and data protection will enable you to protect your organization and the constituents that depend on your organization to safeguard their personal information.

Nov 2nd 2026
4 Weeks
Security Privacy Data Protection
Details
Introduction to English Common Law (Coursera) Coursera
University of London

Introduction to English Common Law (Coursera)

Law Social Sciences

The common law of England and Wales is one of the major global legal traditions. This MOOC will give you an introduction to this influential legal system including its history, constitutional background, sources and institutions. You’ll learn about the different ways in which laws are made and interpreted, the English court system and the increasing importance of European Union and human rights law. Now is an especially exciting time to be learning about English common law, given the potential changes that lie ahead in today’s political, economic and social environment – all these pose challenges to and opportunities for the law.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Law Human Rights England
Details
European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals (Coursera) Coursera
Lund University

European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals (Coursera)

Law Social Sciences

The European Union is one of the world’s largest and most important economies. This five week course is the first in a series of three that will provide students with an insight into European Business Law. The series ranges from considering the basic structures and principles of the European Union to focusing on various specialized areas of law. Each course will give the students an understanding of the laws and policies that regulate the internal market of European Union, as well as relevant case law and useful inputs from leading practitioners in the field.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Law European Union Foreign Policy
Details