Digital Legal Lab Newsletter September

Hi! Thanks for reading the monthly Digital Legal Lab newsletter, where we round up the latest news & views from our cross-university research collaboration on digital legal studies. For more information, updates and events, please visit our website.

What's new at the Digital Legal Lab

We are pleased to offer our sincere congratulations to André Janssen on his recent appointment as a member of the European Law Institute (ELI) Council. The announcement was made during the 2023 ELI Annual Conference on September 7th, where a total of 28 distinguished individuals were elected to serve on the Council. The mission of ELI is centered around advancing European law and fostering its overall quality. Established in June 2011, this institution aims to instigate research, provide recommendations, and offer practical guidance that will drive the development of European law. Given André Janssen's expertise and commitment, there is no doubt that he will make valuable contributions towards fulfilling this objective. We eagerly await witnessing the positive impact André will have in his new role and are enthusiastic about observing the collaborative efforts he will undertake with his esteemed colleagues.

Once again, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to André Janssen for achieving this significant milestone.

Mark your calendars for February! The 'DSA and Platform Regulation Conference 2024' hosted by the Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam will delve into the future prospects of digital regulation. Taking place on 15-16 February 2024, this conference coincides with the imminent implementation of the Digital Services Act throughout the European Union starting from 17 February 2024.

Researchers are encouraged to submit abstracts of their papers by the extended deadline of September 30, 2023. The themes for reflection include platform governance transparency and accountability, risk-based approach in the regulation of content moderation, access to justice issues for online harms and dispute resolution, and other related topics. For submission guidelines and more information, please click here.

Special edition Newsletter - Digital Legal Talks

We are thrilled to share the incredible highlights of the Digital Legal Talks 2023 event, a day filled with enlightening discussions and insights at the intersection of law and digital technologies. The event was held in-person at De Zalen van Zeven (Boothstraat) in Utrecht, creating an enriching and engaging environment for all attendees.

The day kicked off with a warm welcome by the main coordinator of the Digital Legal Studies network dr. Inge Graef and a stimulating panel discussion on 'Procedural justice in online dispute resolution' featuring prominent experts in the field. The discourse was thought-provoking, delving into the nuances of online dispute resolution and procedural fairness. On the picture, you are seeing the Kerkzaal which during the three Parallel sessions rounds hosted paper presentations reflecting the proposed AI Act, discussing the New challenges for human rights systems, and addressing Regulation of online content under the Digital Service Act. The three rounds of paper presentations were followed by a panel on “Engaging with Epistemic In/Justice Philosophies in Law & Technology Studies: a ‘Philawsophy’ Showcase”. We were very pleased to have Luciano Floridi, the founding director of the Digital Ethics Center at Yale University, as our key speaker and host his presentation, titled “Designing AI as artificial agency for good: auditing, redressing, insurance, and unlearning.” Our thought-provoking day of Digital Legal Talks was concluded by a panel discussion of “What Constitutes Progress in Legal Tech?”.

This is the picturesque Spiegelzaal, a vibrant hub that buzzed with dynamic discussions during the three enthralling rounds. Scholars and researchers engaged in lively dialogues over their ambitious papers, sharing insights and offering invaluable feedback, fostering an inspiring and collaborative atmosphere. In the initial round, we delved into papers reflecting on “Codes of Conduct in the Digital Services Act: Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges”. Moving forward, the second round explored the intriguing theme of “Collective data governance in Europe: Commons and cooperatives”. Lastly, we delved deep into the realm of “Discrimination threats of data-driven decision-making in insurance”, sparking stimulating conversations and enriching our collective understanding.

On the second floor of this captivating former church also lies the Bovenkamer, a realm of intellectual exchange. Here, during the first round, passionate researchers engaged in heart-to-heart presentations and spirited discussions, delving into papers centered around the vital theme of “Defining and protecting (cyber) security”. As the day progressed, the Bovenkamer set the stage for the concluding round of paper presentations, a captivating exploration of “Digitalization in justice systems”, painting an exciting vision of the future of legal systems adapting to the digital age.

To conclude, we had the spectacular Grote & Kleine Zolder on top of the building. There, the paper discussion was opened with the topic of “Crossing regulatory boundaries in the digital space”. The participants very quickly created a very friendly and intriguing atmosphere, which led to fruitful commentaries. During the second round, researchers were doing paper presentations on the topic of “Protecting democratic values online”. The last round, hosted in the Zolder, focused on “Regulating personal data and data harms.”

We wish to thank everyone who contributed to this amazing conference, and make sure to follow our website or our social media for more interesting events or activities by the Digital Legal Lab!