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Research Information Law

The IViR has a long history of leading international research. Information law is a research focus, and our researchers collaborate intensively with scholars from other disciplines, at the UvA, in the Netherlands and far beyond. With innovative scientific projects and a strong focus on social aspects, the IViR has an excellent track record in the field of international and national research. This is also evidenced by the many projects funded by NWO (Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research) and the European Commission, among others.
To the website of the IViR

While Europe continues to offer strong guarantees of fundamental information rights and freedoms, maintaining a truly free and open information society is a constant legislative and regulatory challenge. Technological and societal developments that call for particular attention are:

  • Datafication of society, and the related tendency to offer all kinds of political, social and commercial information in a person-oriented way (personalization)
  • Shifting roles in information markets particularly of intermediaries and gatekeepers (intermediation)
  • Increasing influence of algorithmic processing and (semi) automated decision making
  • Globalization of trade in data, information services and investments in network infrastructures
  • Opportunities and threats of blockchain technology.

Collaboration and Partners

The IViR has a strong presence in European and international academic networks through a wide range of activities. The institute regularly participates in national and international research projects, collaborating with non-legal disciplines such as economics, communication sciences, computer science, philosophy, (digital) humanities and the arts.

A few examples: 

  • Through the Personalised Communications project, the IViR collaborates with ASCoR, the UvA's world-leading institute in the field of communication sciences. 
  • IViR also participates in the Amsterdam Platform for Privacy Research (APPR). This is a platform for all privacy-related research within the UvA. 
  • Within the faculty-wide new focus area The Digital Transformation of Decision-Making, the IViR is spearheading research into the transforming developments within the digital information societies and the role that legislation and regulation play in this process. This initiative is part of the national Law Sector Plan (2019-2024).
  • Several studies in the areas of copyright law, telecommunications law and media law have been written in collaboration with the Faculty of Economics and Business of the UvA.

Staff members of the institute are well represented in various advisory boards and supervisory committees. A small selection:

  • The Dutch Blockchain Coalition (DBC);
  • UvA's Human(e) AI Centre of Excellence;
  • National Agenda Quantum Technology (NWO);
  • Committee of Experts on Human Rights Dimensions of Automated Data Processing and Different Forms of Artificial Intelligence (MSI-AUT) of the Council of Europe;
  • Council of Europe Committee of Experts on quality journalism in the digital age of the Council of Europe;
  • Transatlantic High Level Working Group on Content Moderation Online and Freedom of Expression;
  • The regulator of the Dutch Public Broadcasting (NPO);
  • Advisory Council of the Dutch Personal Data Authority;
  • Copyright Commission' (statutory advisory board Minister of Justice).

More information about IViR's research can be found in its recent research programme: ‘Rethinking the Rules for an Information Society in Flux’: IViR Research Program 2018-2023