Research
About our research
The speed and extent to which new technologies are created, used and embedded in professional and private spheres raise many legal questions.
The fundamental research conducted in the field of 'Law & Technology' focuses on understanding, interpreting and critically evaluating:
- the legal impact of technology and technology-based or technology-facilitated processes and behaviours
- the potential of technology to facilitate or enrich legal processes or procedures
In both strands of research, a human rights-based and interdisciplinary approach is adopted.
Research topics
- Fundamental rights & technology
- Children’s rights in the digital environment
- Data protection, big data, smart devices & Internet of Things/Toys
- Cybercrime
- Legal & ethical aspects of artificial intelligence, robotics & algorithms
- Consumer rights in the online environment
- Alternative regulatory instruments
- Educational technology
- Health data
Research projects
- EU H2020 ySkills (Youth Skills)
- BOF Startkrediet: A children’s rights perspective on privacy and data protection in the digital age: a critical and forward-looking analysis of the General Data Protection Regulation and its implementation with respect to children and youth
- FWO: Minors and online sexual acts: a study of legal qualifications and regulatory approaches from a children's rights perspective
- BOF BAS: Operationalisation of a case law database: access and anonymization
- China Scholarship Council and BOF : Cross-border data flows between the European Union and China: a comparative analysis of data protection laws and future cooperation
- FWO: Tax audits on big data: exploring the legitimacy and limits in light of the prohibition of fishing expeditions
- Regulating global actors through the use of alternative regulatory instruments: an analysis of the extent to which EU codes of conduct contribute to the fragmentation or harmonisation of data protection standards
- Advertising Literacy in a New Media Environment: investigating Minor’s Persuasion Knowledge in Relation to New Advertising Formats (completed)
- BOF: A legal analysis of online intimidation tactics that aim to silence environmental defenders
- FWO SBO: SCAFFOLD ePortfolios to support workplace learning in healthcare education
- FWO: 'Gam(e)(a)ble' research project on the blurring lines between videogaming and gambling and its impact on young people
- BOF: Children's rights and the monetisation of play in the digital environment
PhD topics
- Ingrida Milkaite: A children’s rights perspective on privacy and data protection in the digital age: a critical and forward-looking analysis of the General Data Protection Regulation and its implementation with respect to children and youth
- Argyro (Iro) Chatzinikolaou: Minors and online sexual acts: a study of legal qualifications and regulatory approaches from a children's rights perspective
- Carl Vander Maelen: Don’t count your codes before they hatch: A theoretical and empirical analysis of codes of conduct under the General Data Protection Regulation
- Judith Vermeulen: Algorithmic news selection and personalisation: policy and regulatory option for ensuring news diversity
- Liesa Keunen: Tax audits on big data: exploring the legitimacy and limits in light of the prohibition of fishing expeditions
- Yueming Zhang: The protection of EU consumer data transferred to China : A Comparative Analysis of Data Protection Laws and Future Cooperation
- Valerie Verdoodt: Children’s rights and advertising literacy in the digital era: Towards an empowering regulatory framework for commercial communication.
(joint PHD KU Leuven – Ghent University) (completed) - Pieterjan Declerck: Gam(e)(a)ble, the blurring lines between gaming and gambling and its impacts on young people
- Lien Stolle: online intimidation tactics used against individuals who speak out or report on environmental issues