Judith Townend

Our collective and individual tributes to @rmwilliams.bsky.social , great friend and supporter of the University of Sussex University of Sanctuary group and Sussex Centre for Migration Research blogs.sussex.ac.uk/sussex-centr...

Open justice was on the agenda, I hope there will be good opportunities for civil society court observers to engage in the NAP review/drafting process going forward / @spotlightcorruption.org @transformjustice.bsky.social @openjusticecop.bsky.social @kevkeith.bsky.social

Cautiously optimistic for the UK's renewed (or revived?) commitment to open government and transparency by taking on the co-chair role @opengovpartnership.org from Oct 2026. I attended a meeting yesterday with government/civil society updating on the 6th National Action Plan & looking ahead to 7th

Civil liberties groups call for inquiry into UK data protection watchdog Campaigners including Good Law Project describe ICO ‘collapse in enforcement activity’ after Afghan data breach

The final straw – the Information Commissioner's Office has decided NOT to investigate the Afghan data leak. It's time to investigate them!

Over 70 organisations and experts back ORG's call for an inquiry into the regulator's chronic failure to enforce data law.

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

all ably discussed by Damian Clifford. Will's paper available here: opo.iisj.net/index.php/os... #ilpc2025 #AIregulation

a pleasure to chair a rich set of papers in the afternoon: @edinadd.bsky.social on ‘Postmortem Socio-Digital Indeterminacy’, Katerina Perrou on AI use by Tax Administrations and Will Mbioh on 'Beyond Possessive Agency', reflecting on the blurred boundaries between user agency & platform influence

Now to @gushosein.bsky.social from @privacyinternational.org setting out PI's role in some of the regulatory action already mentioned, and the role of NGOs more generally #airegulation #ilpc2025

fascinating range of material on biometrics governance, including insights on public views reflecting demographic differences, from Nuala Polo, UK Public Policy Lead @adalovelaceinst.bsky.social - hope slides will be available afterwards! A lot to digest.

As might be expected (for those who know his work!), the next speaker, @daviderdos.bsky.social is critical of the 'very limited' hard-end enforcement in the UK, comparing unfavourably with EU national jurisdictions e.g. Italy and Germany

A focus on regulatory enforcement in this keynote panel. Mairead O’Reilly, Director of Legal Service, Regulatory Enforcement Team flags the ICO's data protection enforcement procedural guidance consultation, open till 23 Jan 2026. ico.org.uk/about-the-ic... #Airegulatiom #ilpc2025

useful insights into AI uses in policing, and what the Scottish police does/doesn't do, based on law and governance. Key point: police as a public body will never keep pace with private sector - does not receive funding available to corporate sector

attending this today, 10 years since we organised the very first one! congratulations to @nniloideain.bsky.social and all for a rich programme of research & policy work in the years since. Looking forward to the day

bravo @jessicashurson.bsky.social on impressive convening of today's Online Safety Act 2023 event at University of Sussex, v much enjoyed the discussions and diversity of perspectives. Thanks to other supporting colleagues & all the presenters too.

@rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social @neilbrown.bsky.social @cyberleagle.bsky.social, Lucy Crompton-Reid @wikimediauk.bsky.social, @ruizmacpherson.com

fascinating panel on implementation of OSA 2023 for small/not-for-profit providers. Qs on definitional ambiguity, burdensome obligations on small provider / potential deterrance of public interest activity

today at Sussex Law School, Sussex Centre for Law and Technology, a day of papers and discussion devoted to the Online Safety Act 2023, and its future www.sussex.ac.uk/research/cen...

Full speech here www.judiciary.uk/speech-by-mr... and report at Law Society Gazette here: www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/courts-...

He also made clear that important work was undertaken by public observers including but not limited to the traditional media (e.g. citizen observers, academics).

I was pleased to hear Mr Justice Nicklin, chair of the Transparency and Open Justice Board, acknowledge practical difficulties and complexities of open justice in the current digital environment.

Green Templeton College, University of Oxford

Ending the day at Green Templeton College yesterday, after many rich discussions with court observers and legal/policy specialists on the nature and challenges of doing open justice, through court observation and reporting.

Just to update, this is no longer happening. Hopefully @adelewalton.bsky.social will visit us another time in the future.

happening this time next week. Still places available, I believe - or you can register for a live-stream.

In The Guardian in print and online today speaking about the catalyst that triggered me to write Logging Off, and changed my life forever. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

@transformjustice.bsky.social @openjusticecop.bsky.social @spotlightcorruption.org @clarkdaniel.bsky.social @maggotlaw.bsky.social @seethrujustice.transparencyproject.org.uk

Please share!

Public lecture - Mr Justice Nicklin - Open Justice: Fit for Purpose - Wednesday 4 June 2025 17:00 to 19:00
Location: Green Templeton College, University of Oxford
Speaker: The Honourable Mr Justice Nicklin

Register here: www.gtc.ox.ac.uk/news-and-eve...

Logging Off In the 30 years since we’ve been online, we've created connections, crossed boundaries and discovered new worlds, but at what cost?

Join us Sussex Digital Humanities Lab on 19 June for a conversation about the human cost of the digital world with @adelewalton.bsky.social, journalist & author www.sussex.ac.uk/research/cen... pls register for in-person/remote attendance www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/logging-of...

V. much enjoying this fast paced keynote on psychological inoculation against misinformation, though a little nervous to live-report any of it, till I've checked the citations at source #bennettinst

also, would like to hear more on methods for local stakeholder/citizen empowerment , i.e. public participatory methods ...

As yet, no direct discussion on role of the news media/social media in political disenchantment & neglected areas, I'm curious to know if the panel would support public policy interventions to support local media - and in what form #bennettinst

Now onto "tackling political disenchantment in ‘forgotten about’ places: what should governments try now?" Prof Andrés Rodríguez-Pose starts off, describing the crisis/crises we're in; why/how people are in revolt #bennettinst