Judith Townend

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

Sarah O'Connor from the FT questions whether it works for all: points out that white collar work is like the holiday suitcase - you fill the space you have. Does it translate so well into environments where productivity already maximised?

onto post-lunch third panel #bennettinst, on building a productive society. First concept: the 4 day week, advocated for by sociologist Brendan Burchell. coming from business, interestingly, and proving successful

pleased to be here today, esp for later sessions on political disenchantment and misinformation: www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/u...

The Kafkaesque investigation into our university looks like political scapegoating The Office for Students' so-called investigation into the University I represent was flawed and politically motivated. The implications for the hig...

This article by Sussex university’s vice chancellor about how the Office for Students seemingly oversaw its investigation into worries about free speech at Sussex is… quite something.

www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Responses to the Judiciary’s Transparency & Open Justice Board Proposed Objectives Back in December, the Judiciary’s Transparency and Open Justice Board asked for views on its proposed objectives (which had been promised in the earlier Terms of Reference for the Board). Mem…

Some responses to the Judicary's Transparency & Open Justice Board call for engagement on proposed objectives. If you have a submission to add, pls let me know courtobservers.org/2025/03/04/r... / Thanks: @seethrujustice.transparencyproject.org.uk @kitzingercelia.bsky.social @maggotlaw.bsky.social

Picture of James' hand holding the Queer Judgments book, edited by Nuno Ferreira, Maria Federica Moscati and Senthorun Raj. It features a graphic design image of a queer flower, with petals each being a colour from the progress pride flag

Finally sat down with my copy of the @queerjudgments.bsky.social book, and accidentally lost several hours of my Sunday in the process. Highly recommended! #queer #academicsky #lawsky #booksky

Research and Policy Seminar: The Future of the Online Safety Act 2023 - Call for Papers We invite academics (including postgraduate researchers), practitioners,policy researchers to submit papers on any aspect of the Online Safety Act.

Join us at the new Sussex Centre for Law and Technology for a research and policy seminar on the Online Safety Act! The seminar is partly funded by the @bileta.bsky.social Research Seminar Awards.

📍 Sussex uni and online
🗓️ Friday 6 June 2025
Call for papers: www.sussex.ac.uk/schools/law-...

Transparency updates from the family court (1) What was introduced as the Reporting ‘Pilot’ in 2023 is now a permanent change in family courts, to allow more reporting by journalists and legal bloggers. Within a few months, reporting will b…

Transparency updates from the family court: rule changes to allow more reporting from the family courts and the naming of the judges in the Sara Sharif family court proceedings. Links to coverage and commentary: courtobservers.org/2025/01/31/t...

Submissions to MoJ Consultation – Open Justice: the way forward This page aims to compile submissions made to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on Open Justice in September 2023. If you would like to add your submission, please contact us. Index Courts and…

Questions focussed on the mechanics and practical delivery of open justice. Will discuss with our network of Courts and Tribunals Observers & write more in due course. NB - we published some of the submissions here at this link. Please let me know if you'd like yours added.

At last! The Government has published a summary of responses to its 2023 open justice consultation: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/679a5a... It's a summary - no recommendations or conclusions of the MOJ's own at this stage. 131 responses, mix of backgrounds, including individual court users

*Very* excited about this - an unconference on public involvement/engagement in public sector decisions on data & AI!

We also have the latest online meeting of our community of practice on that topic (with speakers from LOTI and @involveuk.bsky.social) on 12 Feb connectedbydata.org/events/2025-...

Computer says nothing Should we reverse the presumption that machines tell the truth?

The government is considering whether to reverse a legal presumption that played a key role in Post Office scandal.
rozenberg.substack.com/p/computer-s...