Members of the Law and Tech Research Cluster at the DCU Dublin European Law Institute (DELI) enjoyed a particularly active summer, presenting research at leading international conferences and contributing to high-level policy consultations across Europe. Their work addressed some of the most pressing legal and societal challenges posed by digital technologies, including digital constitutionalism, platform governance, AI regulation, digital sovereignty, and gender rights.

Across four  international conferences, Cluster members presented cutting-edge research to global academic audiences, while also engaging directly with policymakers through international consultation processes. Below is an overview of the Cluster’s recent activities.

International Society of Public Law (ICON-S) Annual Conference 29 June – 1 July

The Cluster had a strong presence at the ICON-S Annual Conference, contributing to multiple panels exploring public law, digital power, and democratic governance.

Dr. Edoardo Celeste presented across three sessions:

• A “Braking” of EU Digital Constitutionalism? Innovation Concerns and Geopolitical Threats (co-presented with members of the Digital Constitutionalism Network)
• From Social Media Councils to ODS Bodies: Failed Experiments and New Frontiers in Digital Constitutionalism (co-authored with Elizabeth Farries, Dennis Redeker, and Karolin Rippich)
• Reimagining War Powers in Public Law: The Irish Experience of Neutrality, Technology, and Constitutional Truth (co-authored with Prof. Marie-Luce Paris)

Ana Luiza Marques presented two papers examining digital constitutionalism and platform governance in Brazil:

• Digital Populism in Brazil: With and Without Bolsonaro (co-authored with Emilio Peluso Neder Meyer)
• Platforms and the Constitution: Elections and Content Moderation in Brazil and Australia

Claudia Losito presented Governing by Indicators: Public Power, Truth and Numerical Constitutionalism

Council for European Studies (CES) Conference 16–18 June

At the Council for European Studies Conference, the Cluster contributed to discussions on European governance, digital law, and comparative constitutionalism.

Dr. Edoardo Celeste chaired the roundtable:

Dealing with Rule of Law Crises in the European Union: Challenges from a Comparative Federalism Perspective

He also served as discussant for two recent books:

• Big Tech and EU Law by Elaine Fahey
• Dealing with the Rule of Law Crises in the European Union: Challenges from a Comparative Federalism Perspective by Niels Kirst

Together with Victor Henriquez Diaz, he also presented:

• Sustainable Digital Sovereignty? Analysing EU Strategic Partnerships for Critical Raw Materials

European Conference on Politics and Gender (ECPG) 15–17 June

Karolin Rippich presented her research on the intersection of digital rights and anti-gender politics:

• Anti-Gender Politics as Digital Rights Mediation: From Child Online Safety to the Protection of LGBTQ+ Children’s Digital Rights

EPILDAI Doctoral Colloquium – EMILDAI Summer School  1 June

The EPILDAI Doctoral Colloquium provided an opportunity for doctoral researchers from the Cluster to present their ongoing work across a broad range of topics in technology law and governance.

Presentations included:

• Oscar Josafat Ferzuli – Responsible AI in Defence: Legal and Strategic Consequences of a (Dis)United Approach to Military AI in the EU
• Tytti Rintamäki – Turning Regulation into Reasoning Through a Semantic Web-Based Impact Assessment Tool
• Victor Henriquez Diaz – AI Infrastructure and EU Strategic Partnerships: The Reshaping of Global Supply Chains
• Claudia Losito – Governing the Hidden Code: Balancing Secrecy and Transparency for Public AI
• Ana Luiza Marques – Judicial Content Moderation as a Constitutional Problem: Brazilian Courts and Digital Constitutionalism
• Mustapha Jid – Data Governance in EU Smart Mobility: Competing Visions of Access, Privacy, and Cybersecurity in Connected Vehicles
• Hichem Semmar  – Traceability of Training Data in Open Language Models: Legal Implications for Rights and Intellectual Property

Contributing to International Policy Discussions

Beyond conference participation, Cluster members also contributed directly to international policy initiatives.

Democratization at Stake Policy Lab 9–10 June

Karolin Rippich participated in the Policy Lab for Young Scholars, collaborating with Draga Gajić and Martina Hartwig to develop a joint policy brief exploring how Social Media Councils can respond more effectively to online anti-gender content.

G7 Consultation on Protecting Children in the Age of AI

Dr. Edoardo Celeste, Karolin Rippich, and Niamh Lenihan submitted the Cluster’s response to the G7 consultation on protecting children in the age of AI, contributing legal and policy expertise to ongoing international discussions on AI governance and children’s rights.

Looking Ahead

This busy summer reflects the Law and Tech Research Cluster‘s continued commitment to producing internationally recognised research while contributing to policy debates on the governance of digital technologies. Through conference presentations, interdisciplinary collaboration, and engagement with policymakers, Cluster members continue to shape discussions on the legal and societal implications of emerging technologies in Europe and beyond.