At a recent conference on information ethics, organized by the Uehiro Center at Oxford University, I met David Erdos, who presented work on challenges confronting the EU approach to data protection. Really interesting, particularly for those who believe that the EU has all the answers on privacy protection. Here is some background on the project and its institutional home:
DP@CSLS is a research strand within Oxford University’s Centre for Socio-Legal Studies which brings together scholars and practitioners interested in data protection, privacy and the regulation of information. The Centre hosts the three-year Data Protection and the Open Society (DPOS) project funded by the Leverhulme Trust. This project explores and seeks to help resolve the tension between data protection and the fundamental values of freedom of expression and information. Four overlapping sub-projects within DPOS look at data protection foundations, media and internet, research governance and transparency initiatives. Student projects on social networking sites and surveillance are also ongoing. These projects examine the relationship technology, privacy and copyright as well the interaction between data protection and general human rights law. In addition, DP@CSLS organizes seminars, study groups and other initiatives designed to promote dialogue on these emerging issues. Currently our events are focused on making a contribution to the debate surrounding the rewriting of the European Data Protection Directive. For further information please visit http://www.csls.ox.ac.uk/dataprotection and http://www.twitter.com/oxondataprotect. To get in touch with DP@CSLS please contact Dr. David Erdos at david[.]erdosATcsls[.]ox[.]ac[.]uk.