The roundtable “Who controls the news in the age of AI”, hosted by MediaLaws, DICOPO and DigCon, brought into sharp focus a central issue of our time: how the governance of AI-mediated information reshapes democratic structures, media pluralism, and constitutional values.
Natali Helberger Award
The Natali Helberger Award recognizes doctoral students who have conducted research through interdisciplinary collaboration that advances a Public Interest Technology (PIT) perspective in communication studies, journalism studies, and related fields across the social sciences and law. PIT provides a framework for rethinking the institutions, infrastructures, and technology-embedded services that shape society in pursuit of the public good.
Herman Cohen Jehoram (1933–2025)
On 18 December 2025, Prof. Herman Cohen Jehoram passed away at the age of 92.
Seed Grant Call: Datafied Warfare and Societal Resilience
Responsible Digital Transformations (RDT) is pleased to announce a new call for Seed Grant proposals, with a thematic focus on Datafied Warfare and Societal Resilience.
Who should decide what you may post online? : Inside the EU’s struggle to regulate AI content moderation
Can you post a deepfake of a politician on Instagram? Or use an artist’s music in your video? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. According to researcher João Pedro Quintais, clearer EU rules for AI-driven content moderation are urgently needed. ‘If we don’t regulate well, what we can post is left to companies that optimise for profit’, he warns. Quintais received a Vidi grant to research how the EU addresses the moderation of problematic content on digital platforms.
Podcast with Joris van Hoboken: Unpacking the Politics of the EU’s €120M Fine of Musk’s X
On Friday, the European Commission fined Elon Musk’s X €120 million for breaching the Digital Services Act, delivering the first-ever non-compliance decision under the European Union’s flagship tech regulation. By Saturday, Elon Musk was calling for no less than the abolition of the EU. To discuss the enforcement action, the politics surrounding it, and a variety of other issues related to digital regulation in Europe, Justin Hendrix spoke to Joris van Hoboken, a professor at the Institute for Information Law (IViR) at the University of Amsterdam, and part of the core team of the Digital Services Act (DSA) Observatory.
Podcast with Kristina Irion: Rethinking Trade: Is Trump Using Trade Talks to Gut Europe’s Digital Rules for Big Tech?
Rethink Trade invited Kristina Irion to their podcast. In this episode, we discuss digital trade and how the Trump administration is blackmailing Europe over steel/ aluminum tariffs to tone down its digital rulebook.
New cloud service aims to free higher education from Big Tech’s grip
From January 2026, staff and students in higher education will be able to use Nextcloud, an alternative collaboration environment. Surf, the ICT cooperative for higher education, wants to make universities and colleges less dependent on American big tech companies.
HUMAN Documentary Series: AI love
Marijn Sax features as an expert in the second season of the documentary series “AI love”. This programme by public media organisation HUMAN follows people who have a deep emotional connection with artificial intelligence. The series will be broadcasted weekly from 27th of November on Dutch television NPO 3 and NPO Start.
Vidi grant for Dr. João Pedro Quintais
IViR is proud to announce that Dr. João Pedro Quintais has received a Vidi grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) for his research into generative AI content moderation.