S. Eskens, Author at IVIR

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Sarah Eskens, LLM, started as a PhD Candidate at the Institute for Information Law in March 2016. She studied how news personalization affects the fundamental information and privacy rights of news consumers. From November 2018 to April 2019, Sarah was a visiting researcher at the Centre for Intellectual Property Law and Information Law, University of Cambridge, UK. Before starting the PhD, Sarah completed the Research Master’s in Information Law at the Institute for Information Law. During the master, she studied a semester at Cardozo Law School in New York and did a research internship at the Rathenau Instituut, in a joint project with the Consulate General of the Netherlands in San Francisco.

Publications

Bouchè, G., Eskens, S., Helberger, N., Mil, J. van, Strycharz, J., Toh, J., van Hoboken, J.

Conditions for technological solutions in a COVID-19 exit strategy, with particular focus on the legal and societal conditions

In: 2021, (Report for ZonMw, written by N. Helberger, S. Eskens, J. Strycharz, G. Bouchè, J. van Hoboken, J. van Mil, J. Toh, with N. Appelman, J. van Apeldoorn, M. van Eechoud, N. van Doorn, M. Sax & C. de Vreese, September 2021, Amsterdam).

(Abstract | Links | BibTeX)

@article{Helberger2021bb,

title = {Conditions for technological solutions in a COVID-19 exit strategy, with particular focus on the legal and societal conditions},

author = {Helberger, N. and Eskens, S. and Strycharz, J. and Bouch\`{e}, G. and van Hoboken, J. and Mil, J. van and Toh, J. },

url = {https://www.ivir.nl/publicaties/download/covid-report-1.pdf},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-09-13},

abstract = {Which legal, ethical and societal conditions need to be fulfilled for the use of digital solutions in managing the COVID-19 exit-strategy? This was the central question of this research. Digital technologies can be part of solutions to societal challenges, for example to manage the pandemic and lead the Netherlands out of the COVID-19 crisis. One set of technologies that figured particularly prominently in that debate was the use of contact tracing apps like the CoronaMelder, as well as digital vaccination passports (CoronaCheck app).  

In the Netherlands, Europe and worldwide, the introduction of apps such as the CoronaMelder or the CoronaCheck app was met by criticism from experts, politicians, civil society and academics. Concerns range from the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of such apps, uncertainty about the conditions that need to be fulfilled to reach their goal, our growing dependency on technology companies up to worries about the fundamental rights and adverse effects for vulnerable groups, such as elderly or users without a smart phone. 

The overall goal of the research was to monitor the societal, ethical and legal implications of implementing apps like the CoronaMelder, and from that draw lessons for the future use of ‘technology-assisted governance solutions’. One important conclusion from the report is that ‘there are no easy technological fixes, and in order for a technological solution to work, it needs to be part of a broader vision on what such a solution needs to function in society, achieve its intended goals and respect the fundamental rights of users as well as non-users.’ The report also offers critical reflections on the need for democratic legitimisation and accountability, the role of big tech and insights on the societal impact of the CoronaMelder and other technological solutions.

},

note = {Report for ZonMw, written by N. Helberger, S. Eskens, J. Strycharz, G. Bouch\`{e}, J. van Hoboken, J. van Mil, J. Toh, with N. Appelman, J. van Apeldoorn, M. van Eechoud, N. van Doorn, M. Sax & C. de Vreese, September 2021, Amsterdam},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}