Opinie: Het is tijd om afscheid te nemen van Spotify

Westlund, O., Carlson, M., Hamada, B., Helberger, N., Lecheler, S., Lewis, S.C., Quandt, T., Reese, S.D., Salaverria, R., Saldana, M., Thomson, T.J., Wahl-Jorgensen, K. & Wu, S.

Digital Journalism, vol. 13, iss. : 5, pp: 869–892, 2025

Abstract

This article addresses the growing global assault on academic free-dom—a cornerstone of democratic societies now under increasingthreat from authoritarian regimes. It highlights a global decline inthat freedom since its peak 20 years ago, focusing on the UnitedStates in 2025 to illustrate rapidly escalating academic silencing, evenin a country with well-established democratic freedoms and institu-tions. Drawing on the collective expertise of international scholars indigital journalism studies (DJS)—a field situated at the crossroads ofvulnerable institutions—and informed by anonymous reports fromU.S.-based academics as well as the wider academic literature, thiscommentary examines the impact of political interference, censorship,and self-censorship in academia. It argues that DJS as a field mustdevelop approaches that actively resist authoritarianism and upholdfreedom of expression and inquiry. The commentary concludes witha normative framework for doing this, proposing a three-prongedapproach to defending the larger field, the scholarship within it, andthe wellbeing of individual scholars of digital journalism studies.

Links

academic freedom, academic research, censorship, Freedom of expression

RIS

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Westlund, O.
AU  - Carlson, M.
AU  - Hamada, B.
AU  - Helberger, N.
AU  - Lecheler, S.
AU  - Lewis, S.C.
AU  - Quandt, T.
AU  - Reese, S.D.
AU  - Salaverria, R.
AU  - Saldana, M.
AU  - Thomson, T.J.
AU  - Wahl-Jorgensen, K.
AU  - Wu, S.
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025-07-04
T1  - Public Knowledge and Expertise Under Authoritarian Siege: A Defense of Academic Freedom from Digital Journalism Studies
JO  - Digital Journalism
VL  - 13
IS  - 5
SP  - 869–892
UR  - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21670811.2025.2527997
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2025.2527997
AB  - This article addresses the growing global assault on academic free-dom—a cornerstone of democratic societies now under increasingthreat from authoritarian regimes. It highlights a global decline inthat freedom since its peak 20 years ago, focusing on the UnitedStates in 2025 to illustrate rapidly escalating academic silencing, evenin a country with well-established democratic freedoms and institu-tions. Drawing on the collective expertise of international scholars indigital journalism studies (DJS)—a field situated at the crossroads ofvulnerable institutions—and informed by anonymous reports fromU.S.-based academics as well as the wider academic literature, thiscommentary examines the impact of political interference, censorship,and self-censorship in academia. It argues that DJS as a field mustdevelop approaches that actively resist authoritarianism and upholdfreedom of expression and inquiry. The commentary concludes witha normative framework for doing this, proposing a three-prongedapproach to defending the larger field, the scholarship within it, andthe wellbeing of individual scholars of digital journalism studies.
K1  - academic freedom
K1  - academic research
K1  - censorship
K1  - Freedom of expression
ER  -

Save .RIS

Bibtex

Article{nokey,
	title = {Public Knowledge and Expertise Under Authoritarian Siege: A Defense of Academic Freedom from Digital Journalism Studies},
	author = {Westlund, O. and Carlson, M. and Hamada, B. and Helberger, N. and Lecheler, S. and Lewis, S.C. and Quandt, T. and Reese, S.D. and Salaverria, R. and Saldana, M. and Thomson, T.J. and Wahl-Jorgensen, K. and Wu, S.},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2025.2527997},
	year = {2025},
	date = {2025-07-04},
	journal = {Digital Journalism},
	volume = {13},
	issue = {5},
	pages = {869–892},
	abstract = {This article addresses the growing global assault on academic free-dom—a cornerstone of democratic societies now under increasingthreat from authoritarian regimes. It highlights a global decline inthat freedom since its peak 20 years ago, focusing on the UnitedStates in 2025 to illustrate rapidly escalating academic silencing, evenin a country with well-established democratic freedoms and institu-tions. Drawing on the collective expertise of international scholars indigital journalism studies (DJS)—a field situated at the crossroads ofvulnerable institutions—and informed by anonymous reports fromU.S.-based academics as well as the wider academic literature, thiscommentary examines the impact of political interference, censorship,and self-censorship in academia. It argues that DJS as a field mustdevelop approaches that actively resist authoritarianism and upholdfreedom of expression and inquiry. The commentary concludes witha normative framework for doing this, proposing a three-prongedapproach to defending the larger field, the scholarship within it, andthe wellbeing of individual scholars of digital journalism studies.},
	keywords = {academic freedom, academic research, censorship, Freedom of expression},
}

Save .bib

Three Paths, One Goal Trialogue: Narrating the philosophical, legal and creative perspectives on emerging technologies external link

Valk, E.G., Döker, Y.F. & Seval, D.

The Digital Constitutionalist, 2025

Abstract

At the AI-Imaginations and Public Safety symposium at Erasmus University Rotterdam on June 19, DigiCon’s Sci-Fi Team experimented with an unconventional way of presenting academic ideas. When it comes to emerging technologies, the responsibility for understanding, explaining, and responding to them often falls to key figures. The most important of these arguably are philosophers, legal scholars, and tech creators. But as we’ve seen in the literature for years, there’s insufficient shared vocabulary, understanding, or common ground between these roles. For this reason, we prepared our own imaginary narrative for a trialogue between these roles on the issues that need to be discussed, in order to build bridges between the interrelated fields more effectively. Here, we share the full text of the trialogue.

Links

https://digi-con.org/three-paths-one-goal-trialogue-narrating-the-philosophical-legal-and-creative-perspectives-on-emerging-technologies/

RIS

TY  - BLOG
AU  - Valk, E.G.
AU  - Döker, Y.F.
AU  - Seval, D.
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025-07-04
T1  - Three Paths, One Goal Trialogue: Narrating the philosophical, legal and creative perspectives on emerging technologies
JO  - The Digital Constitutionalist
UR  - https://digi-con.org/three-paths-one-goal-trialogue-narrating-the-philosophical-legal-and-creative-perspectives-on-emerging-technologies/
AB  - At the AI-Imaginations and Public Safety symposium at Erasmus University Rotterdam on June 19, DigiCon’s Sci-Fi Team experimented with an unconventional way of presenting academic ideas. When it comes to emerging technologies, the responsibility for understanding, explaining, and responding to them often falls to key figures. The most important of these arguably are philosophers, legal scholars, and tech creators. But as we’ve seen in the literature for years, there’s insufficient shared vocabulary, understanding, or common ground between these roles. For this reason, we prepared our own imaginary narrative for a trialogue between these roles on the issues that need to be discussed, in order to build bridges between the interrelated fields more effectively. Here, we share the full text of the trialogue.
ER  -

Save .RIS

Bibtex

Online publication{nokey,
	title = {Three Paths, One Goal Trialogue: Narrating the philosophical, legal and creative perspectives on emerging technologies},
	author = {Valk, E.G. and Döker, Y.F. and Seval, D.},
	year = {2025},
	date = {2025-07-04},
	journal = {The Digital Constitutionalist},
	abstract = {At the AI-Imaginations and Public Safety symposium at Erasmus University Rotterdam on June 19, DigiCon’s Sci-Fi Team experimented with an unconventional way of presenting academic ideas. When it comes to emerging technologies, the responsibility for understanding, explaining, and responding to them often falls to key figures. The most important of these arguably are philosophers, legal scholars, and tech creators. But as we’ve seen in the literature for years, there’s insufficient shared vocabulary, understanding, or common ground between these roles. For this reason, we prepared our own imaginary narrative for a trialogue between these roles on the issues that need to be discussed, in order to build bridges between the interrelated fields more effectively. Here, we share the full text of the trialogue.},
}

Save .bib

Public consultation on the legislative proposal for a Cloud and AI Development Act download

Irion, K.

2025

Abstract

I welcome the opportunity to respond to the European Commissions public consultation on the proposed AI Cloud and Development Act. I make this submission in my capacity as an academic with expertise in European Union (EU) data centres sustainability policy. In my submission I will address the following issues: 1. EUs sustainability commitments in relation to digitalisation and, in particular, data centres; 2. The requirements for data centre sector sustainability; and 3. The case for public value-oriented digital infrastructure.

Links

Artificial intelligence

RIS

Save .RIS

Bibtex

Save .bib

Fashion Waste, Trade Mark Protection, and the Circular Economy: Towards a New Public Domain for Sustainable Reuse download

Senftleben, M.

The Handbook of Fashion Law, Oxford University Press, 2025, Oxford, pp: 115–136, ISBN: 9780198938897

Abstract

Traditionally, the debate on trade mark law and the public domain has focused on the strategic use of trade mark law to artificially prolong exclusive rights after the expiry of protection in intellectual property systems with a limited term, and the grant of trade mark rights covering public domain material, such as cultural signs and traditional cultural expressions. While the glamorous world of fashion offers examples of protection term extension and public domain re-appropriation cases, the following analysis focuses on fashion reuse in the circular economy as a phenomenon that can be placed in a public domain context. Considering the urgent need for measures to enhance legal certainty for sustainable fashion reuse in the circular economy, the question arises whether the time has come to discuss a limitation of trade mark rights and a corresponding broadening of the public domain. More concretely, it seems tempting to establish a new public domain by giving second-hand and unsold fashion items the status of freely available resources for sustainable upcycling and reuse in the circular economy—even if these fashion items bear protected third-party brand insignia. Exploring options for the practical implementation of this new public domain space, the analysis will yield the insight that the termination of trade mark rights is beyond reach. Alternatively, however, lawmakers and judges could consider introducing a robust principle of free reuse that shields initiatives leading to the sustainable reuse of trade-marked fashion items effectively against allegations of trade mark infringement.

Links

Fashion, Freedom of expression, Intellectual property, public domain, trade mark

RIS

TY  - CHAP
AU  - Senftleben, M.
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025-02-14
T1  - Fashion Waste, Trade Mark Protection, and the Circular Economy: Towards a New Public Domain for Sustainable Reuse
SP  - 115–136
UR  - https://www.ivir.nl/publications/fashion-waste-trade-mark-protection-and-the-circular-economy-towards-a-new-public-domain-for-sustainable-reuse/fashion-waste-new-public-domain/
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1093/law/9780198938897.003.0006
AB  - Traditionally, the debate on trade mark law and the public domain has focused on the strategic use of trade mark law to artificially prolong exclusive rights after the expiry of protection in intellectual property systems with a limited term, and the grant of trade mark rights covering public domain material, such as cultural signs and traditional cultural expressions. While the glamorous world of fashion offers examples of protection term extension and public domain re-appropriation cases, the following analysis focuses on fashion reuse in the circular economy as a phenomenon that can be placed in a public domain context. Considering the urgent need for measures to enhance legal certainty for sustainable fashion reuse in the circular economy, the question arises whether the time has come to discuss a limitation of trade mark rights and a corresponding broadening of the public domain. More concretely, it seems tempting to establish a new public domain by giving second-hand and unsold fashion items the status of freely available resources for sustainable upcycling and reuse in the circular economy—even if these fashion items bear protected third-party brand insignia. Exploring options for the practical implementation of this new public domain space, the analysis will yield the insight that the termination of trade mark rights is beyond reach. Alternatively, however, lawmakers and judges could consider introducing a robust principle of free reuse that shields initiatives leading to the sustainable reuse of trade-marked fashion items effectively against allegations of trade mark infringement.
K1  - Fashion
K1  - Freedom of expression
K1  - Intellectual property
K1  - public domain
K1  - trade mark
ER  -

Save .RIS

Bibtex

Chapter{nokey,
	title = {Fashion Waste, Trade Mark Protection, and the Circular Economy: Towards a New Public Domain for Sustainable Reuse},
	author = {Senftleben, M.},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1093/law/9780198938897.003.0006},
	year = {2025},
	date = {2025-02-14},
	pages = {115–136},
	abstract = {Traditionally, the debate on trade mark law and the public domain has focused on the strategic use of trade mark law to artificially prolong exclusive rights after the expiry of protection in intellectual property systems with a limited term, and the grant of trade mark rights covering public domain material, such as cultural signs and traditional cultural expressions. While the glamorous world of fashion offers examples of protection term extension and public domain re-appropriation cases, the following analysis focuses on fashion reuse in the circular economy as a phenomenon that can be placed in a public domain context. Considering the urgent need for measures to enhance legal certainty for sustainable fashion reuse in the circular economy, the question arises whether the time has come to discuss a limitation of trade mark rights and a corresponding broadening of the public domain. More concretely, it seems tempting to establish a new public domain by giving second-hand and unsold fashion items the status of freely available resources for sustainable upcycling and reuse in the circular economy—even if these fashion items bear protected third-party brand insignia. Exploring options for the practical implementation of this new public domain space, the analysis will yield the insight that the termination of trade mark rights is beyond reach. Alternatively, however, lawmakers and judges could consider introducing a robust principle of free reuse that shields initiatives leading to the sustainable reuse of trade-marked fashion items effectively against allegations of trade mark infringement.},
	keywords = {Fashion, Freedom of expression, Intellectual property, public domain, trade mark},
}

Save .bib

A nightmare to control: Legal and organizational challenges around the procurement of journalistic AI from external technology providers external link

Piasecki, S. & Helberger, N.

The Information Society, vol. 41, iss. : 3, pp: 173-194, 2025

Abstract

Little research has explored the process of procuring AI systems in the media from the perspective of contractual terms and conditions. It’s importance is underscored by the emerging regulatory framework coming from Brussels that embraces private ordering through mechanisms such as negotiations, instructions, and standardization. This article addresses the following research questions: How are journalistic AI procurement processes perceived by professionals? What are the practical and legal obstacles experienced in negotiating procurement conditions? How to improve media organizations’ contractual negotiation power? The study is grounded in 12 semi-structured interviews with members of media organizations (lawyers, technologists, and managers) and an analysis of 16 terms and conditions of companies providing AI systems. Based on its findings, it strives to propose a contractual counter-power for (especially smaller and local) media actors interested in using journalistic AI.

Links

Artificial intelligence, Journalism

RIS

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Piasecki, S.
AU  - Helberger, N.
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025-03-09
T1  - A nightmare to control: Legal and organizational challenges around the procurement of journalistic AI from external technology providers
JO  - The Information Society
VL  - 41
IS  - 3
SP  - 173-194
UR  - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01972243.2025.2473398
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1080/01972243.2025.2473398
AB  - Little research has explored the process of procuring AI systems in the media from the perspective of contractual terms and conditions. It’s importance is underscored by the emerging regulatory framework coming from Brussels that embraces private ordering through mechanisms such as negotiations, instructions, and standardization. This article addresses the following research questions: How are journalistic AI procurement processes perceived by professionals? What are the practical and legal obstacles experienced in negotiating procurement conditions? How to improve media organizations’ contractual negotiation power? The study is grounded in 12 semi-structured interviews with members of media organizations (lawyers, technologists, and managers) and an analysis of 16 terms and conditions of companies providing AI systems. Based on its findings, it strives to propose a contractual counter-power for (especially smaller and local) media actors interested in using journalistic AI.
K1  - Artificial intelligence
K1  - Journalism
ER  -

Save .RIS

Bibtex

Article{nokey,
	title = {A nightmare to control: Legal and organizational challenges around the procurement of journalistic AI from external technology providers},
	author = {Piasecki, S. and Helberger, N.},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/01972243.2025.2473398},
	year = {2025},
	date = {2025-03-09},
	journal = {The Information Society},
	volume = {41},
	issue = {3},
	pages = {173-194},
	abstract = {Little research has explored the process of procuring AI systems in the media from the perspective of contractual terms and conditions. It’s importance is underscored by the emerging regulatory framework coming from Brussels that embraces private ordering through mechanisms such as negotiations, instructions, and standardization. This article addresses the following research questions: How are journalistic AI procurement processes perceived by professionals? What are the practical and legal obstacles experienced in negotiating procurement conditions? How to improve media organizations’ contractual negotiation power? The study is grounded in 12 semi-structured interviews with members of media organizations (lawyers, technologists, and managers) and an analysis of 16 terms and conditions of companies providing AI systems. Based on its findings, it strives to propose a contractual counter-power for (especially smaller and local) media actors interested in using journalistic AI.},
	keywords = {Artificial intelligence, Journalism},
}

Save .bib

A mid-year review of AI and copyright posts external link

Quintais, J.

Links

https://copyrightblog.kluweriplaw.com/2025/06/24/a-mid-year-review-of-ai-and-copyright-posts/

Copyright

RIS

Save .RIS

Bibtex

Save .bib

Editorial: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the (Un)fairness of Artificial Intelligence external link

Starke, C., Blanke, T., Helberger, N., Smets, S. & Vreese, C.H. de

Minds and Machines, vol. 35, num: 22, 2025

Links

Artificial intelligence

RIS

Save .RIS

Bibtex

Save .bib

Dangerous Criminals and Beautiful Prostitutes? Investigating Harmful Representations in Dutch Language Models external link

Lin, Z., Trogrlić, G., Vreese, C.H. de & Helberger, N.

FAccT '25: Proceedings of the 2025 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, pp: 11005 - 1014, 2025

Abstract

While language-based AI is becoming increasingly popular, ensuring that these systems are socially responsible is essential. Despite their growing impact, large language models (LLMs), the engines of many language-driven applications, remain largely in the black box. Concerns about LLMs reinforcing harmful representations are shared by academia, industries, and the public. In professional contexts, researchers rely on LLMs for computational tasks such as text classification and contextual prediction, during which the risk of perpetuating biases cannot be overlooked. In a broader society where LLM-powered tools are widely accessible, interacting with biased models can shape public perceptions and behaviors, potentially reinforcing problematic social issues over time. This study investigates harmful representations in LLMs, focusing on ethnicity and gender in the Dutch context. Through template-based sentence construction and model probing, we identified potentially harmful representations using both automated and manual content analysis at the lexical and sentence levels, combining quantitative measurements with qualitative insights. Our findings have important ethical, legal, and political implications, challenging the acceptability of such harmful representations and emphasizing the need for effective mitigation strategies. Warning: This paper contains examples of language that some people may find offensive or upsetting.

Links

Artificial intelligence, language models

RIS

TY  - CPAPER
AU  - Lin, Z.
AU  - Trogrlić, G.
AU  - Vreese, C.H. de
AU  - Helberger, N.
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025-06-23
T1  - Dangerous Criminals and Beautiful Prostitutes? Investigating Harmful Representations in Dutch Language Models
JO  - FAccT '25: Proceedings of the 2025 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency
SP  - 11005 - 1014
UR  - https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3715275.3732065
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1145/3715275.3732065
AB  - While language-based AI is becoming increasingly popular, ensuring that these systems are socially responsible is essential. Despite their growing impact, large language models (LLMs), the engines of many language-driven applications, remain largely in the black box. Concerns about LLMs reinforcing harmful representations are shared by academia, industries, and the public. In professional contexts, researchers rely on LLMs for computational tasks such as text classification and contextual prediction, during which the risk of perpetuating biases cannot be overlooked. In a broader society where LLM-powered tools are widely accessible, interacting with biased models can shape public perceptions and behaviors, potentially reinforcing problematic social issues over time. This study investigates harmful representations in LLMs, focusing on ethnicity and gender in the Dutch context. Through template-based sentence construction and model probing, we identified potentially harmful representations using both automated and manual content analysis at the lexical and sentence levels, combining quantitative measurements with qualitative insights. Our findings have important ethical, legal, and political implications, challenging the acceptability of such harmful representations and emphasizing the need for effective mitigation strategies. Warning: This paper contains examples of language that some people may find offensive or upsetting.
K1  - Artificial intelligence
K1  - language models
ER  -

Save .RIS

Bibtex

Conference paper{nokey,
	title = {Dangerous Criminals and Beautiful Prostitutes? Investigating Harmful Representations in Dutch Language Models},
	author = {Lin, Z. and Trogrlić, G. and Vreese, C.H. de and Helberger, N.},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3715275.3732065},
	year = {2025},
	date = {2025-06-23},
	journal = {FAccT '25: Proceedings of the 2025 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency},
	pages = {11005 - 1014},
	abstract = {While language-based AI is becoming increasingly popular, ensuring that these systems are socially responsible is essential. Despite their growing impact, large language models (LLMs), the engines of many language-driven applications, remain largely in the black box. Concerns about LLMs reinforcing harmful representations are shared by academia, industries, and the public. In professional contexts, researchers rely on LLMs for computational tasks such as text classification and contextual prediction, during which the risk of perpetuating biases cannot be overlooked. In a broader society where LLM-powered tools are widely accessible, interacting with biased models can shape public perceptions and behaviors, potentially reinforcing problematic social issues over time. This study investigates harmful representations in LLMs, focusing on ethnicity and gender in the Dutch context. Through template-based sentence construction and model probing, we identified potentially harmful representations using both automated and manual content analysis at the lexical and sentence levels, combining quantitative measurements with qualitative insights. Our findings have important ethical, legal, and political implications, challenging the acceptability of such harmful representations and emphasizing the need for effective mitigation strategies. Warning: This paper contains examples of language that some people may find offensive or upsetting.},
	keywords = {Artificial intelligence, language models},
}

Save .bib

Top Keywords

Links

RIS

Bibtex

Links

RIS

Bibtex

Abstract

Links

RIS

Bibtex

Abstract

Links

RIS

Bibtex

Abstract

Links

RIS

Bibtex

Abstract

Links

RIS

Bibtex

Abstract

Links

RIS

Bibtex

Links

RIS

Bibtex

Links

RIS

Bibtex

Abstract

Links

RIS

Bibtex