News and Research articles on Mark Zuckerberg

Transnational collective actions for cross-border data protection violations

Federica Casarosa, European University Institute
PUBLISHED ON: 16 Sep 2020 DOI: 10.14763/2020.3.1498

Although the GDPR paves the way for a coordinated EU-wide legal action against data protection infringements, only a reform of private international law rules can enhance the opportunities of data subjects to enforce their rights.

Platform ad archives: promises and pitfalls

Paddy Leerssen, University of Amsterdam
Jef Ausloos, University of Amsterdam
Brahim Zarouali, University of Amsterdam
Natali Helberger, University of Amsterdam
Claes de Vreese, University of Amsterdam
PUBLISHED ON: 9 Oct 2019 DOI: 10.14763/2019.4.1421

Ad archives are a novel tool in online advertising governance. They promise significant benefits, but only if their operators address key criticisms.

Zombie contracts, dark patterns of design, and ‘documentisation’

Kristin B. Cornelius, University of California, Los Angeles
PUBLISHED ON: 30 Jun 2019 DOI: 10.14763/2019.2.1412

Standard form consumer contracts (SFCCs), including Terms of Service agreements, are drafted by businesses and presented to consumers on a non-negotiable basis. Since these contracts present an asymmetric imbalance of information and resources between parties, they have been of concern for consumer rights in recent years. While some have characterized these issues as a ‘duty to read’ for consumers or as egregious terms and weak disclosures by drafters,’ this project suggests at least part of the issues exist from a lack of consideration of the document itself (i.e., medium, format, authenticy, reliability, stability) and the processes that deem it ‘standard.’

Technology, autonomy, and manipulation

Daniel Susser, Pennsylvania State University
Beate Roessler, University of Amsterdam
Helen Nissenbaum, Cornell Tech
PUBLISHED ON: 30 Jun 2019 DOI: 10.14763/2019.2.1410

People are increasingly concerned that data collectors can use information about them to subtly influence their decision-making—what is often called “online manipulation”. To further efforts at combating such strategies, this paper defines “online manipulation” and explores the harms it threatens.