TILT

Current Ph.D. research

At present the following Ph.D candidates are carrying out research:

[Identification and Identity Management (external promovendus) - Rachel Marbus]
[The inter-relationship between law, science and democracy through the experience of European regulation in Genetically Modified Organisms - Naveen Thayyil Kamaluddin]
[The implications of location aware technologies (LATs) for the government-citizen relationship - Charlotte van Ooijen]
[Protecting digital personae to protect the privacy of individuals? - Arnold Roosendaal]
[Law and the absorptive capacity of developing countries: the role of law in setting conditions for the absorption of transferred technology - Hanna Weijers]
[Social dimensions of privacy: An empirical study - Wouter Steijn]
[The Legal Implications of the Use of Watermarking for Traitor Tracing Purposes - Sander Gellaerts]
[Informational Self-determination: An Instrument to Safeguard Privacy Throughout Life in the Internet Age? - Hans Buitelaar]
[Privacy-enhanced e-ticketing solutions using location-based services - Martin Pekárek]


Identification and Identity Management
Rachel Marbus
The project aims to give the scientific debate on identification and identity management in an online world a clearer focus by analysing the concept of identity from various different angles, interests, responsibilities and developments. With the culmination of these reflections, the project aims to gain a further insight in and understanding of the concept of identity and the interests underlying identity management in an on-line society.

Supervisors: Prof. J.E.J. Prins, Prof. C.D. Raab

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The inter-relationship between law, science and democracy through the experience of European regulation in Genetically Modified Organisms
Naveen Thayyil Kamaluddin
The project aims to deepen understandings of the inter-relationship between law, science and democracy through the experience of European regulation in Genetically Modified Organisms. The concept of risk and the principle of precaution are used as tropes in this endeavour. What are the implications to law when claims of grave and irreversible harm to health and environment uneasily coexist with claims of substantial benefits to society. In conceptualisations of a modern risk society how does law deal with the technological innovations in a democratic manner? What are the principles and mechanisms appropriate to harmonise protection of health and environment, encouragement of innovation as well as adherence to the non-discrimination principle in world trade? The research seeks to coalesce legal experiences in various jurisdictions including International Environmental law, International Trade law, European Environmental law, and a select number of comparative domestic jurisdictions important in the area. Through this endeavour the projects hopes to contribute in building an appropriate framework for GMO regulation in Europe.

Supervisors: Prof. H. Somsen
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The implications of location aware technologies (LATs) for the government-citizen relationship
Charlotte van Ooijen
The research deals with the implications of location aware technologies (LATs) for the government-citizen relationship. Governments increasingly use citizens' location data for policy purposes. By means of technologies, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS,) cell phones and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), location information can be collected, connected to personal data, analyzed and used for communications. Empirical research will be conducted, both in the Netherlands and abroad, through case studies in the policy fields of:

- Traffic management
- Public order & public safety
- Crisis/disaster management.

Supervisor: Prof. P.H.A. Frissen and co-supervisor Prof. P.J.A. De Hert
Daily mentor: Dr. C. Cuijpers

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Protecting digital personae to protect the privacy of individuals?
Arnold Roosendaal
Privacy and data protection are currently under pressure because of ICT developments. The Internet facilitates large-scale processing of personal data and the creation of digital personae. These digital representations, which are, in essence, sets of personal data concerning the individual, are created by the individuals themselves and by institutions. Based on these digital personae, decisions are taken which affect the represented individuals. Enforcement of traditional data protection laws that focus on separate data is, however, problematic. This research addresses the question whether legally protecting digital personae can be of help in protecting the privacy of individuals.

Supervisors: Prof. R.E. Leenes and Prof. B-J. Koops

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Law and the absorptive capacity of developing countries: the role of law in setting conditions for the absorption of transferred technology
Hanna Weijers
Hanna Weijer´s research will examine the role of law in setting conditions for the absorption of internationally transferred technology in Africa. The research will primarily be comprised of three case-studies of successful technology transfer and will focus on the utility of law as viewed by the actors - such as entrepreneurs, workers, investors, regulators and bureaucrats - involved in the absorption and adaptation of internationally developed technology. Hanna graduated from the Faculty's Research Master in 2008.

Supervisors: Prof.J.E.J. Prins and Dr. M.E.A. Goodwin.

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Social dimensions of privacy: An empirical study
Wouter Steijn
Young people disclose large amounts of personal information on social network sites (e.g. Hyves and Facebook). Although these networks offer attractive means for communication, the availability of personal information online poses risks. Once disclosed, personal information is beyond the individual´s' control and decontextualized information may be found years after disclosure. The fact that young people generously provide their personal information on social network sites, a consequence of the transition from offline to online social interaction, is looked upon with amazement, alarm, or misapprehension by older people, which may indicate a shift in the perceptions regarding which personal information is considered to be private, privacy in general, and the social dimension of privacy. This raises the following research question: Does the move from offline to online social interaction affect the individual´s' perception and value of (the social dimension of) privacy? The aim of this study is twofold: (1) to determine which factors influence an individual's decision to disclose personal information, and, (2) to investigate why younger and older people differ with respect to information disclosure and the way they value the fact that this information is available to others. A large scale survey and an experiment will be conducted in order to answer the research question.

Supervisor and daily mentor: Dr. A. Vedder.

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The Legal Implications of the Use of Watermarking for Traitor Tracing Purposes
Sander Gellaerts
Sander Gellaerts will be writing his thesis on the legal implications of the use of watermarking for traitor tracing purposes. The legal analysis includes copyright, privacy and consumer law. His research will be completed in August 2012. The results of the project, which is funded by ICTRegie and IBBT, will be relevant for all types of digital archiving which are either publicly or commercially funded.

Prior to taking up this PhD-project, he studied Law at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. Sander worked at the Erasmus University since 2007 as a lecturer and researcher in the field of Intellectual Property (IP). Sander's primary research interest and publications lie in the area of intellectual property law.

Supervisor: Prof. K. Stuurman and daily mentor Dr. ir.M.Schellekens

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Informational Self-determination: An Instrument to Safeguard Privacy Throughout Life in the Internet Age?
Hans Buitelaar
As of July 1st 2009 Hans Buitelaar will participate in the EU funded TILT project PrimeLife, PrivacyThroughoutLife. His research in the PrimeLife project will also form the basis of his thesis entitled:'Informational self-determination: an instrument to safeguard privacy throughout life in the Internet age?'. The thesis will consist of four peer reviewed articles accepted by renowned academic journals. His supervisor is Prof. B.J.Koops and his co-super visor is Prof. R.E. Leenes. The PrimeLife project runs to March 1st 2010. Hans hopes to complete his Ph.D dissertation in 2013. Hans also works for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Science andCulture.

Supervisor: Prof.B.J.Koops and co-supervisor: Prof. R. Leenes.

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Privacy-enhanced e-ticketing solutions using location-based services
Martin Pekárek
Location-based services are increasingly available on modern smartphones (iPhones, BlackBerries, etc.), and make use of the current location of the device. This feature can also be used for e-ticketing solutions. At the same time, however, location information potentially impacts the privacy of users. The research project will investigate how these services can be employed in e-ticketing solutions in an economically viable, socially acceptable, and legally compliant way, whilst respecting the privacy of the users. The research is focused on applications within the area of public transport. Trans Link Systems B.V. sponsors the full Ph.D. position for a period of four years, starting October 2009.

Supervisors: Prof.R.E. Leenes and Prof. B-J Koops.

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