TILT Seminar: Dr. Halefom Abraha (University of Oxford)

Abstract

Criminal investigations increasingly require access to data held across borders. This gives rise to unique jurisdictional competitions and conflicts of law, as even exclusively domestic criminal investigations necessitate international cooperation where the sought-after user data is stored abroad. Existing systems of cross-border legal cooperation were designed for the pre-internet era and are ill-suited to address these challenges. This has led to extensive calls for reform and the proliferation of new policy initiatives at national, regional, and international levels.  

This research maps these emerging policy responses to cross-border data access problems and examines the extent to which they are fit for purpose. It then provides a framework to reconcile the practical necessities of law enforcement in accessing digital evidence stored overseas with the territorial sovereignty of the countries where the sought-after data is stored, the fundamental rights of individuals whose personal data is being sought, and the interests of technology companies whose cooperation is required.

Speaker: Halefom Abraha

Halefom Abraha is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, University of Oxford. As part of the iMANAGE Project, Halefom researches the impact of AI and algorithmic management on privacy and data protection. His research interests include Cross-border Data Access in the law enforcement context, Data Protection, Digital Sovereignty, and Internet Regulation. Halefom received his (joint) PhD in law and digital technology from the University of Malta and Edith Cowan University (Australia).

Moderator: Dr. Marco Bassini

Attendance is free.

To register for this event please contact tilt-events@tilburguniversity.edu.