DCU Digital Law Perspectives

DCU Law and Tech Research Cluster

The Podcast of the DCU Law and Tech Research Cluster, where we explore the fascinating intersections of Law and Technology. The second season of DCU Digital Law Perspectives, hosted by Victor Henriquez Diaz, engages with a diverse set of applied research topics situated at the intersection of law and technology. Through in-depth conversations with early-career professionals and researchers from across the globe, the series critically examines the challenges posed by technological change and the responses emerging within contemporary practice.

Episodes

  1. 19 JAN

    The European Health Data Space: a tech or constitutional question?

    In this episode of DCU Digital Law Perspectives, host Victor Enriquez Dias sits down with Anna Fiorentini, a Research Fellow in EU law at the University of Bologna and Adjunct Professor at the University of Padua, to discuss the evolving landscape of European data regulation, with a particular focus on the European Health Data Space (EHDS). In their conversation they talk about how this pioneering regulation is pushing the legal boundaries of the European Union, strategically using internal market and data protection rules to advance public health goals where traditional treaties fall short. The conversation challenges the notion of data regulation as purely technical, revealing the profound constitutional tensions and delicate balance between protecting individual privacy and unlocking data for the collective good,from medical breakthroughs to crisis preparedness. We also explore whether the EHDS is a blueprint for future sector-specific data spaces in energy, mobility, and the environment, or if its approach risks creating a fragmented and overly complex digital landscape. A must-listen for anyone interested in the future of EU governance, the evolution of the GDPR, and the real-world stakes of building a data-driven society. Host: Victor Enriquez DiasGuest: Anna Fiorentini Produced by: DCU Law and Tech Research Cluster, Felipe Alvarez Vega, Victor Henriquez Diaz, Edoardo Celeste and Wiykiynyuy Fogue Leslyarode Edited by: Felipe Alvarez Vega and Wiykiynyuy Fogue Leslyarode Music by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠penguinmusic ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- *Better Day* from Pixabay Artwork by: Andrea Marrufo Aranda Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@dcu_lawandtechContact: Feel free to reach out to us at lawandtech@dcu.ie for feedback, questions, or enquiries.

    19 min
  2. 14/11/2025

    Chat Control: The Slippery Slope of Mass Surveillance

    [Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions about the prosecution and mechanisms to fight child sexual abuse, which may be distressing to some listeners.] In this episode of DCU Digital Law Perspectives, host Victor is joined by special guest Patrick Breyer, a renowned German digital rights activist and former MEP. They delve into the EU's controversial "chat control" proposal, a regulation presented as a tool to protect children but one that threatens to dismantle digital privacy for everyone. Breyer breaks down how the law would force the mass scanning of all our private messages and emails, turning our personal phones into surveillance devices. He explains why this approach is not only ineffective at catching real criminals but also creates severe risks for ordinary citizens, from false accusations to the erosion of free speech and professional secrecy. This is a defining fight for the future of a free and secure internet, and this episode provides a crucial understanding of the high stakes involved. Addendum: The Current BattleThis discussion is more critical than ever. In a recent development, a new compromise text has been proposed that, despite claims to the contrary, reintroduces mandatory scanning through a legal backdoor, expands the use of unreliable AI surveillance, and threatens to ban anonymous communication online. Listen to learn what the better alternatives are and how you can make your voice heard. Host: Victor Henriquez Díaz Guest: Patrick Breyer Produced by: DCU Law and Tech Research Cluster, Felipe Alvarez Vega, Victor Henriquez Diaz, Edoardo Celeste and Wiykiynyuy Fogue Leslyarode Edited by: Felipe Alvarez Vega Music by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠penguinmusic ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- *Better Day* from Pixabay Artwork by: Andrea Marrufo Aranda Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@dcu_lawandtechContact: Feel free to reach out to us at lawandtech@dcu.ie for feedback, questions, or enquiries.

    39 min
  3. 05/11/2025

    The Price of AI: A conversation with the AI + Planetary Justice Alliance - Part 1

    This episode introduces the AI + Planetary Justice Alliance, a global collective examining the full, material lifecycle of large-scale AI systems. They challenge the notion of "seamless" technology by tracing AI's impacts from resource extraction and manufacturing to disposal, emphasising its massive consumption of water. Sara Marcucci, Lakshmee Vinayak Sharma and Nicolás Marín Navas illustrate these impacts with concrete examples, such as water shortages in Taiwan from semiconductor production and data centres being built on indigenous lands in Brazil. Using a "planetary justice" lens, the Alliance connects these environmental harms to social and geopolitical injustices, arguing for a holistic approach that considers both human communities and the broader ecosystem. The conversation will continue in Part 2, which will delve into the Alliance's specific projects. Host: Victor Henriquez Díaz Guests: ⁠Sara Marcucci⁠, ⁠Lakshmee Vinayak Sharma⁠ and ⁠Nicolás Marín Navas⁠ Produced by: DCU Law and Tech Research Cluster, Felipe Alvarez Vega, Victor Henriquez Diaz, Edoardo Celeste and Wiykiynyuy Fogue Leslyarode Edited by: Felipe Alvarez Vega Music by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠penguinmusic ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- *Better Day* from Pixabay Artwork by: Andrea Marrufo Aranda Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@dcu_lawandtechContact: Feel free to reach out to us at lawandtech@dcu.ie for feedback, questions, or enquiries.

    24 min

About

The Podcast of the DCU Law and Tech Research Cluster, where we explore the fascinating intersections of Law and Technology. The second season of DCU Digital Law Perspectives, hosted by Victor Henriquez Diaz, engages with a diverse set of applied research topics situated at the intersection of law and technology. Through in-depth conversations with early-career professionals and researchers from across the globe, the series critically examines the challenges posed by technological change and the responses emerging within contemporary practice.