Professor Lorna Woods
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Email
lmwoods@essex.ac.uk -
Telephone
+44 (0) 1206 872905
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Location
5S.7.25, Colchester Campus
Profile
Biography
Lorna Woods is Professor of Internet Law. She started her career as a practising solicitor in a technology, media and telecommunications practice in the City of London. She has extensive experience in the field of media policy and communications regulation, including data protection, social media and the Internet (see list of publications below). She has also contributed to many commissioned studies, including, for example, the RAND Study on Options for and Effectiveness of Internet Self- and Co-Regulation’ (2007)) and the Hans Bredow Study on Co-regulation and the Media (2006) to the European Audiovisual Observatory study into Media Pluralism and Competition Issues (2020). Her expertise in these fields is reflected in the fact that she has been asked on numerous occasions to give oral evidence to Parliamentary inquiries across the technology, media and telecommunications sectors both in the UK and abroad. She has worked with international organisations - for example, chairing an Expert Working Group on Content Moderation and AI for the OSCE's Representative for Freedom of the Media's SAIFE initiative. She also has a long-standing interest in privacy, especially privacy in public places and the law relating to surveillance, and is well-know as a European lawyer for the Textbook on EU Law (Steiner and Woods). Her research project with Carnegie UK Trust, which was shortlisted in 2019 for Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, was on reducing harm arising on social media. The Carnegie project introduced a systems-based approach to social media regulation, rather than an approach focusing on direct content regulation, and proposed that platform operators be subject to a statutory duty of care. The proposal was adopted in the 2019 Online Harms White Paper. The impact of her work has been recognised in both Houses of Parliament and in recognition of her work she was awarded an OBE in 2020 for her services to internet safety policy. She continues this work with the Online Safety Act Implementation Network. Professor Woods has often appeared in the media and in tech policy and data protection conferences, for example speaking at the Oxford Media Conference in 2021 and 2022. She is an expert speaker on law and regulation of the internet, especially child safety, online harms and safety tech. She is serving a second term as a member of the ESRC Peer Review College, is an affiliate at the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracyat Cambridge University, a senior associate research fellow at the Information Law and Policy Centre, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London and a member of the policy network at the Centre for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge. Professor Woods is a member of the Digital Freedom Fund's Panel of Experts, a member of the AI Group of the Society for Computers and Law and a fellow of the Royal Society for Arts. She was also a member of a group of advisors who supported the Surveillance Camera Commissioner in his role (a group established by virtue of paragraph 5.7 of the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice) and has sat on the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) National User Group, advising the Surveillance Camera Commissioner and the police since 2015. She was also a member of the IMPRESS Code Committee (2015-2020).
Qualifications
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LLB
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LLM
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solicitor
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Media regulation
Internet Law
Surveillance
Analysis of the regulatory framework for state surveillance, especially dataveillance and surveillance in public spaces
Current research
Impact of positive obligations under freedom of expression on media and telecommunications regulation
Challenges of social media
Conferences and presentations
The DSA in Times of Crisis
Invited presentation, The DSA and Platform Regulation Conference 2024, IVIR, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 16/2/2024
Online Safety Bill - Harmful but Legal
Invited presentation, Seminar: Freedom of Expression - Contemporary Challenges in the UK, HRLC (Civil and Political Rights Unit), Nottingham, 7/12/2022
Regulating Online Harm and Avoiding Surveillance
Invited presentation, Regulating the Internet – Really? Part III: Managing the tensions of competing rights, Ottawa, 9/11/2022
Launch -Draft 'Effective Guidelines on Hate Speech, Social Media and Minorities'
RightsCon, 7/6/2022
A Duty of Care for Girls Online
Invited presentation, What Can the Online Safety Bill do to Protect Girls?, London, United Kingdom, 8/12/2021
Opening Remarks -Regulation: the draft Online Safety Bill
Invited presentation, Round Table - Privacy Protecting Tech, London, United Kingdom, 24/11/2021
Discussant: Trustworthy Governance in a Pandemic
Invited presentation, ILPC Annual Conference: Data in a Pandemic: Rights and Responsibilities, Information Law and Policy Centre, London, 18/11/2021
Moderator of panel discussion
Invited presentation, panel discussion on foreign disinformation, 15/11/2021
Panel: Policing Online Content and Social Media
Invited presentation, Policing Cybercrime Digital Conference, London, 2/11/2021
Executive Accountability and National Security
Questions of Accountability: International Conference, Worcester, United Kingdom, 1/11/2021
Anonymity, age verification and the duty of care
Invited presentation, Roundtable in Support of the Joint Committee on the draft Online Safety Bill, London, United Kingdom, 27/10/2021
Tackling Cyberbullying - the draft OSB
Invited presentation, Tackling Cyber-Bullying: Understanding the Issues & Developing Solutions to Protecting Young People Online, London, 26/10/2021
Plenary panel: 'A digital strategy for the common good?
Invited presentation, IPPR Oxford Media Convention, IPPR, 20/7/2021
Panel Discussion: Policing Online Content and Social Media
Invited presentation, Policing Cybercrime Conference, Westminster Insight, 16/7/2021
Panel discussion: Regulatory independence and the Duty of Care in the Online Safety Bill
LSE Online Safety Bill Briefing, London, 8/7/2021
Online Safety Bill
Invited presentation, LSE Briefing on the draft Online Safety Bill, 8/7/2021
Intoduction to draft OSB
Invited presentation, GMF Roundtable on OSB and DSA, German Marshall Fund, 23/6/2021
Responsibilities of Social Media Platforms under International Human Rights Law
Invited presentation, Roundtable Discussion on Human Rights Responsibilities of Social Media Platforms, Brussels, Belgium, 24/3/2021
2021 and Beyond: Regulations on the Horizon
Invited presentation, PrivSec Gloobal 2021, 24/3/2021
Regulatory Compliance
Invited presentation, Safety Tech Expo 2021, 24/3/2021
The UK: Online Safety Bill and Other Initiatives
Invited presentation, Digital Workshop on Platform and Media Regulation – New Trends in Western Democracies, 23/2/2021
Remarks on the Statutory Duty of Care
The UK's New Online Safety Bill, London, United Kingdom, 10/2/2021
The UK's New Online Safety Bill - Introductory Remarks
Invited presentation, The UK's New Online Safety Bill, London, United Kingdom, 10/2/2021
Online Harms - An Overview
Invited presentation, Society for Computers and Law Online Harms Webinar, Society for Computers and Law, London, 29/10/2020
roundtable participation
Invited presentation, Online Harms Roundtable - Our Digital Future Consultation (Labour Party), 18/9/2020
Latest Thinking on reducing harmful content online
Invited presentation, Protecting Children online: content regulatopm, age verification and latest thinking on industry responsibility, Westminster eForum Policy Conference, 10/12/2019
Conceptualising the Problem: Policy changes in comparative perspective
Invited presentation, Dealling with Digital Diminance: Joining up the Policy Solutions, London, United Kingdom, 9/12/2019
Corporate Accountability and Europe's Digital Agenda (roundtable discussion)
Invited presentation, Corproate Accountability and Europe's Digital Agenda, The Internet Commission, 13/11/2019
The Carnegie proposal for a Statutory Duty of Care
Invited presentation, Truth and Lies: Information in the Archives, National Archives, 22/10/2019
group discussion
Invited presentation, Stakeholder Meeting on Data Retention, Brussels, Belgium, 8/10/2019
The Online Harms White Paper
Invited presentation, The Future of Intermediary Liability in Europe, 21/5/2019
Domestic Surveillance and European Courts
Invited presentation, Supranational Courts: Are they effective in setting the limits of intrusive surveillance by public and private bodies?, 6/9/2018
Social Media and Freedom of Expression: On the Edge of Reason
Invited presentation, The Legal CHallenges of Social Media to Freedom of Expression, Leicester, United Kingdom, 6/12/2013
Competition Policy an dthe Regulation of Media and Communications, Tilburg Law and Econonmics Centre (TILEC), Tilburg University, 23-24 May 2013
Tilburg, Netherlands, 2013
The Legal Implications of On-line Social Media on Freedom of Speech, University of Leicester, December 2013
Leicester, United Kingdom, 2013
'Freedom of Expression on the Internet: bloggers 'rights'a at side event to the OSCE Conference, Warsaw,6th October 2009, organised by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency and the EU Presidency.
Warsaw, Poland, 2009
'Regulation, Co-regulation, Self-regulation: protection of minors - the case of the UK' at in the year 2009 - Accompanying the transposition of the Audiovisual Media Services
2009
'Ethics and Human Rigths and the Internet' Meeting in preparation for the IGF, Council of Europe, Media Division, Sept 2007
2007
The Constitution of the Public Sphere: the post-Leveson Landscape (W.G. Hart Workshop)
Directive (Saarbrucken, Germany), organised by European Audiovisual Observatory and EM
Teaching and supervision
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Clinical Psychology (D Clin Psych)
Degree type: Professional Doctorate
Awarded date: 18/4/2018
Degree subject: Clinical Psychology (D Clin Psych)
Degree type: Professional Doctorate
Awarded date: 7/3/2018
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 17/6/2015
Publications
Journal articles (48)
McGlynn, C., Woods, L. and Antoniou, A., (2024). Pornography, the Online Safety Act 2023 and the Need for Further Reform. The Journal of Media Law. 16 (2), 211-239
Woods, L., (2022). United Kingdom ∙ The Court of Appeals Judgment Concerning the Legality of the ‘Immigration Exception’ for Data Processing. European Data Protection Law Review. 8 (1), 134-136
Woods, L., McNamara, L. and Townend, J., (2021). Executive accountability and national security. The Modern Law Review. 84 (3), 553-580
Woods, L. and Holznagel, B., (2021). Rechtsguterschutz im Internet - Regulierung durch Sorgfaltspflichten in England und Deutschland. Juristen Zeitung. 76 (6), 276-285
Woods, L., (2021). Facebook Ireland and the One Stop Shop under the GDPR. European Law Review. 46 (5), 685-691
Woods, L., (2020). United Kingdom ∙ Automated Facial Recognition in the UK: The Bridges Case and Beyond. European Data Protection Law Review. 6 (3), 455-463
Draghici, C. and Woods, LM., (2019). Killing Journalists is Not Media Regulation: Private Rights, Collective Wrongs and the Impact of Impunity. Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems. 29 (1), 263-308
Woods, L., (2019). Digital Privacy and Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Political Quarterly. 90 (3), 422-429
Woods, L., (2019). The duty of care in the Online Harms White Paper. Journal of Media Law. 11 (1), 6-17
Woods, LM., (2018). Video-sharing platforms in the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive. Communications Law. 23 (3), 127-140
Woods, L., (2017). Automated Number Plate Recognition: Data Retention and the Protection of Privacy in Public Places. Journal of Information Rights, Policy and Practice. 2 (1), 1-21
Woods, L., (2017). United Kingdom ∙ Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT): Privacy International v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Ors. European Data Protection Law Review. 3 (2), 247-250
Woods, L., (2017). United Kingdom ∙ CG v Facebook: The Interconnection between E-Commerce and Data Protection. European Data Protection Law Review. 3 (1), 106-110
Woods, L., (2017). GDPR Implementation Series ∙ United Kingdom: Heading Towards Brexit but with a Data Protection Bill Implementing GDPR. European Data Protection Law Review. 3 (4), 500-506
Woods, L., (2017). The Investigatory Powers Act 2016. Journal of Data Protection & Privacy. 1 (2), 222-222
Woods, L., (2017). United Kingdom ∙ The Investigatory Powers Act 2016. European Data Protection Law Review. 3 (1), 103-105
Woods, L., (2017). United Kingdom ∙ Digital Economy Act 2017: Data Sharing Provisions. European Data Protection Law Review. 3 (2), 244-246
Woods, L., (2016). EU opinion of the advocate general in tele 2/Watson - Data retention and human rights. Communications Law. 21 (3), 72-77
Woods, L., (2016). United Kingdom ∙ Draft Investigatory Powers Bill. European Data Protection Law Review. 2 (1), 103-107
Woods, L., (2015). Delfi v Estonia: curtailing online freedom of expression?. Computers and Law. 26 (3), 3-6
Woods, LM., (2015). United Kingdom ∙ High Court Strikes Down Data Retention Laws in Ruling on DRIPA. European Data Protection Law Review. 1 (3), 236-239
Woods, L., (2012). Beyond Murphy, Films and Football: Audiovisual Content in Europe. Journal of Media Law. 4 (2), 189-212
Woods, L., (2012). Consistency in the chambers of the ECJ: a case study on the free movement of goods.. Civil Justice Quarterly. 31 (3), 339-367
Walden, I. and Woods, L., (2011). Broadcasting Privacy. Journal of Media Law. 3 (1), 117-141
Woods, L., (2009). The "future-proof" Communications Bill: platform regulation in a new age. Computers and Law. 20 (6), 17-19
Woods, L., (2008). The Consumer and Advertising Regulation in the Television without Frontiers and Audiovisual Media Services Directives. Journal of Consumer Policy. 31 (1), 63-77
Woods, L., (2006). Freedom of Expression in the European Union. European Public Law. 12, 371-401
Woods, L., (2005). Broadcasting, universal service and the communications package. Info. 7 (5), 29-41
Woods, L. and Smith, F., (2005). A Distinction without a Difference: Exploring the Boundary between Goods and Services in the World Trade Organization and the European Union. Columbia Journal of European Law. 12 (1), 1-51
Woods, L. and Scheuer, A., (2004). Advertising Regulation and the Television without Frontiers Directive. European Law Review. 29 (3), 366-384
Woods, L. and Smith, F., (2004). GATS and the Audiovisual Sector. Communications Law. 9 (1), 15-21
Harrison, J. and Woods, LM., (2001). Defining European Public Service Broadcasting. European Journal of Communication. 16 (4), 477-504
Woods, L., (2001). Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights During 2000. British Yearbook of International Law. 71 (1), 473-515
Woods, L., (2001). Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights during 2001. British Yearbook of International Law. 72 (1), 483-550
Woods, L., (2001). Nottingham City Council v October Films Ltd and Kelly v BBC ? Freedom of Expression and the Protection of Minors. Child and family law quarterly.. 13 (2), 209-223
Woods, L. and Harrison, J., (2001). Television quotas: protecting European culture?. Entertainment Law Review. 12 (1), 5-14
Harrison, J. and Woods, L., (2000). European Citizenship: Can European Audio-visual Policy Make a Difference?. Journal of Common Market Studies. 38 (3), 471-495
Woods, L., (1999). Decisions of the European Court on Human Rights during 1999. British Yearbook of International Law. 70 (1), 349-386
Woods, L. and Harrison, J., (1999). Determining Jurisdiction in the Digital Age. European Public Law, 583-600
Woods, L., (1999). Family Rights in the EU- disadvantaging the disadvantaged?. Child and family law quarterly.. 11, 17-31
Woods, L., (1999). Obliged to help Big Brother? The government review of interception of communications. Utilities Law Review. 10 (6), 262-268
Woods, L., (1998). Decisions of the European Court on Human Rights during 1998. British Yearbook of International Law. 69 (1), 361-410
Woods, L. and Scholes, J., (1997). Broadcasting: Creation of a European Culture or the Limits of the Internal Market?. Yearbook of European Law. 17 (1), 47-82
Smith, F. and Woods, L., (1997). Causation in Francovich: the neglected problem. International and Comparative Law Quarterly. 46 (4), 925-941
Woods, L., (1997). Decisions of the European Court on Human Rights during 1997. British Yearbook of International Law. 68 (1), 371-445
Villiers, C. and Woods, L., (1997). Seymour-Smith: problems in procedures and proof. Modern Law Review. 60 (1), 110-119
Woods, L. and Scholes, J., (1996). The Broadcasting Act 1996. Entertainment Law Review. 7 (7), 297-307
Woods, L. and Scholes, J., (1996). Media ownership: the UK government's proposals. Entertainment Law Review. 7 (1), 7-15
Books (5)
Ferstman, C., (2018). Contemporary Human Rights Challenges: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its Continuing Relevance. Routledge. 978-0-8153-6463-4
Woods, L. and Watson, P., (2014). Steiner and Woods on EU Law (12th Edition). Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-968567-7
Harrison, J. and Woods, L., (2007). European Broadcasting Law and Policy. Cambridge University Press. 9780521848978
Woods, L., (2004). The Free Movement of Goods and Services within the European Community. Ashgate. 978-1855215689
Michalowski, S. and Woods, L., (1999). German Constitutional Law The Protection of Civil Liberties. Dartmouth Publishing Company. 1855219204. 9781855219205
Book chapters (21)
Woods, L., (2024). Regulating to Minimise Harm to Children and Young People. In: Children, Young People and Online Harms. Springer International Publishing. 141- 168. 9783031460524
Woods, L., (2023). Social media jurisprudence. In: Social Media, Fundamental Rights and Courts. Routledge. 48- 69
Woods, L., (2023). Social media jurisprudence: The European Court of Human Rights. In: Social Media Fundamental Rights and Courts A European Perspective. 48- 69
Woods, L. and Perrin, W., (2021). Obliging Platforms to Accept a Duty of Care. In: Regulating Big Tech: Policy Responses to Digital Dominance. Editors: Moore, M. and Tambini, D., . Oxford University Press. 93- 109. 0197616097. 9780197616093
Woods, L., Bayer, J. and Holznagel, B., (2021). Introduction. In: Perspectives on Platform Regulation Concepts and Models of Social Media Governance Across the Globe. Editors: Holznagel, B., Baayer, J., Korpisaari, P. and Woods, L., . Nomos. 13- 21. 3848785579. 9783848785575
Woods, L., (2021). The UK's Approach to the Regulation of Digital Platforms. In: Perspectives on Platform Regulation Concepts and Models of Social Media Governance Across the Globe. Editors: bayer, J., holznagel, B., Korpisaari, P. and Woods, L., . Nomos. 329- 350. 3848785579. 9783848785575
Woods, L., Bayer, J., Holznagel, B. and Korpisaari, P., (2021). Conclusions: Regulator Responses to Communication Platforms-Models and Limits. In: Perspectives on Platform Regulation Concepts and Models of Social Media Governance Across the Globe. Editors: bayer, J., Holznagel, B., Korpisaari, P. and Woods, L., . Nomos. 565- 584. 3848785579. 9783848785575
Woods, L., (2021). The UK’s Approach to Regulation of Digital Platforms. In: Perspectives on Platform Regulation. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG. 329- 350
Woods, L., (2021). Abuse of rights. In: Eu Charter of Fundamental Rights A Commentary. 1691- 1708
Woods, L., (2021). Freedom of expression and information. In: Eu Charter of Fundamental Rights A Commentary. 333- 369
Woods, L., (2021). Introducing the Systems Approach and the Statutory Duty of Care. In: Perspectives on Platform Regulation Concepts and Models of Social Media Governance Across the Globe. Editors: Bayer, J., Holznagel, B., Korpisaari, P. and Woods, L., . Nomos. 77- 97. 9783848785575
Woods, L., (2017). Social media: it is not just about Article 10. In: The Legal Challenges of Social Media. Editors: Mangan, D. and Gillies, LE., . Edward Elgar. 978 1 78536 450 1
Woods, L., (2017). Digital freedom of expression in the EU. In: Research Handbook on EU Law and Human Rights. Edward Elgar Publishing. 394- 417. 9781782546399
Woods, L., (2016). Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen für Mediaagenturen in England. In: Handbuch Mediaagenturen: Aufgabenfelder, Gesch�ftsmodelle, Vertrags-und Wettbewerbsrecht. Editors: Gaedertz, JC., Martinek, M. and Ory, S., . Verlag C H Beck. 978-3-406-64466-5
Woods, L., (2016). Jurisdiction in the Television without Frontiers Directive. In: The European Union and the Culture Industries. Routledge. 145- 163
Woods, L., (2015). Diversity, Distribution, and Definitions of ?Media?. In: Media Power and Plurality: From Hyperlocal to High-level Policy. Editors: Barnett, S. and Townend, J., . Palgrave Macmillan. 31- 44. 978-1-349-50664-4
Woods, L., (2014). Article 11 - Freedom of Expression and Information. In: Commentary on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Editors: Peers, S., Hervey, T., Kenner, J. and Ward, A., . Beck/Hart Publishing. 978-1849463089
Woods, L., (2014). Article 54 ? Abuse of Rights. In: The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: A Commentary. Editors: Peers, S., Hervey, T., Kenner, J. and Ward, A., . Beck/Hart Publishing. 1539- 1559. 978-1849463089
Woods, L., (2014). Public service media in the era of austerity: European Union law and national public service media provision. In: Media Freedom and Regulation in the New Media World. Editors: Koltay, A., . Wolters Kluwer. 9789632954004
Woods, L., (2008). Jurisdiction in the Television without Frontiers Directive. In: The European Union and the Culture Industries Regulation and the Public Interest. Editors: Ward, D., . Ashgate. 145- 164. 9780754670186
Woods, L., (2008). Jurisdiction in the television without frontiers directive. In: European Union and the Culture Industries Regulation and the Public Interest. 145- 163
Conferences (3)
Amos, M., Harrison, J. and Woods, L., (2012). Conclusion: Utilising a Human Rights Framework
Amos, M., Harrison, J. and Woods, L., (2012). Introduction: Freedom of Expression and the Media
Woods, L., (2012). User Generated Content: Freedom of Expression and the Role of the Media in a Digital Age
Reports and Papers (5)
Woods, L., The Carnegie Statutory Duty of Care and Fundamental Freedoms
McGlynn, PC., Woods, L. and Antoniou, A., (2024). Pornography, the Online Safety Act 2023 and the need for further reform
Antoniou, A. and Woods, L., (2022). Transparency of media ownership
Antoniou, A., Karapapa, S., Sarid, E., Woods, L. and Xu, T., (2020). Consultation on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property
Woods, L. and Perrin, W., (2019). Online harm reduction – a statutory duty of care and regulator
Grants and funding
2024
Providing expert legal insight, briefing and support to the Online Safety Act Implementation Network programme
Reset Tech Action
2023
Policy, legal and advocacy activity in relation to the �Duty of Care� project to tackle online harm (Jan - April 2023)
Carnegie UK
Supporting the final stages of policy and advocacy activity in relation to the �Duty of Care� project to tackle online harm and supporting the implementation of the new Online Safety Act
Carnegie UK
2022
Policy and advocacy activity in relation to the �Duty of Care� project to tackle online harm (Sept - Dec 2022)
Carnegie UK
2021
Transparency of algorithmic auditing - to produce systematic literature review of grey literature, academic literature, and law (including case law) in the field of finance law, corporate social responsibility, and business, relating to audits, governance of audits, and the auditing of AI in general and specifically in relation to social media and search engines
Rutgers State University of New Jersey
Ongoing development of policy and advocacy activity in relation to the 'Duty of Care� project for social media and other internet platforms in the UK
Carnegie UK
2020
Harm Regulation and Social Media 2020
Carnegie UK
2019
Reducing Harm on Social Media: policy proposal for regulating social media � impact work with UK government and possibly involvement in revision of e-Commerce Directive
Carnegie UK
2018
Reduction of harm on social media - a regulatory proposal
Carnegie UK
