The website for the 2026 Law via Internet Conference (LVI 2026) and meeting of the Free Access to Law Movement (FALM) is at en.lvi2026.org scheduled for 12-14 October. The Call for Papers is there, with a deadline for abstracts of 21 July.

Congratulations to Joanna Mendelssohn @oldlillipilli.bsky.social for today (the King's Birthday) being made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). Well deserved, Joanna, for all your contributions to art, education and much more. Probably won't make you a monarchist, however ...

Thanks to SSRN for the detailed & informative reply. Great that published work can be submitted as at present. SSRN will offer 'ability to select' any one of 3 CC BY licences, but why do we need to choose any BY licence? The current position (author keeps ©; only licence is to SSRN) is OK by me.

A paper by me and Andin Aditya Rahman on two Indonesian Constitutional Court (MKRI) cases which challenge the PDP Law's provisions on data exports & on unlawful disclosures papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=... . (It might be the last paper I put on SSRN ... see other post today.)

Does anyone on BlueSky know where to find SSRN documents on this policy change? It is so stupid I am starting to wonder whether some misinterpretation may be involved. Or is Elsevier just intent on destroying SSRN?

If Stephen Bainbridge is correct then SSRN's new policy is horrendous news for free access to legal scholarship (and all other fields). We need to see the SSRN source documents.

My short analysis of problems Meta having in India's Supreme Court is at papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=... Both cases concern WhatsApp forcing its users to share metadata with Facebook. It is appealing a US$23.5M fine for anti-competitive conduct. The other will test the Puttaswamy 'right to privacy'.

June International Report is out now, includes: • Ireland DPC prioritises AI • Vietnam’s AI law now in force • Korea’s PIPA: Still Asia’s toughest • Demystifying EU Digital Identity • Generative AI and children + much more... www.privacylaws.com/reports-gate...

On 15 May Moldova became the 34th state to ratify CoE data privacy Convention 108+ (the 'modernised' Convention 108), leaving only ratifications by 4 more states required for 108+ to come into force. www.coe.int/en/web/data-...

David Lindsay & I have put on SSRN 'Copyright’s public domains: The limits on AI appropriation’ papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.... We apply the 15 categories of the © public domain to identify those that already expand content available for AI utilisation, & those most open to being so expanded.

CanLII & Lexum will co-host the Law via the Internet (LVI) 2026 conference lexum.com/en/blog/save... in Montreal, on Oct 12–14, 2026. Under the theme “Trusted Past, Open Future” it will discuss the evolving landscape of legal information, including the impact of AI. Save the date.

One previously missed: Kiribati's Data Protection Act 2025 enacted August 2025, the second from a Pacific Island country (Vanuatu was first in 2024), #177 globally. Fiji & Solomons both have Bills in progress. It provides for administrative penalties, offences & compensation. @dbanisar.bsky.social

In recent paper, I ask 'The Global Trajectory of 50 Years of Data Privacy Laws: Will it Continue?' papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.... The question-mark is because Trump's 'Maga-speech' ideology threatens to upset the previous half-century of progress in global development of data privacy laws.

My article 'Rules Expand India's Data Privacy Law, but Slowly’ is now available on SSRN at papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=... . I conclude that the Rules are fair, although the Act on which they are based is biased in favour of governments and companies. Any comment / discussion is very welcome.

Dave's annual update to his data privacy laws world map is invaluable as ever - 172 as at the end of 2025. My count is 176 because I include a few that only cover the public sector. Not many left to go ...

#DataProtectionDay 2023 I was honoured develop these guidelines for the @coe.int in 2023 ‘Data Protection Day: New guidelines to ensure that national digital identity systems respect human rights standards’ www.coe.int/en/web/human... #NationalDigitalIdentity

28 Jan is Data Privacy Day 2026. This year it should be not so much about celebrating achievements but rather warning of dangers and suggesting counter-measures. My contribution is 'Defending MAGA-Speech: Trump’s War on Global Data Privacy' papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=... . Suggestions welcome.

Burundi is the 176th country to adopt a data privacy law, according to various sources including techafricanews.com/2026/01/16/b... It includes an independent supervisory body. Burundi has ratified the African Union's Malabo Convention. (Thanks Dave Banisar @dbanisar.bsky.social)

Bangladesh is one of the last countries in Asia to enact data privacy legislation - see Personal Data Protection Ordinance 2025; no English version available, but a useful article at www.thedailystar.net/tech-startup... (Thanks Dave Banisar @dbanisar.bsky.social)

My 'Defending MAGA-speech: Trump’s war on global data privacy' papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=..., is a non-US analysis of how the authoritarian Trump Administration has developed a systematic foreign & domestic policy ideology with which to attack data privacy globally. Comments much appreciated.

"Munich regional court sided in favour of Germany’s music rights society GEMA, which said ChatGPT had harvested protected lyrics by popular artists to “learn” from them" Paying for the lack of respect and permission www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

In January 2025 Djibouti in the Horn of Africa became the 174th country to enact a data privacy law: the Digital Code / Code Numerique covers data privacy as well as other e-commerce & cybersecurity topics www.journalofficiel.dj/texte-juridi... Thanks Dave Banisar @dbanisar.bsky.social

Were you on Facebook 10 years ago? papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=... Meta is paying A$50M - largest ever Australian privacy breach settlement. But the clock is ticking, until only 31/12/25. Who's eligible; how to make a claim; how much the eventual payout might be: here's what you need to know.

2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII). An article by its co-founders/directors Mowbray, Chung & Greenleaf in the Australian Law Journals discusses its history: papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=...

Gambia's National Assembly passed the Personal Data Protection and Privacy Bill, 2025 on 29 September, 2025. This makes Gambia the 173rd country to enact a data privacy law. It requires Presidential assent. For the other 172 see papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=...

My article on Malaysia's complex new guidelines on cross-border data transfers is at papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=... . Still a poor law after 2024 reforms, but definitely improving.

The real reason Disney restored Kimmel's late-night show? We, the people, have extraordinary power. Let me explain. https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-deeper-story-behind-americas

AustLII www.austlii.edu.au (1995 - ) and the other LIIs in the Free Access to Law Movement still stick to the ideals of the 90s, survive and sometimes thrive.

David Pope captures it beautifully.

Data flows and digital repression: Civil society urges EU to reassess Israel’s adequacy status edri.org/our-work/dat...

Sending troops into US cities against their will. Strong-arming corporations and extracting gifts in exchange for tariff exemptions. Calling on state governments to gerrymander in his favor. Trump is the "big government" nightmare conservatives have always warned us about.

Cambodia's Post & Telecoms Ministry has released a draft law on personal data protection in July 2025. Still no DPA, and relies on dozens of prakas (regs) being made. See my article on the 2023 Bill: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.... May be better than nothing, but maybe not if there is no enforcement

Dave's map is accurate for the 166 'comprehensive' laws. Add laws restricted to either the private sector (Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Bahrain, China, UAE, Vietnam, Qatar), or only the public sector (Yemen), & you get 172 countries with data privacy laws. See my papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=...

Same goes for GCC jurisidtions, such as the UAE (including that of DIFC, ADGM), KSA, Qatar, Oman etc

This map is just ignorant concerning the many African and Latin American countries with data privacy laws, and under-estimates the influence of the GDPR elsewhere. 172 countries have such laws. Dave Banisar's map - see Post following - is much more accurate on the extent of countries with laws.

Apology: correct URL is papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

My article 'Global data privacy 2025: International agreements stall' at download.ssrn.com/2025/8/10/53... surveys 2023-24's hi-spots: EU adequacy slo-mo; 108+ non-ratification; Malabo Convention stuck at 16/55 AU; ECOWAS withdrawals; CBPRs as dead parrot; CPTPP with added Brexit; RCEP uber FTAs.

AustLII (www.austlii.edu.au) will host the 22nd Law Via Internet Conference (Nov 13-14, Sydney) lvi2025.org. 24 presenters are listed on a new Conference Program page lvi2025.org/program/. Further submissions of abstracts are open until 31 August lvi2025.org/callforpapers/. Registration is open.

BSA now supports comprehensive privacy laws, and is horrified by states adopting new (outrageous) laws that actually gives consumers some rights. So not really a good or even comprehensive law, or probably a law at all really. I’m feeling a certain sense of deja vu all over again.

Important hearing discussing need for comprehensive privacy protections in US just starting.

172 countries have now enacted data privacy laws by, 12 new in 2023/24 (+ Brunei in 2025). At the current growth rate of 5.2 p/a, they could be universal in 8 years, but some (N.Korea?) will resist. GDPR influence still dominates. My paper analysing the changes is at papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=...

AustLII is hosting the 2025 Law via Internet Conference (LVI 2025 lvi2025.org), 'Empowering a just society through legal information, policy, technology, & practice', in Sydney in November. The Call for Papers closes on 21 July & registration is now open. It will be beach weather - bring your togs!

'Free Access to Law and Digital Court Decisions in Australia: Reflections and Future Directions', mainly about AustLII's contributions, is by Andrew Mowbray, Philip Chung and me, at papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=...

This is so fundamental: they are designed to tell you what they surmise you would expect to hear next. Not what is true. The two often coincide, but that is not a good place to start.

5 more ratifications of 108+ required for it to come into force. Maybe this year.

It's 50+ years since the first national data protection law in Sweden @grahamgreenleaf.bsky.social traces the impact over this period and identifies the current significance of data privacy laws in an increasingly digital world Full programme: www.events.privacylaws.com#/agenda?day=... #plb2025

Law schools have long had to respond to technological change, influenced from its highly funded sector. In the past, academic responses to big technology businesses have had values of openness and education at the core — consider AustLII and BAILII.(@grahamgreenleaf.bsky.social)

Of course, the UK could at the same time introduce compulsory voting and preferential voting and become a better democracy ...

www.theguardian.com/politics/202... How about Labour fix this, get rid of ID and allow 16-17 year olds the vote.

Perhaps it would have helped if over the last 30 years Germany had developed a comprehensive system of free access to legal information, so that it was more likely that non-proprietary alternatives to a German legal LLM could emerge.