STEaPP’s Digital Technologies Policy Laboratory joins Global Network of Internet & Society Centers

The Global Network of Internet & Society Centers is a collaborative initiative between numerous academic institutions with a focus on interdisciplinary research on the development, social impact, policy implications, and legal issues concerning the Internet. Through increased interoperability between participating institutions, the network aims to address these issues on a global scale.

The Digital Technologies Policy Laboratory, which is led by Professor Madeline Carr, works across a number of disciplines to address the challenges and opportunities of emerging technologies. Many of the Laboratory’s projects are co-designed with the policy making community to ensure they are truly addressing the needs of those who design and implement policy.

UCL’s Digital Technologies Policy Laboratory has now the privilege of joining the list of established Internet research hubs. The Center includes esteemed members such as the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, the MIT Center for Civic Media, and the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) in Berlin.

Together with the other organisations involved in the Centre, the Digital Technologies Policy Laboratory focuses on developing solutions to the complex policy issues surrounding emerging technologies. This includes the promotion of justice and equity, their impact on economic growth, the provision of public goods, and on international affairs and security.

Professor Madeline Carr is delighted that UCL STEaPP has been approved to become part of the Global Network of Internet & Society Centers and sees much benefit to participate in these international endeavours. She said: “Our Digital Technologies Policy Laboratory is already well-connected and part of national networks such as the Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security (RISCS), the PETRAS National Centre of Excellence, and the National Research Centre on Privacy, Harm Reduction and Adversarial Influence Online (REPHRAIN).

“Having a chance to connect with global research leaders in this space is a unique opportunity and we are thrilled to have an opportunity to work more closely with academic and non-academic research centers, policy-support entities, or think tanks.”

For more details on the Digital Technologies Policy Laboratory and their current research projects, visit the STEaPP website