For the first episode of this season, we delve into the complex topics of journalism and covering politics in the digital age. With news shaping opinions and driving political decisions, can media outlets maintain trust and credibility in an era of bias, ethical dilemmas, and rapid change? This episode was recorded in December 2024 after the US election, and we dive into the power and responsibility of journalists in shaping narratives and political outcomes.  

We discuss these questions with our guest Gabriel Pogrund: the Sunday Times Whitehall Editor, winner of the 2017 Young Journalist of the Year award, and  named Journalist of the Year at the 2023 British Journalism Awards. He has also co-authored the books "Left Out" and "Get In.” Join the hosts Zahra, Anusha, and Nasra for a riveting chat with Mr. Pogrund. 

In this episode, we dive into the heart of the encryption debate with Divij Joshi, a lawyer, researcher, and PhD candidate at the University College of London specialising in technology and society. We begin by breaking down the basics of encryption, delving into the intricacies of end-to-end encryption, and with Divij's expertise, we explore the delicate balance between privacy and security, a central theme in the encryption discourse. 
 
Our conversation extends beyond theory as we delve into the real-world implications across different nations, particularly in India, the UK, and the US. We look further to understand more about encryption and regulation in terms of notable tech companies and government organisations. Beyond the immediate consequences, we widen our lens to explore the broader implications of weakening encryption. The potential impacts span a myriad of areas, from individual privacy to national security, economic stability, and personal freedoms. Furthermore, Divij draws attention to the crucial role of public awareness and advocacy in this critical matter. 
 
This episode serves as an invaluable resource for anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of the current encryption discussions. Through Divij Joshi's expertise and research, we gain an in-depth perspective on the intricacies of encryption, its legal and cultural ramifications across different countries, and the profound implications of weakening this powerful security measure. By expanding our knowledge and engaging in informed discussions, we are better equipped to navigate the complexities of the encryption debate and contribute to shaping policies that strike a balance between privacy, security, and societal well-being. 

The music industry is filled with different artists singing various genres with the use of many tools to create music. Nowadays, with the addition of AI in the world, the question comes up as to whether the music that is generated through AI is actually legal and can be copyrighted as owned by someone.

On today’s episode of ‘Yours Lawfully’ we are excited to have with us an esteemed international copyright lawyer, Mr. Florian Koempel who has acted as the British Copyright Council Representative of the World Intellectual Property Organization and is currently serving as an advisor for a variety of clients in the creative sector including UK Music Ltd, the Music Publishers Association, the British Copyright Council and C8 Associates. He also convenes postgraduate courses on International Copyright Law and Music Industry Contracts at Queen Mary University of London. Mr. Koempel, along with our hosts - Ms. Aishwarya Girinarayanan, Ms. Vishruthi Karthi and Ms. Federica Monteleone explore themes such as sampling, interpolation and the use of AI applications in the music industry by touching upon Ed Sheeran’s IP cases, Taylor Swift’s re-recordings and Ava Max’s use of sampling and interpolation to show how these applications are used as the world evolves using popular cases and examples to accompany them.

Note to listeners: We would like to inform our listeners that the episode has been recorded on 20th March 2024 and that the speaker refers to the involvement of Marvin Gaye’s estate in the controversy (3:55 to 4:04) which has not explicitly been mentioned in the audio.

We hope that you have a wonderful time listening to our episode! :)

On today’s episode of Your Lawfully, we welcomed Maria Pallante, who discusses issues of AI-generated publications and the copyright infringement of current works of human authors. Specifically, we focus on the allegations of fair use and fair dealing argued by tech companies. We also delve into the debate of whether these publications are or should be protected by copyright law.

Maria Pallante is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of American Publishers. She is also an American attorney and a recognized authority on Copyright law, who has previously served as the Register of Copyrights, and the Director of the United States Copyrights Office where she assisted in commencing the first review of the Copyright Act by Congress in decades, emphasizing the centrality of authors to public interest.  She further teaches copyright at George Washington University Law School.

Please note that this episode is recorded in March 2024.

This episode of Yours Lawfully will explore the deeply controversial concept of the Spliternet. As the global internet and cyberspaces gain more prominence in our daily lives, deeper regulation by nation states and governments risk fracturing the internet from a global common 'world wide web' to national or regionalized siloed networks governed by a different set of laws across the world. 

How will this phenomenon affect the relationship the global citizenry has with the internet as a medium of global communication and information? Is the spliternet a possible future for the internet or is it a foregone reality? And if it is inevitable, what could be possible solutions to solve this problem?

Join Omer Imran Malik, Sukriti Nigam and Cecilia Leung as they interview Professor Anupam Chander - an alumni of Harvard College and Yale Law School and one of the foremost global experts on information technology and surveillance law on how this much theorized doomsday theory is fast becoming reality and what can we do to understand it and tackle it as we enter the 21st century.

It is undeniable that the gaming industry has significantly grown over the years. But now? It’s an industry that makes more money than the music and movie industries combined. We know from a report by SuperData Research that the global gaming market was valued at $159.3 billion in 2020, and in 2022, it was worth approximately $347 billion. But, with the rise in its popularity, also came the rise in the problems that existed (and still do exist) within the gaming industry. Some examples of this can be seen through the rise of cyberbullying online, as well as concerns regarding child safety and the protection of minors, or even issues of discrimination and misogyny as highlighted by the Gamergate online harassment campaign in 2014.

Today’s episode of Yours Lawfully will be delving into these matters, with a focus on considering whether the new Online Safety Act has the teeth to address these concerns. With us, we have Isabel Davies, who is a Senior Associate at Wiggin. She specialises in the interactive gaming industry, which includes advising video games, esports and digital broadcast businesses on regulatory, commercial and intellectual property matters. She has written for a number of publications like GI.biz, Legal Futures and Online Gambling Lawyer. She has also spoken at events such as Pocket Gamer Connects, Campaign Gaming Summit and Konsoll Connects and has guest lectured at several UK universities. 

We hope you enjoy listening to our episodes and any comments or questions are welcome! 

After shedding light on the darker aspects of AI in our previous episode of Yours Lawfully, today we will be pivoting towards the brighter side of this transformative technology. Join us as we explore the sectors ripe for positive AI impact and examine the evolving regulatory landscape shaping its responsible development. Finally, we will delve into the realm of law profession and consider its intersection with A. Can AI truly augment legal practices, and what implications does this hold for the future of lawyering? Tune in as we uncover the promising potentials of AI and its constructive role in shaping various industries and professions.

We are joined by Emma Haywood, an IP and Technology Solicitor and Director and Principal Consultant at Bloomworks Legal, a consultancy practice specialised in advising clients on intellectual property, commercial and technology law. Emma is also a member of the Research Group at the Center for AI and Digital Policy, and holds a certificate in AI from Oxford University. 

Please note: ChatGPT provided AI assistance in drafting the show notes. But fear not, no robots have taken over the podcast... yet.

In this bonus episode we welcome Julia Hörnle, Professor of Internet Law and Dr Janelle Jones, Associate Professor of Social Psychology, both at Queen Mary University of London.

In this episode, we explore the issue of excessive gambling affecting 2.8% of England's population and what might be done to support affected customers. A multi-disciplinary team at Queen Mary University of London, led by experts in law and psychology, researched how banks can support customers facing gambling-related financial harm. Their report, based on interviews with six major banks, highlights the complexities banks face in addressing this growing problem.

The report was prepared by Professor Julia Hörnle,  Dr. Janelle Jones, Rita Kenkwanzi and Elizabeth Quinn, at Queen Mary  University of London. You can read their research report “A Unique Position and a Difficult Challenge: Banks’ Support of Individuals Experiencing Gambling-Related Financial Harm”, here: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/deri/networks/gambling-harm-multi-disciplinary-prevention-research-hub/.

On today's episode of Yours Lawfully, we are joined by Ms. Jennifer Wu, who discusses the differences between misinformation and disinformation and the different ways in which misinformation spreads. We focus specifically on how misinformation is being spread by using AI and how it affects and influences human health particularly in the context of the recent pandemic of COVID 19. We will also be talking about the EU AI Act which is the first comprehensive legislation in the field of AI.

Ms. Jennifer Wu is a Senior Disputes Lawyer at Pinsent Masons, Hong Kong, specialising in commercial and technology disputes and international arbitration. She leads the contentious TMT practice and also manages the Hong Kong TMT and data team. She has a particular focus on cross border cybersecurity, technology and data protection/data governance related issues - protecting systems, software and information held online for businesses. Jennifer often works on complex projects and cross-border matters in various jurisdictions, such as Europe, England & Wales, China, Singapore, South Korea and India. She regularly advises multinational companies and banks on data protection laws and takes into account Asia Pacific considerations. She is qualified in England & Wales and Hong Kong.

She is one of the thought leaders for the global technology digital markets space and has been praised for her straightforward and practical advice. She has been listed by Asian Legal Business in its Asia Super 50 TMT Lawyers 2024. Jennifer is one of only five lawyers based in Hong Kong to be named on the list.

This episode of Yours Lawfully presents an intriguing exploration into the world of deepfakes - astonishingly realistic manipulations of digital media blurring the lines between imagination and reality. These creations, utilising advanced machine learning algorithms, have grown exponentially in popularity, raising significant ethical and societal concerns. To unravel the complexities, we're honoured to host Nina Jankowicz, a renowned expert in disinformation and author of "How to Lose the Information War."

In our conversation, we delve into the ethical implications, regulatory measures, and global impact of deepfakes. Nina's expertise positions her as a key figure in understanding these technologies. We particularly focus on their use in politics and journalism, discussing their potential to disrupt democratic processes and erode public trust. Moreover, we examine their potential to reshape personal identities, emphasising the urgent need for awareness and protective measures.

Nina's involvement in moderating a panel at the first virtual summit on deepfake abuse underscores her expertise on this subject. Her research into the use of deepfakes in online gendered abuse and their potential influence on the upcoming 2024 US elections provides valuable insights into the manipulation of public opinion. Come along to explore the challenges and opportunities presented by deepfakes and how we can navigate this transformative technology towards a safer digital future.

Trigger Warning: This episode of Yours Lawfully contains discussions of sensitive topics, including deepfake pornography, disinformation, and online gendered abuse. Please take a moment to ground yourself and remember to prioritise your well-being as we navigate this together.