I work as an assistant professor at the University of Groningen's IT-law department. My research focuses on concerns of public space surveillance, privacy, and data protection. I'm attached to the NWO-funded SMiLES Living Lab as a post-doc researcher. I'm also a member of the Data Protection Scholars Network the Surveillance Studies Network and co-founder of the Surveillance Studies in Groningen Network for All (SSiGNall). For additional information, please refer to g.j.ritsema.van.eck[at]rug.nl, gerard.rve[at]protonmail.com, Mastodon, my staff page at the University of Groningen, or my ORCiD.
Doorgiften van persoonsgegevens naar de VS post-Schrems: een empirisch onderzoek naar bedrijven die ook maar wat doen
2023, with Emiel de Graaff. 72(1) Ars Aequi 9-16. Abstract (Dutch).
The New Car Safety Rules of the GSR in light of the GDPR: An Unnecessarily Tangled Web
2022, with Nynke Vellinga. 13(1) European Journal of Law and Technology. Abstract, full text.
Privacy and Participation in Public: Data protection issues of crowdsourced surveillance (PhD thesis)
2021, defended at the University of Groningen on September 16th. Full text (pdf, 18mb). Physical copies available at request.
Commentary: A Republican and Collective Approach to the Privacy and Surveillance Issues of Bodycams
2020, with Lotte Houwing. In Bryce Clatyon Newell (ed) Police on Camera: Surveillance, Privacy and Police Accountability (Routledge). Order at Routledge, full text.
Police bodycams as equiveillance tools? Reflections on the debate in the Netherlands
2020, with Lotte Houwing. 18(2) Surveillance & Society 284-287. Abstract, full text.
Capturing license plates: police-citizen interaction apps from an EU data protection perspective
2020, with Jonida Milaj. 34(1) International Review of Law, Computers & Technology 1-21. Abstract, full text.
Algorithmic mapmaking in 'Smart Cities': Data Protection Impact Assessments as a means of protection for groups
2019, in Angela Daly, S. Kate Devitt and Monique Mann (eds), Good Data 298-316 (Institute of Network Cultures). Abstract, full text.
Mobile devices as stigmatizing security sensors: the GDPR and a future of crowdsourced ‘broken windows’
2018, with Oskar Josef Gstrein. 8(1) International Data Privacy Law 69-85. Abstract, full text.
Emergency calls with a photo attached: The effects of urging citizens to use their smartphones for surveillance
2018, in Bryce Clayton Newell, Tjerk Timan and Bert-Jaap Koops (eds), Surveillance, Privacy and Public Space 157-178 (in Kirstie Ball, William Webster and Charles Raab (eds) Routledge Studies in Surveillance, Routledge). Abstract, full text.
'VoetbalTV: Veel toeschouwers, maar wie scoort er?' Annotatie bij ABRvS 27 juli 2022, ECLI:NL:RVS:2022:2173
2023, with Evgeni Moyakine, casenote in JBP Select: Tien Jaar Jurisprudentie Bescherming Persoonsgegevens 2023/116.
Annotatie bij Rb. Den Haag 2 maart 2022, ECLI:NL:RBDHA:2022:8279 (Dronken beveiliger)
2022, with Nynke Vellinga, casenote in Jurisprudentie Bescherming Persoonsgegevens 2022/126. Full text (Dutch).
Annotatie bij HvJ EU 24 maart 2022, ECLI:EU:C:2022:216 (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens)
2022, casenote in Jurisprudentie Bescherming Persoonsgegevens 2022/91. Full text (Dutch).
Annotatie bij Rb. Midden-Nederland 4 mei 2021, ECLI:NL:RBMNE:2021:1865 (Minderjarig kind/SVB)
2021, casenote in Jurisprudentie Bescherming Persoonsgegevens 2021/79. Full text (Dutch).
As a result of my position as a post-doc researcher, I am currently less involved in teaching. However, I am involved in:
- LLM and LLB thesis supervision on privacy and data protection,
- IT in the context of the law,
- IT-rechtswinkel (TechLaw clinic), and
- I also supervise students working on practical assignments as part of SMiLES.
Courses I've been involved in the past include: Seminar privacy law, Legal Research Skills I, Introduction to IT-law, Law and Information management, and Law and Legal Skills - IT for Lawyers.
28 January 2024, Margot Hoogerwerf & Chaimae Agarroum 'Heb je beveiligingscamera's thuis of wil je er eentje ophangen? Aan deze regels moet je je houden EenVandaag. Read here (Dutch).
15 October 2023, Johannes Rutgers 'Apeldoorn wil verkeer ‘slimmer’ regelen, maar dat heeft een prijs' De Gelderlander. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
14 August 2023, Ilona Dahl 'Medische industrie zet gevoelige data van patiënten bij Amazon in de cloud, zonder dat zij dat weten' Follow the Money. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
22 July 2023, Chris Ververs 'Elburg wil toeristen volgen via hun mobieltjes en met camera’s: ‘Uitlezen telefoongegevens zeer discutabel’' De Stentor. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
14 June 2023, David Bremmer 'Camera's volgen ons overal, is dat erg?' Algemeen Dagblad. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
29 April 2023, Ilona Dahl 'Academische ziekenhuizen schenden medisch beroepsgeheim met verkoop van patiëntendata' Follow the Money. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
14 February 2023, Gloria Turetta 'Swipe at your own peril: the surge of dating app usage comes with privacy concerns' The Groningen Observer. Read here.
15 December 2022, Karlijn Houterman and Romy van Peij 'Privacyexperts kritisch op scholen en politie: duizenden kluisjes willekeurig onderzocht' RTL Nieuws. Read here (Dutch).
29 September 2022, Guest on the Atlas science podcast by the NTR national broadcaster. Episode '#3 - We are data (S04)'. Listen here (Dutch).
14 September 2021, Interview on local radion show 'Babette op Noord' on smartphones and privcy RTV Noord. Listen here (Dutch).
23 June 2021, Stef Altena, 'In iedere winkel camera’s met gezichtsherkenning? ‘Voor je het weet is van privacy geen sprake meer’' Dagblad van het Noorden. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
4 February 2021, Thereza Langeler, 'Meer camera's in de binnenstad van Groningen? Geen goed idee, zegt deze RUG-expert: 'Waar houdt het dan op?'' Dagblad van het Noorden. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
4 December 2020, Guest on the In Casu podcast by the JFV, discussing the Netflix-documentary 'The Social Dilemma'. Listen here (Dutch).
29 July 2020, 'Dierenambulancemedewerkers willen bodycam: "Bedreigd en geïntimideerd"' RTL Nieuws. Watch here (Dutch, video also broadcasted as part of EditieNL on RTL4 on the same date).
21 July 2020, Nienke Zoetbrood, ‘Onder de radar leven, kan dat wel in Nederland?’ Vrij Nederland p 110-119. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
14 March 2020, Maaike Borst, 'Veiligheid in tijden van camera's: "We denken er niet eens meer over na"' Dagblad van het Noorden p 16-19. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
9 November 2019, Wilmer Heck, ‘Pokémon-app van de politie komt er niet’ NRC Handelsblad p 13. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
16 August 2019, Nienke Zoetbrood, 'De bodycam maakt een opmars bij de politie, maar werken die extra ogen op het uniform wel?' Volkskrant. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
29 April 2019, Thereza Langeler, 'De politie krijgt meer bodycams, maar hoe zit het dan met de privacy?' Dagblad van het Noorden. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
11 January 2018, Maaike Borst, 'Docent wil meer waardering voor onderwijs aan de RUG: "De gewone student verpietert"' Dagblad van het Noorden. Read here (paywall, Dutch).
Eyes Everywhere? Decoding State Digital Surveillance in The Netherlands
2024. Organiser and moderator, in the House of Connections, Groningen. Popular audience. More info.
Persons and their data: Leveraging proprietary experiences in support of the right to privacy
2024, at the Data Protection Scholars Network International Data Protection Day Work-in-progress Event (online).
Panellist after screening of Total Trust
2023, at the Movies that Matter on Tour in Vera, Groningen. Popular audience.
Update on recent data protection case law from the European Court of Justice
2023, at the Outvie Data Protection and Privacy conference (professional audience).
Intro: the relation between privacy and security
2023, Introduction to Daniël Verlaan's talk 'Ik weet je wachtwoord' for students of the University of Groningen.
Persons and their data: Leveraging proprietary experiences in support of the right to privacy
2023, at the Digital Legal Talks in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Technology and law meetups
Series of 4 invited talks on recent developments on data & technology law in 2023/24 at the KPN Data Services Hub as part of the SMiLES project in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Smart mobility and dumb data law
2023, at the Data Protection Scholars Network International Data Protection Day Work-in-progress Event (online).
Do drivers need to compromise privacy for road safety?
2022, with Nynke Vellinga, at the Surveillance Studies Network conference in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
U can’t touch this: data protection, data ownership, and informational self-determination
2022, with Jasper Verstappen, at the Surveillance Studies Network conference in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Panellist on bodycam usage by the Dutch police
2022, panelist following the keynote "Interpreting Power and Procedural Justice: Police Bodycam Videography: Interpreting authoritative power and procedural justice in real-life videos of police and POI (persons of interest) interactions: Theory, empirical findings, and LARPS (live-action role-playing)" organized by the University of Greenwich.
Gegevensbescherming op de weg: krijgt privacy voorrang?
2022, with Nynke Vellinga, invited talk at the '20 jaar IT-recht in Groningen' symposium.
Watching you watching the road: data protection implications of automated driving
2022, with Nynke Vellinga, as a part of the Prague Technology Law Lecture Series.
Van Oldambt naar Big Brother: Juridische vraagstukken rond 5G
2021, invited talk at the 'Maak werk van 5G' conference organized by 5Groningen at Hoogezand, the Netherlands.
The GSR and the GDPR: A tangled web
2021, with Nynke Vellinga at the BILETA conference organized by the University of Newcastle, United Kingdom.
Privacy and Participation in Public: Data protection issues of crowdsourced surveillance
2021, as part of the advanced seminars in jurisprudence series at The Swedish Law and Informatics Research Institute of the University of Stockholm.
Capturing license plates: police-citizen interaction apps from an EU data protection perspective
2019, with Jonida Milaj at the TiLTing Perspectives conference in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Slides & abstract.
"I've got a list of names and yours is in red, underlined": Taylor Swift's 'reputation' album and the culture of surveillance
2019, GiKII session at the TiLTing Perspectives conference in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Slides & abstract.
Mapmaking in Smart Cities in the context of Good Data
2019, as part of the Good Data book launch at the Institute of Network Cultures in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Slides & abstract.
Presentation on legal issues surrounding participatory surveillance apps
2018, invited talk at the Groninger Juristen Congres in Groningen, The Netherlands. Slides & abstract.
Participatory Mapmaking
2018, contribution to the panel "Boundaries of Sharing — Participatory Surveillance in Data-driven Societies" at the Surveillance Studies Network Conference in Aarhus, Denmark. Slides and abstract.
Mapmaking in Smart Cities and the Role of Group Data Protection Rights in DPIAs
2018, Surveillance Studies Network Conference in Aarhus, Denmark. Slides and abstract.
How mobile personal safety technologies are restructuring privacy in public
2017, TiLTing Perspectives conference in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Slides and abstract.
Mobile devices as stigmatizing security sensors
2017, Sensor Publics: A Workshop on the Politics of Sensing and Data Infrastructures in Munich, Germany. Slides & abstract.
Sinopticon: Emergency Calls with a photo attached
2015, Cyberspace conference in Brno, Czech Republic. Slides & abstract.
Privacy and dignity implications of the use of automated surveillance and behavioural profiling in airports
2014, Cyberspace conference in Brno, Czech Republic. Slides.
Nominated for the Best Practice in Teaching and Learning Award 2024, which recognizes programs that have implemented pedagogical practices or approaches related to the educational goals of the University of Groningen.
Privacy en gecrowdsourcede surveillance in de publieke ruimte
2021. Summary of PhD thesis and announcement of defence in Nederlands Juristenblad (NJB) 2021/2277.
Waar surveilleert de politie en waarom?
2020, in Rosalie Koolhoven & Ariska Bonnema (eds) Superdillema's (University of Groningen, presented to all Dutch primary schools on the International Day of Peace). Full text.
Decision Support Tool
2015, with Aaron Ceross. Part of RESPECT deliverable 15.2 (confidential).
Model Law: 'Surveillance Systems Safeguards Directive’
2015, with Jeanne Pia Mifsud Bonnice. Part of RESPECT deliverable 15.2 (confidential).
Toolkit
2014, with Jeanne Pia Mifsud Bonnici and Joseph Cannataci. SMART deliverable 12.3 (confidential).