Can internet users decide for themselves to whom they want to provide information about their surfing habits? Many people do not know that when they visit a website, not only the provider of the site knows, via a cookie, that they have been there, but also third parties such as advertisers and marketing research agencies. Some websites place dozens of these "third party cookies" on your computer. In this way, companies entirely unknown to you can keep extensive registers of where you've been.

"I think you cannot expect most people to know exactly what’s going on in this area," says Information Law PhD researcher Frederick Borgesius. "The (Dutch) Telecommunications Act and the European rules aim at requiring providers to acquire permission and at educating internet users. But this industry is complex and evolving very rapidly. Can people really be expected to make informed choices?"

When Frederick began his Research Master's of Information Law, he mainly wanted to know more about copyright and intellectual property. As a DJ and producer in the music industry, that was his primary interest. He assumed that after the training he would move directly on to practicing law, but things turned out differently. "During the programme a whole new world opened up for me. I find the application of the law to the internet immensely interesting. In particular, I found privacy issues so fascinating that I wanted to explore them in depth. "

Information Law has a strong international focus and students spend one semester of the programme abroad. Frederick went to Hong Kong University. "That seemed more adventurous than, for example, New York," he says. "It was the first time I had to deal with a common law system. Because Hong Kong is small, they often look at rulings from the highest courts in Australia, Japan, UK and USA. That made it more international. "

Frederick received his Bachelor of Laws from the Open University before starting the Master's course. “The transition was fine,” he says. "The main difference is that you get more lectures at the UvA." While studying for his masters, he worked at a law firm. "This cross-fertilisation was very good. Studying law doesn’t give you an insight into the realities of practice. Dealing with the law feels different when you’re participating in a lawsuit that’s due to be heard in court next Tuesday. In this way I understood the substance of my studies better and faster, while reversely practicing law was made easier by my studies. It was sometimes difficult. But if you’re going to work while studying, I recommend the legal practice. "

• dr. F.J. Zuiderveen Borgesius

  F.J.ZuiderveenBorgesius@uva.nl |

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