The 2024 Technology, Media, & Privacy Law Conference, held on March 1, 2024, was organized by the Center for Governmental Responsibility at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. This annual event focused on the transformative impact of Large Language Models (LLMs) on the legal and journalism sectors.

Key topics included the introduction to LLMs and their potential for generating text, the legal and ethical implications of LLMs in law and journalism, privacy concerns associated with LLMs, and the evolving professional environments influenced by these technologies. Sessions featured discussions on LLMs and hallucinations, their role in the legal field, privacy issues, and changes in professional settings due to LLM adoption.

The conference provided networking opportunities during the luncheon session and featured notable speakers such as Jane Bambauer, Vincent Bindschaedler, Lyrissa Barnett Lidsky, Jennifer Walker Elrod, William F. Hamilton, Jon L. Mills, Jasmine McNealy, Courtney Radsch, Amy Sanders, Jared Schroeder, Anika Collier Navaroli, Jonathan Marshfield, Alex Kirkpatrick, Mark Klingensmith, and Renee Thompson. The event was held in-person at the University of Florida Levin College of Law in Gainesville and virtually via Zoom, offering flexibility for attendees.

This conference was particularly beneficial for legal professionals, journalists, policymakers, and academics interested in understanding the opportunities and risks associated with integrating LLMs into their fields. Attendees gained insights into the latest developments and engaged in discussions on the future of law and journalism in the context of rapidly advancing AI technologies.

Speakers(15)

Alex Kirkpatrick

Science Communication Specialist at USDA-NIFA National AI Institute for Transforming Workforce and Decision Support

Alex W. Kirkpatrick is a Science Communication Specialist at the USDA-NIFA National AI Institute for Transforming Workforce and Decision Support, and a Research Associate at the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources at Washington State University. Their research focuses on media effects and public engagement with science, technology, and risk. They received their Ph.D. in Communication (science and environmental track) from Washington State University, M.Sc. (distinction) in Science Communication from University of the West of England, UK, and B.Sc. (honors) in Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology from Lancaster University, UK.

Amy Sanders

Associate Professor at University of Texas at Austin School of Journalism and Media

Amy Sanders is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Journalism and Media. Her research focuses on media law and policy, with an emphasis on the First Amendment, privacy, and the impact of new technologies on journalism. Dr. Sanders has published extensively in academic journals and has presented her work at national and international conferences. She holds a Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Florida, a J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, and a B.A. in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Anika Collier Navaroli

Fellow at Tow Center for Digital Journalism, Columbia University Journalism School

Anika Collier Navaroli is a writer, lawyer, and researcher focused on the intersections of technology, media, policy, and human rights. She is currently a Senior Fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, a Public Voices Fellow on Technology in the Public Interest with The OpEd Project in partnership with The MacArthur Foundation, and a 2023 Unicorn Fund awardee. She previously held senior policy official positions at Twitter and Twitch. In 2022, she blew the whistle about her warnings to Twitter that went unheeded leading to the January 6th attack on the Capitol and the platform’s ultimate decision to suspend former President Donald Trump. Prior to her work within technology companies, Anika fought for systematic change in big data and internet freedom work by developing Color of Change’s technology accountability portfolio and leading the first civil rights audit of a technology company. Anika also researched race and civil rights within emerging technologies and engaged in early debates about bias within artificial intelligence systems at Data & Society Research Institute. Anika holds a BS in journalism from the University of Florida, a MS from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and a JD from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Courtney Radsch

Director at Center for Journalism and Liberty, Open Markets Institute

Courtney Radsch is the Director of the Center for Journalism and Liberty at the Open Markets Institute. She is a journalist, author, and advocate with more than 20 years of experience in media, technology, and human rights. Dr. Radsch has worked with leading international organizations, including UNESCO and the Committee to Protect Journalists, where she served as Advocacy Director. She holds a Ph.D. in international relations from American University, an M.S. in foreign service from Georgetown University, and a B.A. in mass communication from the University of California, Berkeley.

Jane Bambauer

Professor of Law and Brechner Eminent Scholar Chair at University of Florida Levin College of Law

Jane Bambauer is the Brechner Eminent Scholar at the Levin College of Law and at the College of Journalism and Communications. She teaches Torts, First Amendment, Media Law, Criminal Procedure, and Privacy Law. Professor Bambauer’s research assesses the social costs and benefits of Big Data, AI, and predictive algorithms. Her work analyzes how the regulation of these new information technologies will affect free speech, privacy, law enforcement, health and safety, competitive markets, and government accountability. Professor Bambauer’s research has been featured in over 20 scholarly publications, including the Stanford Law Review, the Michigan Law Review, the California Law Review, and the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies. Professor Bambauer currently serves as the Chair of the National AI Advisory Committee Subcommittee on Law Enforcement, and she has previously served as the deputy director of the Center for Quantum Networks, a multi-institutional engineering research center funded by the National Science Foundation. She holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Yale College and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Jared Schroeder

Associate Professor at University of Missouri School of Journalism

Jared Schroeder is an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. His research examines the intersection of emerging technologies and the First Amendment, with a focus on free expression in digital spaces. Dr. Schroeder is the author of "The Press Clause and Digital Technology's Fourth Wave" and has published numerous articles in leading academic journals. He holds a Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Oklahoma, an M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri, and a B.A. in journalism from the University of Nebraska.

Jasmine McNealy

Associate Professor at University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications

Jasmine McNealy is an attorney, critical public interest technologist, and social scientist who studies media & technology with a view toward influencing law and policy, and emphasizing technological ecosystems, privacy, surveillance, and data governance. She is a Senior Fellow in Tech Policy with the Mozilla Foundation, a tenured, associate professor at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, and a Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. In 2022, she completed a term as a technology advisor for the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Jasmine is also the founder and principal of The Alveary LLC. She earned a Ph.D. in mass communication and a J.D. at the University of Florida, a M.Ed. in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics & Assessment at the University of Illinois-Chicago, and a B.S. in both Journalism and Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin.

Jennifer Walker Elrod

Judge at United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Honorable Jennifer Walker Elrod is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. She joined the court in 2007. Prior to serving as a Circuit Judge, Judge Elrod was appointed and then twice elected Judge of the 190th District Court of Harris County, Texas. Judge Elrod graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was a Senior Editor of the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. She clerked for the Honorable Sim Lake in the Southern District of Texas. Before serving as a judge, Judge Elrod worked in private practice, focusing on civil litigation, antitrust, and employment matters. Judge Elrod’s publications include: Trial by Siri: AI Comes to the Courtroom; Don’t Mess with Texas Judges: In Praise of the State Judiciary; For Good: Enriching Your Practice and Your Life Through Pro Bono and Community Service; Is the Jury Still Out?: A Case for the Continued Viability of the American Jury; and W(h)ither the Jury? The Diminishing Role of the Jury Trial in our Legal System.

Jon L. Mills

Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at University of Florida Levin College of Law

Jon L. Mills is Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at UF Law. He also served as Director and Co-Director of Center for Governmental Responsibility. He is Counsel to Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP. Mr. Mills is former Dean of UF Levin College of Law from 1999-2003 and former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, served as member of the 1997-1998 Florida Constitution Revision Commission (as Chair of Style and Drafting Committee and was selected Most Valuable Member). He was the reporter for the ABA’s Task Force on Preservation of the Justice System in 2011 and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Professor Mills teaches Privacy, State Constitutional Law, Law and Policy in the Americas and Legislative Drafting. He has taught and lectured on privacy in Germany, Great Britain, Poland, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, and in the Department of State’s US Speakers and Specialists program. He has written books, reports and multiple law review articles on public policy issues including two books on privacy: Privacy: The Lost Right (Oxford University Press 2008) and Privacy in the New Media Age (University Press of Florida 2015). His chapter “Privacy in the Surveillance Era” was featured in After Snowden, which was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2015. He has been Principal Investigator on totaling over three million U.S. Dollars in research funding, including grants from U.S Department of State and the MacArthur Foundation. Professor Mills is a globally recognized expert in privacy and cyber security issues. He appeared in landmark litigation including high profile privacy intrusion cases representing the families of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Gianni Versace, and Sea World trainer Dawn Brancheau. He was also counsel in cases to prevent disclosure of information from electronic intrusions and hacking. He has lectured on privacy to judges, attorneys and corporate counsel. He has been quoted by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, and Washington Post among others and has appeared on CNN, NPR, ABC, and the BBC to discuss privacy and other public policy issues.

Jonathan Marshfield

Associate Professor at University of Florida Levin College of Law

Jonathan Marshfield is an Associate Professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. His research focuses on state constitutional law, constitutional change, and comparative constitutional law. Professor Marshfield's work has been published in leading law reviews, and he has presented his research at national and international conferences. He holds a J.D. from Rutgers School of Law, an LL.M. from the University of Cambridge, and a B.A. from Cedarville University.

Event Details

Date
March 1, 2024
Location
🇺🇸 Gainesville, United States
University of Florida Levin College of Law, Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom in Holland Hall 180
Pricing
Free
Audience
Legal professionals, journalists, policymakers, academics
CLE Credits
8.5 General CLE credits and 8.5 Technology CLE credits approved by the Florida Bar