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Irēna Barkāne

Lecturer

Dr. iur. Irēna Barkāne

Researcher
irena.barkane@lu.lv

Courses: Information Technology Law, Criminal Procedure

Consultation times available here.

Research interests:

Artificial Intelligence Law; Artificial intelligence and Human rights; Data Protection Law; EU and international law; Human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the digital age; Information Technology Law; Human rights in the context of law enforcement and criminal justice; Regulation, legal and ethical issues of artificial intelligence, other new technologies and online platforms; The impact of technology on law enforcement and policing.

Professional experience and achievements:

  • Co-Investigator and Scientific Project Leader of the NordForsk Research and Innovation programme on the Digitalisation of the Public Sector Project No. 100786: “Critical Understanding of Predictive Policing (CUPP)” coordinated by IT University of Copenhagen, Prosa, University of Latvia, Baltic Studies Centre, University of Technology Tallinn, University of Oslo, University of St Andrews. Available: https://cuppresearch.info (2021–2023)
  • Principal Investigator and researcher at the ERAF research project No.1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/196 “Striking the Right Balance between Privacy and Security in Cyberspace: Building Strong Data Protection Standards across Europe”, funded by the European Regional Development fund. Available: https://cutt.ly/Fbtrgno (2018–2021)
  • Researcher at the research project of the Latvian Council of Science No. lzp-2020 “Strengthening of High Level of Consumer Protection in the Digital and Data Age: The Transposition of the New Consumer Sale Directives into Latvian Legal System” (2021)
  • Management Committee member of the COST action CA19143 “Global Digital Human Rights Network GDHRNet” (2021–2024)
  • Founder and CEO, ICT Legal (since 2016)
  • Legal adviser at Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia, Department of Cooperation with the Court of Justice of the European Union (2011–2015)
  • Member of network of experts for in-depth engagement with the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence (since 2024)
  • Member of European Data Protection Supervisor’s Support Pool of Experts (SPE) (since 2024)
  • Certified Data Protection Officer of the Latvian Data protection Inspectorate (since 2017, renewed in 2023)
  • Expert and Vice-Chairperson of the UNESCO Ad Hoc Expert Group for the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2020);
  • Representative of Latvia at the UNESCO Intergovernmental meeting on the draft Recommendation (2021)
  • Latvian Council of Sciences expert in Legal Science (2021–2025)
  • The Latvian Academy of Sciences award “Most noteworthy achievement in Science 2023” for the book “The Role of Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Privacy, Data Protection and the Regulation for Preventing Mass Surveillance”

Publications:

  • Barkane I. Cilvēktiesību nozīme mākslīgā intelekta laikmetā. Privātums, Datu aizsardzība un regulējums masveida novērošanas novēršanai. [The Role of Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Privacy, Data Protection and the Regulation for Preventing Mass Surveillance.] Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2023, 328. lpp. https://doi.org/10.22364/cnmil.23
  • Barkane I., Adamsone-Fiskovica A., Kilis E. Creeping Road Traffic Surveillance in Latvia: Social and Legal Implications of Digital Policing Tools. Surveillance & Society Vol. 21 No. 4, 2023, https://doi.org/10.24908/ss.v21i4.15812
  • Barkane I. Datu aizsardzības tiesības. [Data Protection Law.] In Informācijas sabiedrības tiesību pamati. [Foundations of Information Society Law ] Edited by U. Ķinis, Rīgas Stradiņa Universitāte, 2022, p.187.–250.
  • Barkane I. Questioning the EU proposal for an Artificial Intelligence Act: The need for prohibitions and a stricter approach to biometric surveillance. Information Polity, vol. 27, No.2, 2022, 147–162; DOI 10.3233/IP-211524.  https://content.iospress.com/search?q=Barkane&published_between=&from_year=&to_year
  • Powell C. H., Schippers B., Barkane I., Puccinelli O., Viljanen J.Disinformation. in Specific Threats to Human Rights Protection from the Digital Reality, Tiina Pajuste (ed.), Tallinn, 2022, p. 34.-43. https://graphite.page/GDHRNet-threats-to-human-rights-protection/assets/documents/GDHRNet-ThreatsReport-EditedVolume.pdf.3
  • Kārkliņš J., Mantrovs V., Buka A., Barkāne I., Dāvida Z., Kārklis K., Silionovs K. Digitālais pirkuma objekts: patērētāju tiesību aizsardzības likumā ietvertais regulējums saistībā ar 2019. gada patērētāja pirkuma direktīvu ieviešanu. [Digital Purchase Object: The Regulation Included in the Consumer Rights Protection Act in the Context of the Implementation of the Consumer Sales Directives 2019]. Edited by V. Mantrova, Rīga, LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2022. p.116. https://www.apgads.lu.lv/fileadmin/user_upload/lu_portal/apgads/PDF/Monografijas/Digitalais_pirkuma_objekts-Mantrovs.pdf
  • Mantrov V., Kārkliņš J., Barkāne I., Dāvida Z., Kārklis S., Silionovs K.. Deviation from Objective Requirements for Conformity With a Contract of Digital Content or Digital Service: The Assessment of Its Use. Journal of Intellectual Property, Information Technology and E-Commerce Law Vol. 13, No 3, 2022, p.323–338. https://www.jipitec.eu/issues/jipitec-13-3-2022/5563/mantrov_13_3_2022.pdf ISSN 2190-3387.
  • Barkane I., O’Cathaoir K., S.  Slokenberga S., Eenmaa H. The Legal Implications of COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates: Implementation Experiences from Nordic and Baltic New Legal Reality. Challenges and Perspectives. II, 2021, Riga, 209−223, https://doi.org/10.22364/iscflul.8.2.15
  • Barkāne I. The Global Flood of COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps: Sailing with Human Rights and Data Protection Standards against the Wind of Mass Surveillance. SHS Web of Conferences 92, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20219201035
  • Barkāne I. Mass data gathering and surveillance: the fight against facial recognition technology in the globalized world.  SHS Web of Conferences 74, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20207403006
  • Barkāne I. Nebeidzamā cīņa pret masveida uzraudzību: EST līdzsvara meklējumi starp privātumu un drošību. [The Never-Ending Battle Against Mass Surveillance: The CJEU in Search for the Right Balance Between Privacy and Security”] Latvijas Universitātes 78. starptautiskās zinātniskās konferences rakstu krājums. Starptautisko un Eiropas Savienības tiesību piemērošana nacionālajās tiesībās. LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2020, 87.–94.lpp. https://doi.org/10.22364/juzk.78.10
  • Barkāne I. Drošības jēdziens un ietekme uz datu aizsardzības tiesību attīstību. [Security Notion and Impact on the Development of Data Protection Law] Latvijas Universitātes 77. starptautiskās zinātniskās konferences rakstu krājums. Satversmē nostiprināto vērtību aizsardzība: dažādu tiesību nozaru perspektīva. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2019, 357.–364.lpp. https://www.apgads.lu.lv/fileadmin/user_upload/lu_portal/apgads/PDF/Juridiskas-konferences/Jur.konf-77_Raksti.pdf
  • Barkāne I. Sejas atpazīšanas tehnoloģijas un Vispārīgā datu aizsardzības regula. [Facial Recognition Technology and the General Data Protection Regulation]. Jurista Vārds, Nr. 38., 24.09.2019.
  • Barkāne I. Vispārīgajai datu aizsardzības regulai viens gads: ko varam mācīties no pirmās piemērošanas prakses ES. [One Year of the General Data Protection Regulation: What we Can Lear from the first enfocement practices in the EU]   Jurista Vārds, Nr. 21., 28.05.2019.
  • Barkāne I. Crisis of Privacy and Sacrifice of Personal Data in the Name of National Security: The CJEU Rulings Strengthening EU Data Protection Standards. In How International Law Works in Times of Crisis. Edited by Ulrich G., I. Ziemele. European Society of International Law Series. OXFORD University Press. (2019), p.109.-125.
  • Barkāne I. ES Pamattiesību hartas ietekme uz ES krimināltiesību attīstību. Kriminālprocesa likumam – 10. Pagātnes mācības un nākotnes izaicinājumi The impact of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights on the development of EU criminal law. The Criminal Procedure Law - 10. Past lessons and future challenges.]  Edited by A Meikalisa, Rīga, Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2015., p.141.-–155.
  • Barkāne I. ECT spriedums lietā Delfi pret Igauniju: internata ziņu portālu atbildība par lietotāju komentāriem. [The ECHR Judment in the Case of Delfi v. Estonia: Liability for User-Gnerated Comments on Internet News Portal.] Jurista Vārds, Nr. 29 (881) 28.06.2015.
  • Barkāne I. Eiropas Savienības Tiesas spriedums Google Spain lietā: tiesības tikt aizmirstam un personas datu aizsardzība internetā. [The CJEU Judgment in the Google Spain Case: the Right to be Forgotten and Protection of Personal Data on the Internet.] Jurista Vārds, Nr. 27, 17 June 2014.