Digital Sovereignty: Storm Clouds are Gathering
Professor Christopher Millard from Queen Mary University of London recently visited Monash University Law Chambers to share his groundbreaking research on cloud computing, surveillance, digital sovereignty, and state interests.
Professor Chris Marsden and Professor Christopher Millard.
Professor Christopher Millard from Queen Mary University of London recently visited Monash University Law Chambers to give a lecture, sharing his groundbreaking research on cloud computing, surveillance, digital sovereignty, and state interests.
The event, titled ‘Digital Sovereignty: Storm Clouds are Gathering,’ was chaired by Professor Chris Marsden of Monash Law’s Digital Law Group and presented in association with Monash Law’s Centre for Commercial Law and Regulatory Studies (CLARS) and the Monash Business School's Opportunity Tech Lab.
Growing concerns over digital sovereignty
Concerns about the reliance by states, businesses, and individuals on a handful of large US tech companies have been longstanding. However, recent geopolitical and technological developments, including disruptions to global supply chains and rapid advancements in AI, have made this an increasingly hot topic.
Even the US, which is home to the world’s three largest hyperscale cloud providers, is now seeking to impose restrictions on specific IT actors considered to pose a strategic threat.
Professor Millard’s insights into digital sovereignty
In this seminar, Professor Christopher Millard unpacked the concept of digital sovereignty and examined various European attempts to ‘take back control.’
His paper, 'Storm Clouds are Building: Surveillance, Sovereignty, and State Interests,' co-authored with his Cloud Legal Project colleagues Dave Michels and Ian Walden, examines these issues in depth.
Professor Christopher Millard and Professor Chris Marsden.
Implications for global power dynamics
The seminar provided a platform for Professor Millard to discuss the implications of digital sovereignty in the context of global power dynamics. He highlighted how European nations are striving to regain control over their digital infrastructures and data, amidst growing concerns about privacy and security. The discussion also touched on the challenges and opportunities presented by the rapid development of AI and other emerging technologies.
Research Impact at Monash Law
Hosting visiting academics like Professor Millard has a profound impact on the research community at Monash Law. It fosters an environment of intellectual exchange and collaboration, allowing local researchers to gain insights from global experts. This not only enhances the quality of research but also broadens the scope of academic inquiry.
International research collaborations like these expand the scope of knowledge and expertise, providing access to diverse resources and funding opportunities. Collaborative efforts also enhance cultural competency and global understanding, fostering innovation through diverse perspectives.
By working together, researchers can address complex global challenges with comprehensive solutions, ultimately increasing the impact and citations of their work.
Professor Christopher Millard’s visit to Monash Law underscores the importance of international research collaboration and the significant impact it has on advancing knowledge and addressing global issues.
Events like ‘Digital Sovereignty: Storm Clouds are Gathering’ not only highlight critical topics but also strengthen the ties between academic institutions worldwide, paving the way for future innovations and discoveries.
If you’d like to read deeper into Professor Millard’s research, his paper, 'Storm Clouds are Building: Surveillance, Sovereignty, and State Interests,' is available for free download.
Event Details
Chaired by Professor Chris Marsden of Monash Law School Digital Law Group, in association with the Centre for Commercial Law and Regulatory Studies (CLARS) and the Monash Business School's Opportunity Tech Lab, the seminar on Tuesday 4 March 2025 featured keynote speaker Professor Christopher Millard (Queen Mary University of London).
Concerns about reliance by states, businesses, and individuals on a handful of large US tech companies had been longstanding. However, recent geopolitical and technological developments, including disruptions to global supply chains and rapid advancements in AI, had made this an increasingly hot topic. Even the US, which was home to the world’s three largest hyperscale cloud providers, was now seeking to impose restrictions on specific IT actors considered to pose a strategic threat.
When: Tuesday 4 March 2025
Time: 5pm - 7pm
Campus: Monash University Law Chambers
Professor Christopher Millard is Professor of Privacy and Information Law and head of the Cloud Legal Project in the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London. He is also Co-Director of the Microsoft Cloud Computing Research Centre and is Senior Counsel to the law firm Bristows.
Christopher has over 40 years of experience in technology law, both in academia and legal practice. His first book, Legal Protection of Computer Programs and Data (Sweet & Maxwell, 1985), was one of the earliest international comparative law works in the field and he has since published widely on legal and regulatory issues relating to information technology, e-commerce, the Internet, data protection, and privacy. Since 2008 his main research focus has been cloud computing. He is editor and co-author of Cloud Computing Law (Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, 2021), is a founding editor of the International Journal of Law and IT, and is an emeritus editor of International Data Privacy Law.
Christopher is a Fellow and former Chairman of the Society for Computers & Law, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a past-President of the International Federation of Computer Law Associations, and a past-Chair of the Technology Law Committee of the International Bar Association.
Before he joined Bristows in 2008, Christopher was head of the global privacy and data protection practice at Linklaters and prior to that he was a partner at Clifford Chance. He has twice been designated Internet and eCommerce Lawyer of the Year by the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers.
Chair
Professor Chris Marsden is Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Technology and the Law, Director of the Digital Law Group at Monash University, and Associate Director for Global Governance of the Data Futures Institute. He was Co-Director of the Warwick-Monash Alliance Brussels Effect of the AI Act workshops in 2023, and co-director of the Human Futures in the Age of AI Monash-Penn State Alliance conference in April 2024. He was appointed to serve on the ARC College of Experts 2024-26. He also serves as an expert in the International Expert Consortium on the Regulation, Economics, and Computer Science of AI (RECSAI) 2024-5.
This story was featured in the second edition of CLARS Highlights. Download the second edition.