The Digital Legal Talks (DLT) conference is part of the Dutch Sector Plan The Law Sector Plan, which is a key component of the broader Sector-plan Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). This initiative represents a collaborative effort between Tilburg University, the University of Amsterdam, Radboud University Nijmegen, and Maastricht University to advance interdisciplinary dialogue on pressing social, legal and digital issues.
At this year's DLT, RESOCIAL made a number of significant contributions, engaging in debates on the AI Act, transparency and vulnerability.
A key highlight was the presentation and discussion of a draft paper by Gianclaudio Malgieri and Maria-Lucia Rebrean on a possible interpretation of vulnerability and the AI Act. Drawing from the first months of RESOCIAL research, their paper proposes a dynamic a possible interpretation of vulnerability and the AI Act.
The term vulnerability, which appears 17 times in the regulation, is used by the European regulators for a variety of purposes, including the prohibition of AI systems, the protection of fundamental rights, the expansion of the list of high-risk AI systems and the enforcement of the Act. Drawing from the first months of RESOCIAL research, their paper defends a dynamic approach to vulnerability in the AI Act and suggests that the term should be defined as higher risk to rights arising from power imbalances and interpersonal relations.
Maria-Lucia Rebrean also participated in the closing panel, where she explored how transparency measures must be adapted not only to the type of technology-such as social media-but also to the specific context in which it is deployed, whether in the public or private sector. This perspective, reflecting RESOCIAL's philosophy, highlighted the critical role of adaptability in safeguarding fairness and accountability. The panel concluded that transparency is a dynamic, multi-faceted concept with varied applications and interpretations in legal frameworks.
The RESOCIAL consortium congratulates the panelists, moderators, and organizers for fostering meaningful dialogue, and an impactful conference. We look forward to continuing our contributions to the evolving discussions on AI regulation, vulnerability and social media.
