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Digital constitutionalism to solve the legitimacy crisis of content moderation

Niclas Johann

June 2022

When I first heard about YouTube, Twitter and co. kicking Russian state media off their platforms in response to disinformation about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I felt substantial unease. Not because I thought they did not deserve it but because it was yet another example of how online platforms have near-absolute discretion in their content moderation decisions. This untamed power has caused a legitimacy crisis. But digital constitutionalism can help to solve it.

There is no doubt that social media platforms have taken a central role in shaping the content people around the world consume day to day. This includes news about recent events. Online platforms are in an unprecedented position of power – for private actors – to dictate what gets seen and what does not.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

My platform, my rules

Now, as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility. But that is apparently not the case for social media companies. Through careful narrative crafting they have managed to largely hold on to the liability exemptions granted by lawmakers in the early days of the internet. With the exception of some illegal content, for instance by terrorist organisations, they can freely dictate the terms and conditions for which speech is allowed and which is not. For example, Facebook unilaterally decided that death threats against Russian soldiers would no longer amount to a violation of its rules.

When and how social media companies choose to enforce their own rules is also essentially up to them. Except for the occasional public outcry and some relentless civil society organisations, platforms do not face much external scrutiny with regard to their content moderation.  

This lack of accountability and legitimacy has substantially eroded the public’s trust in these online platforms. Social media companies have (wrongly) been accused of bias in enforcing their terms and conditions against conservative politicians. On other occasions, prominent political figures have not been punished for violations due to the risk of repercussions. Despite repeated violations of Facebook’s terms of service throughout his presidency, Donald Trump was only banned after his election defeat and the capitol was stormed. 

If left unaddressed, this lack of legitimacy in content moderation practices could further deepen the mistrust in already-divided societies. Much of the political discourse is now happening on social media. That is why it is essential platforms support rather than hinder democratic processes through fair content moderation and respect for the rule of law.

So, what can be done? Looking back in history to the last time people became discontent with the unregulated concentration of power in the hands of a few kings and queens can provide a starting point. It was the birth of constitutionalism. 

The ideas of consent of the governed, equal and predictable enforcement of laws, and due process may predate smartphones and social media by a couple of hundred years. But they can still help guide our discussions about how to legitimise content moderation practices in our digital age.

Constitutional ideas in the digital age

Digital constitutionalism is a concept that aims to adopt constitutional standards for the digital world. It thus provides us with a set of principles and values to guide our responses to the challenges of digital technologies. In content moderation online, we need to ensure that the principles put into practice offline can be enforced online. This includes transparency about how rules are created, fair and equal processes for how takedown decisions are reached and the option for users to challenge a decision they disagree with before an independent body.   

Due process is essential to justify content moderation decisions towards people even if they do not agree with the final outcome.  

Laying out these procedures in advance is all the more important in situations when platforms need to call shots fast – for example in times of conflict. We cannot spend ages deliberating the best approach when lives are at risk. Constitutionalising content moderation would give platforms a framework to rely on and justify their decisions towards the public.  

Simultaneously, it would ensure that the fundamental rights and freedoms of users are not unduly infringed in response to a conflict. Decisions such as the deplatforming of RussiaToday need to be accompanied by an impact assessment on the right to freedom of information. Allowing death threats against Russian soldiers might not be justifiable under this approach. 

Critics might say that online platforms would never voluntarily limit their power over their ‘kingdoms’ so significantly. However, legislative initiatives such as the Digital Services Act show that governments can mandate the constitutionalisation of content moderation. And importantly, they can do so without simply handing power from private companies to state actors.  

A genuine democratisation of the digital kingdoms is possible. Digital constitutionalism should be the starting point for all future social media regulation and should be used to re-evaluate existing policies. The EU should take a global leadership role in this regard. It has the power to inspire regulators in other countries and champion democratic values in our digital society. 

Just as some hundred years ago, change will not happen overnight. But if successful it would rebuild trust in central aspects of our digital life. Even if people do not agree with a particular decision by Facebook and co. they could at least feel at ease knowing that it was reached through a legitimate process.  

The author

Niclas Johann

Iva Radunović

Intern

Iva Radunovic is currently an EU foreign policy intern at CEPS, while pursuing a master’s degree in European and International Governance at Vrije University Brussels. Her research focuses on Western Balkans politics, European enlargement, and great power dynamics. She completed her bachelor’s degree at the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Belgrade in Serbia, where she actively participated in projects and conferences related to foreign policy.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
 Democracy and Institutions

Nils Seidel

After studying law at Leipzig University and Harvard University with internships – among others – at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung´s Rule of Law Program Sub-Saharan Africa in Nairobi and the Trade Policy Division of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, I joined the Chair for European and Public International Law at Leipzig University as a research fellow focusing on European law, European citizenship and international human rights. I have also launched “Transatlantic Debates”, a debating project where pupils think about their priorities for a future transatlantic agenda

Lisa Di Giacomo

Intern

Lisa Di Giacomo is a young graduate interning in the Foreign Policy Unit at CEPS, specifically within the Connectivity Team, where she focuses on enhancing connectivity projects between the EU and Asia.

She obtained an LLM in European and International law at Radboud Universiteit in the Netherlands and a Master’s degree in European Affairs and Security Studies at Sciences Po Strasbourg. Her master’s thesis examined cyberterrorism and its assessment under conflict laws. Lisa is particularly interested in conflict management and seeks to leverage connectivity projects to reduce tensions.

As a native French speaker, she possesses full working proficiency in English, limited working proficiency in Italian, and basic knowledge of Spanish.

Laura Nicolás

Membership Officer

Laura Nicolas joined CEPS as Membership Officer in May 2022. Her key responsibilities involve maintaining regular communication with CEPS members, overseeing the CEPS membership programme, and expanding the organization’s membership and funding sources.

Prior to joining CEPS, Laura worked with several NGOs in Europe and Asia, focusing on communication, partnership building, fundraising, and project management. She has coordinated small and medium-sized events on sustainability and education with the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and local NGOs, reflecting her interest in social impact projects. Laura’s experience in public-oriented roles has honed her skills in storytelling, sales, and public speaking, enabling her to effectively communicate ideas and promote initiatives.

In addition, Laura’s degree in International Studies, with a specialization in International Cooperation and Latin American Studies, combined with her experience living in various countries and continents, has equipped her with exceptional intercultural communication skills and the ability to work proficiently in multicultural environments.

Finally, Laura is also part of the CEPS Young Thinkers team, where she focuses on partnership building, sponsorship, and other logistical and visibility tasks. She is a native Spanish speaker, fluent in English, and has an intermediate level of French, and a basic level of Italian.

Jane Arroyo

Research Assistant

Jane Arroyo is a Research Assistant in the Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation, Digital Economy (GRID) unit at CEPS.

Her research interests lie in the challenges raised by trade and technology for global governance and the overarching goal of sustainable development. She is interested in investigating the policy and regulatory questions arising from these key challenges in the European Union, which she currently does at CEPS by being involved in a wide range of projects, including inter alia on health governance, industrial policy, and artificial intelligence.

Jane holds a Master’s degree in International Economic Policy from Sciences Po Paris, where she developed advanced skills in policy and political analysis in the field of economic governance and policy with a focus on the European and East-Asian regions. Her thesis specifically focused on the qualitative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on European trade policy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Economics awarded with highest honours by University Paris-Dauphine (PSL), where she specialised in international economics and development during an exchange semester at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.

Mother tongue French, she is fluent in English, has an excellent command of Spanish, and some notions of German and Japanese. She holds French and Spanish citizenships.

Dylan Macchiarini Crosson

Researcher

Dylan Macchiarini Crosson is a Researcher in the EU Foreign Policy Unit at CEPS.

A young professional working on Common Foreign and Security Policy, the European Defence Union and transatlantic relations, he has carried out research and policy evaluation in both the professional and academic spheres.

He has experience in data collection and analysis across EU countries, including conducting semi-structured interviews and carrying out surveys.

An English and Italian native speaker, he also has full proficiency in French and Spanish.

Danai Ellina

Research Assistant and IFI Coordinator

Danai Ellina is a Research Assistant in the Financial Markets and Institutions Unit.

She also coordinates the Network of EU Independent Fiscal Institutions (IFIs). In her role as IFI Coordinator, Danai manages a Network of 32 EU independent fiscal institutions, takes part in authoring the Network’s papers (including a bi-annual European Fiscal Monitor), etc.

She has expertise in EU public finances and has tackled topics such as the upcoming European Economic Governance Review in a recent commentary.

Her research interests include monetary economics, fiscal policy, public finances and international trade.

More recent interests in the green economy have arisen after her Master’s degree at the College of Europe. The topic of her Master’s thesis was “a quantitative analysis of monetary policy spillovers in non-EU countries particularly in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood”, which also got published at the College of Europe’s library. These fields have been researched mainly through quantitative methods including time series vector autoregressions and panel data analysis.

Andrea Bittnerová

Senior Events and External Relations Manager

Andrea Bittnerová is Senior Events and External Relations Manager in the Membership Services and Communications and Marketing Unit at CEPS.

Andrea is an experienced project and event manager, with a rich background in civil society organisations focused on youth and education.

Project and event management: Project management is Andrea´s great passion since 2017. She has experience in all stages of project management, from initiation to reporting. She mostly worked on pilot projects that needed to be built from scratch and which involved several national and international partners. She led internal projects as well as projects linked to public funding, especially Erasmus+. In the past 8 years, Andrea has also led or co-organised small and medium-sized international events, covering all sorts of areas from logistics, agenda, through team coordination to liaising with speakers. The portfolio of her events consists of conferences, workshops, trainings and webinars, both in-person and virtual. She has also led panel debates or chaired statutory meetings.

Stakeholder engagement: Since 2017, Andrea has been involved with a variety of stakeholders, such as business, academia, representatives of the European Commission, ambassadors, local, regional and national authorities, or civil society organisations. She liaised with these stakeholders via projects, collaborations, membership and events, as well as hosted high-level events for philanthropists.

Youth and education: Andrea has over 10-year experience in volunteering and working in the youth and education sector. She held various positions in European and international civil society organisations in this area. In 2021, she was selected as a member of a pilot cohort of the first-ever youth advisory board of the OECD – Youthwise. This pilot cohort published a document titled “Young people and the future (of work): 10 key insights from Youthwise”. Her main areas of interest include youth participation, skills development, volunteering, non-formal education and intercultural learning.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Trade and Technology

Drew Fenner

Drew is a Master’s candidate in European Studies and International Business Diplomacy at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. He specializes in the intersection of business and public policy, focusing on trade, technology, and climate. His experience spans the policy research, government affairs, and private equity industries.

Currently, he works as a Government Affairs Analyst at TotalEnergies in Washington, DC. Prior to this role, Drew held the prestigious Wallenberg International Fellowship in Stockholm, Sweden, where he served as a Sustainability Associate at EQT Group.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Trade and Technology

Brian Kelly Nyaga

Kelly is a legal practitioner with experience in international economic law, dispute resolution, banking and finance law and corporate commercial law.

He is also an avid researcher, having undertaken research and published widely on topics ranging from dispute settlement in the context of international trade, African economic integration, and economic recovery post the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, Kelly was an East African regional representative at the AfronomicsLaw Academic Forum, which is a platform dedicated to stimulating open and inclusive discourse on international economic law issues as they relate to Africa and the Global South.

Kelly has also participated in and spoken at conferences with thematic areas centred on emerging issues in his areas of interest. Notably, in 2021, he presented his research results at an international conference in Stellenbosch, South Africa titled ‘Prospects for Regional Integration in Africa – A Comparative Perspective’.

More recently in November 2022, Kelly joined a panel of multidisciplinary experts at an international conference organised by the Policy Center for the New South in Rabat, Morocco to discuss the role of regional integration in reigniting economic growth in African economies in the Post-COVID era, with an emphasis on the SADC region.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Trade and Technology

Sonia Stoyanova

Sonia is interested in transatlantic decarbonisation, climate clubs theory and the reconciliation of green industrial policy priorities with global trade rules.

Currently working at Clean Air Task Force, she has also completed a traineeship at the trade section of the EU Delegation in the United States. Prior to this, she worked at the American Chamber of Commerce in the EU, and interned at the UN Environment Programme, the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, and the Bulgarian Ministry of the Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Sonia holds an Advanced Master’s degree in EU Politics and Policy from KU Leuven and a Bachelor’s degree in European Studies from Sofia University.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Trade and Technology

Paula Oliver Llorente

Paula studies at the College of Europe a Master in International Relations and European Diplomacy. Previously, she graduated from IE University after studying a dual degree in International Relations and Business Administration. She has worked in consulting, public advocacy and research in different organizations. Her research interests include the US-EU-China relation, monetary policy and the impact of technology on society.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Trade and Technology

Sher Yao

A native of Canada, Sher is a currently a Master of Education candidate with a specialization in Comparative, International and Development Education at the University of Toronto. More recently, she was a Junior Professional Consultant for UNICEF HQ supporting primary education policy and system strengthening across 15 countries. In 2022, she was selected to be a Graduate Fellow of the United Nations Office at Geneva and a European Forum Alpbach Scholar. Sher also graduated with a B.A. (Honors) in Music Education with a minor in the French Language from the University of Toronto, where her undergraduate thesis was awarded both The Thomas Clarkson Gold Medal and the Research Showcase Award.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Trade and Technology

Simon van Hoeve

Simon van Hoeve is a Policy Coordinator for European Government Affairs at Microsoft, based in Brussels, Belgium. In this role, he provides horizontal support functions to the Vice-President for European Government Affairs and the Director for Strategy, contributing to policy related workstreams and ensuring synergies between advocacy and policy campaigns.

Prior to joining Microsoft, Simon spent a year as an Assistant Analyst, Cyber at Hague Centre for Strategic Studies. Simon completed his Master’s degree in International Relations at Leiden Universiteit in the Netherlands (2021) and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Political Science at the University of Waterloo in Canada (2020).

In his spare time, Simon runs the BRUBBLE podcast, where he talks to young professionals in and around the Brussels Bubble on a variety of policy and topical issues.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
 Democracy and Institutions

Beatriz Duarte

Beatriz is a young professional from Portugal, with a background in International Relations, and a specific interest in European Union politics. Fluent in Portuguese and English, and having advanced knowledge of French, Beatriz is always looking forward to learning new languages and embracing new adventures.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
 Democracy and Institutions

Cameron MacBride

I am a final year masters student, originally from Scotland but currently living in Bosnia & Herzegovina. My main area of focus is the Western Balkans & EU integration. I am incredibly excited to get underway with the work of the YPD due to the opportunity it provides for young thinkers to come together and discuss some of the most pressing issues for the EU going forward.

Panka Rekasy

Intern

Panka Rékasy is an Intern in the Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation, Digital Economy (GRID) unit at CEPS.

She works on the implementation of the European Commission funded EU-U.S. Trade & Technology Dialogue (under the EU-U.S. TTC). Through this project she helps with the organisation and delivery of topical events, reporting to and liaising with the TTC Working Groups.
She is also involved in a research project on evaluating the EU’s health crisis preparedness. Her main interest lies in European health governance.

Panka holds a BSc in Politics, Psychology, Law & Economics from the University of Amsterdam. She is currently following a double degree master’s in European Governance between the University of Konstanz (Germany) and Utrecht University (Netherlands).
Her master’s thesis focuses on the expansion of EU public health policies into more long-term, integrated healthcare measures.

Her mother tongue is Hungarian, she is fluent in English and has limited working proficiency in Italian, also some basic knowledge of German and Dutch.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
 Democracy and Institutions

Iman Jibreen

Born and raised in Palestine, Iman Jibreen is a compassionate, community focused individual who is interested in humanitarian assistance, sustainable development and research. Through the latter, Iman aims to shed light over the socio-economic inclusion of vulnerable segments in the society.

She has received her Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Birzeit University in Palestine and her MSc in Sustainable development from a consortium of three European Universities (Padova, Leuven and Paris 1). She currently works as an Economic Development Officer at EducAid Onlus in Palestine where she is responsible for the implementation of all the economic empowerment activities of persons with disabilities in Palestine.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
 Democracy and Institutions

Chiara Frittitta

My name is Chiara Frittitta, I am a 24-year-old Italian whose pronouns are she/her. Prior to being selected as one of the 30 young thinkers, I majored in International Studies with a regional specialisation in Europe. I have diverse research experiences, including field research in Rabat on young Moroccan women’s political participation.

I hold a master’s degree in Gendering Practices at Gothenburg University, where I gathered skills to critically analyse and draft gender equality policy plans and strategies with a dissertation on recommendations for making non-binary gender equality policy. I am passionate about gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and the role played by policymaking in creating safer space for all.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
 Democracy and Institutions

Núbia Rodrigues

Núbia Rodrigues, 24, Brazil. BA in Psychology, specialized in Global Health & Health Diplomacy, and in Epistemologies of the South. I’m working as a Project and Research Officer for the Data Feminism Program at Data-Pop Alliance. My research interests are focused on migration and gender studies. I’m also passionate about the intersection of art and activism – and puzzles.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Security and Defence

Dominik Juling

Dominik is a graduate student in Conflict Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science following practical experience as a soldier and internships at the George C. Marshall Center and NATO. He is particularly interested in the intersection between security, defence, and climate change.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Security and Defence

Sofia Romansky

Sofia is a Ukrainian-Dutch-American completing a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy at Leiden University in The Hague, Netherlands. Before joining the Youth Policy Dialogues, she was an Assistant Analyst at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies. She also volunteers with Students for Ukraine.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Security and Defence

Eter Glurjidze

Eter is a program coordinator at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies. She holds a post-graduate degree in International Relations and European Integration from the Estonian School of Diplomacy. Her area of interest includes the EaP region, Central and Eastern European Region (CEE) and China. Covering these topics, Eter has been a speaker in numerous young professionals seminars in Brussels, Budapest, Luxembourg, Lisbon etc.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Security and Defence

Cédric Lombaerts

Cédric holds a Master of Laws from the University of Antwerp and a Master of Arts in EU International Relations and Diplomacy from the College of Europe. Currently, he coordinates EU energy policy as an Attaché in European Affairs at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Security and Defence

Laura Lisboa

Laura Lisboa works at the NATO Defence Investment Division focusing on the space domain. Before, she was at the Private Office of the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. She is currently based in Brussels and spent seasons abroad in Germany, the United States and England during her studies and early career. She holds a Master’s in Politics and International Relations from Universidade Católica Portuguesa and a Bachelor’s in Engineering Physics from Instituto Superior Técnico. She is also part of a reflection group that meets regularly with the President of Portugal.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
Security and Defence

Lucrezia Sala

Lucrezia holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs. Her past experiences at Real Instituto Elcano and Finabel (European Army Interoperability Centre) have led to her interest in being a trainee within the Secretariat of the European Parliament at the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) in March 2023.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
  Energy and Climate 

Zofia Borowczyk

Zofia, is a final year Social Policy student at the University of Bristol, UK. She is particularly interested in issues concerning our society, such as climate change, democracy and employment, and focuses on EU and Polish politics. Previously, she has interned in the Senate of the Republic of Poland and EU Parliament. Moreover, she was the European Union Youth G20 Delegate in 2022, where she worked in the Youth Employment track and participated in a youth policy dialogue with Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, at both of which she focused on the topic of Youth Employment. She has organised the 2022 edition of the Congress of Polish Student Societies in the UK, where she headed the logistics and events team.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
  Energy and Climate 

Felicitas Murat

Originally, I completed a three-year banking apprenticeship in Switzerland and a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs at the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland). In addition to my employment in banking, coaching and at a newspaper, I have gained a variety of volunteer experiences. These range from working for more educational justice and equal opportunities, to promoting mutual cultural understanding between Switzerland and Colombia, to founding a school project with the organisation World Vision.

Currently, I am specializing in Environmental Policy and Sustainability as well as Development Management as part of a double master’s degree offered by Sciences Po Paris (France) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (England). As a Young Thinker at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), I am particularly interested in approaching climate change issues from a perspective that takes into account different life situations and realities. In this respect, one of my personal goals is to shape gender-responsive policies.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
  Energy and Climate 

Muhammad “Moby” Maulana

Muhammad “Moby” Maulana is an aspiring researcher and a sophomore student at ODTÜ, Ankara, majoring in international relations with a focus on environmental politics. Most recently, he was a researcher for the G20 Youth Summit 2022, handling the topics of youth employment and environmental sustainability, where he designed several policy papers particularly addressing the issue of social safety nets, social entrepreneurship, and circular economy. He has also worked for several environmental consultancies where he was involved in the sustainable land use, forestry, and agricultural industries in the Southeast Asian region. Aside from his current research focus, Moby is especially interested in expanding his knowledge and expertise on energy policy through the international lens, including global partnership, energy market, and just transition.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
  Energy and Climate 

Alexis Kontoghiannis

As a Chemical Engineer and Environmental Policy graduate from Sciences Po Paris, I have an in-depth experience of the hands-on work in labs and project management in industry. As I envisioned to work in interests’ representation at EU institution’s level, I took the opportunity to enrich my EU understanding and policy-making skills at the College of Europe this year (2022-2023). As I’m always seeking to stay in real-life situations, I looked forward to joining this Youth Thinkers Policy Dialogues to carry-out some group practice policy-making on today’s critical Energy and Climate subjects.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
  Energy and Climate 

Giovanni Scomparin

I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs from the University of Turin (Italy), and a Master’s Degree in International Energy from the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po. Currently, I am working within the consulting division of a major French utility company, focusing on energy transition-related projects (e.g. multi-country on-site solar projects, clean electricity procurement, etc.). Before that, I spent a year at a policy/regulatory consultancy, covering EU energy and climate policy. I am particularly interested in broadening my understanding of clean technologies (including their impact on raw materials demand), power and gas markets, and energy infrastructures.

Martina Giani

Digital Communications Officer

Martina Giani is the Digital Communications Officer at CEPS.

Expert in communication, social media management and graphic design, Martina has worked for the past three years in different international organisations and European institutions, such as the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).

In her professional career, she supported the development of different communications and social media strategies, helping to set strategic objectives to improve brand awareness, drive larger website traffic and boost engagement.

By creating daily engaging content for social media, including designed visuals, infographics and videos, Martina has also gained extensive skills in the promotion of events and publications, attracting wider audiences and growing the total number of followers on the social media channels of the organisations she worked in.

She also has experience in both printed and digital design. As Acting Communications Officer at ENNHRI, she was responsible for the management and delivery of branded materials and publications as well as newsletters and web channels.

Thanks to her experiences she has developed good knowledge of Adobe programmes such as Illustrator, After Effects and Premiere Pro as well as analytics tools to examine website and social media performances.

Mother tongue Italian, she is fluent in English and has some knowledge of Russian, as she graduated in Eastern European Studies at the University of Bologna.

Rosanna Fanni

Researcher & TTD Coordinator

Rosanna Fanni is Coordinator of the Trade and Technology Dialogue (TTD) and Researcher in the Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation and Digital Economy (GRID) Unit.

As TTD Project Coordinator, she is responsible for the overall management of analysis, events and stakeholder engagement activities to support the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council and its ten Working Groups.

Her research interests focus on comparative analysis of digital policy and the impact on international relations. Working on the European Union’s digital portfolio, she developed expertise on governance and regulation of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), data, platforms, digital identity, and digital rights. She studied the impact of AI on European fundamental rights on behalf of the European Commission and was rapporteur for the CEPS Industrial Policy Task Force – Digital & Data Working Group. In 2021, she was a Fulbright-Schuman Fellow and Visiting Researcher at The Brookings Institution (Washington, DC), working on transatlantic relations and AI governance for the Forum for International Cooperation on AI (FCAI). She also co-organises the CEPS Young Thinkers Initiative to bring bright young minds at the forefront of EU policy debates. She is currently also EU-ASEAN Think Tank Dialogue Fellow and board member of Club Alpbach Belgium–Brussels.

Prior to joining CEPS, she was study visitor at the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) focusing on foresight and science communication, interned with the European Commission Representation in the United Kingdom, and earlier worked in political journalism at ZEIT ONLINE and ZDF.

Rosanna holds an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) in Digital Communication Leadership from Universität Salzburg (AT) and Vrije Universiteit Brussels (BE). She specialised in EU digital policy and innovation with a semester at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her MA thesis on the normative policy framework of (un)ethical AI was awarded greatest distinction. She holds a BA degree in Communication, Media and Political Science from the Freie Universität Berlin including an Erasmus year at the University College London in European Social and Political Studies.

Robert Praas

Junior Data Scientist

Robert is a Junior Data Scientist at CEPS. Previously, he worked in the Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation and Digital Economy (GRID) unit at CEPS. He used to be a Research Assistant at the Impact Centre Erasmus and a Thesis intern at the Medical University of Vienna.

Robert holds a master degree in Machine Learning from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and bachelor degrees in Econometrics and Operations Research & Economics and Business Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Alec Fischthal

Originally from New York, Alec is an English Teaching Assistant in Madrid, Spain. As a grantee of the Fulbright Program, Alec taught English and History at a secondary school outside of Madrid, where he now continues to teach with the Spanish Ministry of Education. Prior to his grant period, he studied History, European Politics, and French at Harvard University. Alec’s undergraduate research focused on questions of democratic inclusion in multicultural societies. Outside of class, Alec served as Head Delegate of Harvard’s Model United Nations team. He also has a deep interest in American politics and worked as a Congressional intern on Capitol Hill. During the 2020 election, he was a field organizer on the Biden Campaign in rural New Hampshire. In his free time, Alec enjoys playing sports, reading books, traveling, and trivia.

Marta Dell'Aquila

Researcher

Marta Dell’Aquila is a Researcher in the Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation and Digital Economy (GRID) Unit.

Harry Crichton-Miller

Research Assistant

Harry Crichton-Miller is a Research Assistant in the Economic Policy unit at CEPS.

Alice Orlandini

Communications and Events Assistant

Alice Orlandini is working as a Communications and Events Assistant in the Financial Markets and Institutions unit at CEPS.

She holds a Master’s degree in European Affairs from the University of Bologna. Before joining CEPS, she completed a traineeship at the European Commission, specialising in policy communications. Her prior work experience includes intern positions at the Emilia-Romagna Region’s Delegation to the EU and ECIT Foundation, a think tank dedicated to EU citizens’ rights and democracy.

Brendan Toh

Brendan is a Political Science undergraduate at the National University of Singapore. He specializes in comparative politics and is particularly interested in democratic theory, green growth, and regional integration. He has previous internship experience in Singapore’s public service, with stints in the Ministry of Finance and the National Climate Change Secretariat.

Andrea Veselá

Andrea is an environmentalist and feminist passionate about social justice and transforming our broken systems for a kinder, equitable and sustainable future. After earning a BA in Philosophy and Linguistics, followed by an MSc in Sustainable Development, she has worked in sustainability in Dublin and Prague, currently as an analyst at the Circular Economy Institute (INCIEN).

John Bahadir Sirin

Bahadir is the founder and president of Global Policy Research Group- a think tank based in Sweden. He has a background in economics and development studies. Bahadir previously held positions in media outlets, a university, and a development agency. He speaks English, Swedish, and Turkish.

Hanna Sakhno

Hanna, an economist with a varied background in academia, think tanks, and policy institutions throughout Europe, is now pursuing her PhD at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Her research focuses on voting patterns for populist parties in Europe. She recently completed a traineeship at the European Central Bank, focusing on economic policy analysis of China and Russia. Before this, she worked in Kyiv at Ukraine’s leading economic policy think tank, concentrating on human capital research. In her free time, Hanna enjoys city trips, music festivals, and hosting craft beer tasting events at home.

Donatus Ikhane Ozemhoya

Donatus, a native of Nigeria, holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Master of Science in Policy Analysis. He is currently pursuing an Erasmus International Master in South European Studies, and his professional interests lie at the intersection of Policy, Governance, and International Development.

Petar Mrdović

Petar is currently a student of EU International Relations and Diplomacy at the College of Europe in Bruges. He has been Slovenian Youth Delegate to the Council of Europe, Ambassador of EU Youth Dialogue and Young European Ambassador to the Eastern Partnership. Through various projects in Slovenia, Petar is actively involved in promoting active citizenship, electoral participation and the European Union among citizens.

Manal Mouaid

Manal Mouaid is a 22-year-old Italian girl with Moroccan origins. As a dedicated master student enrolled in International Relations and European studies, her journey has been shaped by a fervent commitment to understanding global dynamics and effecting positive change. She is particularly interested in issues concerning our society, such as climate change, democracy and justice

Anneli Lassa

Anneli works at a consulting company, focusing on ESG, CSRD regulations, and EU Taxonomy. Previously, she worked as a consultant at World Bank Group; she also interned at the EU Delegation of the USA and the United Nations. She holds a double Bachelor’s degree in international and translation studies from Stetson University and a Master’s degree in International Affairs from George Washington University.

Kata Kepes

Kata holds a recent Master’s degree in Social and Cultural Psychology from LSE, where she focused on political psychology and behaviour science. Prior to that, she pursued her Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences at UCL. Currently, she works as a research assistant at the Metropolitan Research Institute, contributing to projects related to social housing programmes. Beyond her interest in various social issues, Kata is particularly keen on migration, a theme she explored in-depth in her undergraduate dissertation and multiple research projects.

Alicia Herrero Rodriguez

Alicia is an international relations graduate with a knack for graphic design and coding. Her UK education sparked a passion for tech’s role in NGOs. As a Turing trainee, she’s eager to impact international politics in Brussels, forging connections with NGOs. She’s dedicated to empowering youth through social media, ensuring their voices shape our democratic future. Let’s inspire change together!

Filipe Fernandes

Filipe is a PhD student in Political Science and International Relations and works as an advisor to the Mayor of Braga, focusing on International Affairs. He has experience in academic research, with an interest in political parties, foreign affairs and the European Union. He speaks Portuguese and English.

Davide Colombi

Researcher

Davide Colombi is Research Assistant in the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Unit at CEPS.

He is an expert in human rights and EU migration policies with more than 2 years of experience in non-governmental organisations and the United Nations system. Davide researched these fields with mostly qualitative methods and legal research.

Davide has several years of experience in conducting research on international human rights law issues, including freedom of movement, the rights of the child, and economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR). He previously interned at UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti (Florence, Italy) on the Best of UNICEF Research 2021 and Gender Solutions (2022) projects, and – in the context of an academic legal clinic – he conducted background research for the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.

Davide has completed his master’s degree in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action with a specialisation in migration studies (with a focus on EU policies). He also had direct experience in a reception centre for asylum seekers in Italy, where he supported the social workers and legal staff providing for the guests’ needs and asylum applications.

Jan Einhoff

Jan is a PhD Candidate in social demography at Humboldt University and the Hertie School in Berlin where he conducts research on population aging, European welfare states, and quantitative methods. Most recently, Jan worked as a Consultant for the OECD. He also volunteered in care communities in Israel and Scotland and at a local food bank.

Anita Cuteanu

Anita is a policy analyst specialising in security, disinformation and online harms, currently working for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in the UK. Her interests include the regulation of digital and emerging technologies. She holds an interdisciplinary degree from University College London, in the UK, with experience in international affairs from Hitotsubashi University, in Tokyo, Japan.

Revaz Chitanava

Revaz is a full-time Master’s student in the field of International Relations and Political Science at Ilia State University, in Georgia, with a specialized focus on International Relations. He received a BA degree in International Relations from Caucasus University, School of Governance. Currently, he’s spending an Erasmus+ exchange fall semester in Groningen, the Netherlands. Department of the Middle Eastern Studies. Beyond his academic endeavors, Revaz is actively engaged to build a stronger civil society in Georgia. Serving to this purpose, he co-founded the non-governmental organization, “Youth Voices,”. This initiative aims to raise awareness about European Union-funded projects and educational opportunities to youth.

Charles Catmur

Charlie is 23 years-old and lives in the UK. He is a recent graduate from the University of Nottingham where his studies focused on European politics and French language. He is excited for the opportunity to work alongside other young people who have an interest in European affairs.

Magdalena Bochnak

Magdalena is a National Management Trainee at Westminster City Council, currently focusing on community engagement and licensing policy. She previously gained experience working with various NGOs, think tanks and community organising leaders on projects relating to democracy and support for refugees and asylum seekers. Her passion extends to Eastern European studies, and addressing climate change inequalities.

Michele Castrezzati

Michele is a graduate student of 4CITIES, the Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Urban Studies, where he focuses on the unequal impacts of climate change on cities. He is also youth fellow of the International Youth Think Tank.

Marina Becker

Marina is an electrical engineer currently pursuing a master’s degree in computer science. Recently, she developed hardware and software for embedded systems at Infineon and for industrial IoT solutions at Bosch. As a volunteer at IAESTE, she helps engineering students gain intercultural and technical skills abroad. Throughout her work at tech companies, she has experienced how policies affect technological development processes. As a CEPS Young Thinker, she is particularly interested in getting a deeper insight into European policymaking and strategies in key areas such as emerging technologies.

Warda Batool

Warda has studied Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. She is passionate about working at the intersection of evidence-based research and political change. She has worked with international organisations as a gender rights and youth activist, and is excited about representing her country on a global platform.

Maeve Barve

Maeve is a third year undergraduate student at University College London studying History and Spanish. Currently on her year abroad in Granada, Spain, she finds herself surrounded by a new political atmosphere and culturally enriched experiences. She is extremely excited to be participating in the Young Thinkers Programme this year to get further opportunities to work with people from many different cultures, as well as immersing myself in the heart of European politics.

Henry Barrett

Henry is a Fulbright-Schuman grantee to the European Union for the 2023-2024 academic year. He is studying the current state of EU integration among the Visegrád Group countries while living in Budapest and Prague. Henry graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs in 2022.

Tugay Aslim

Tugay Aslım, a Roma activist from Turkey, studied International Relations. Collaborating with associations and local authorities, he’s pursuing a Public Policy education at Central European University. After reviewing the Romani Action Plans, his plans include an academic and professional career addressing employment and education issues within the Roma community.

Tomiris Amirova

Tomiris is a Project Associate at the Florence School of Regulation, working on the Lights on Women initiative. Previously, she interned at the GRID Unit of CEPS. Tomiris holds an MA in Transnational Governance from the European University Institute and a BA in Political Science and International Relations from Nazarbayev University. 

Rafael Alves

Rafael is a Brazilian researcher currently based in Europe. He holds a joint master’s degree in International Relations from Pompeu Fabra University, the University of Barcelona, and the Autonomous University of Barcelona. His primary areas of interest are public policy, migration and human rights.

Federica Frittitta

Project Development Officer

Federica Frittitta is a Project Officer at CEPS.

Federica is an experienced Project Officer with a legal background. She has extensive experience in project management, along with experience in data collection and analysis across EU countries, including application of qualitative research methods in the context of better regulation studies.

Federica recently joined CEPS. She contributes to the preparation of competitive tender and grant proposals, monitors and expands funding sources (e.g. European institutions, Foundations, national and regional governments …).

Prior to joining the Development team at CEPS she was Junior Project Officer and Legal analyst at Grimaldi Studio Legale, an international law firm in Brussels, where she gained extensive professional experience in Tenders preparation, also providing legal assistance in the context of impact assessments, policy studies, evaluations, and other projects.

Federica has a Master’s degree in Law from Liuc, University of Castellanza in Italy where she specialised on International Business Law, and she was an exchange student at the Universitet I Bergen (UIB), in Norway.

Mother tongue Italian, she is fluent in English and has basic knowledge of French.

Youth Policy Dialogue:
  Energy and Climate 

Ciara Connolly

My name is Ciara Connolly, I am half-Irish, half-German. I studied International Relations at King’s College London, where I also pursued several climate-related activities, such as being in the KCL Climate Action Society and taking part in French-speaking climate-related debate competitions. I graduated last summer and completed an internship at adelphi, a German government-funded think tank specializing in climate policy. I have now moved to Berlin, where I work as an Editor at the German news agency, dpa. I would love to work in European or German climate policy and can’t wait to get a chance to put this into action with CEPS. In my free time I like to go to gigs, do creative things with my friends and am currently learning Spanish as my dream is to visit Costa Rica someday!