PhD Candidate Law Generative AI in the Media

The overall goal of this project is to study the role and implications that the new regulatory framework has in realising public values and influencing the power dynamics and legal relationships in the context of the development and use of generative AI models and systems in the media context with a focus on AI-generated illegal and harmful content.

Join us!

Europe is a hub of ambitious regulatory experimentation aimed at curbing the power of major social media platforms while promoting fair competition media diversity and compliance with fundamental rights. Laws like the Digital Services Act Digital Markets Act Data Act European Media Freedom Act and AI Act collectively seek to ensure that key technologies such as automated content moderation recommendation systems and generative AI respect public values and fundamental rights. This is a critical moment to examine how the emerging regulatory framework structures state authority engages diverse societal actors and holds powerful tech companies accountable for the societal risks their technologies pose.

This project investigates how the new regulatory landscape shapes public values power dynamics and legal relationships surrounding the use of generative AI in the media sector with a focus on AI-generated illegal and harmful content. The following are some of the projects key questions:

• How does EU law define the roles responsibilities and relationships between media platforms and AI providers regarding illegal or harmful generative AI content
• To what extent does the EU legal framework rely on co- and self-regulatory tools to manage generative AI content
• How are moderation and enforcement of AI-generated content governed in the media sector and what are the key regulatory mechanisms
• What conflicts or trade-offs emerge in balancing innovation legal compliance and public values in the media sector
• What insights do real-world examples (e.g. copyright disinformation AI content moderation) offer about regulatory challenges and societal impacts in the media sector
• How does the use of generative AI tools to produce present and manipulate the visibility of media content create new risks of disinformation and amplify existing ones What are the roles and responsibilities of content creators and influencers in this context

This PhD position is part of theAlgoSoc project and will be based the Institute for Information Law (IViR) at the University of Amsterdam in close cooperation with Utrecht University.

What you will do

You will work on a legal PhD thesis as part of an interdisciplinary team. The project is part of the AlgoSoc project and is embedded in the Institute for Information Law (IViR) Faculty of Law UvA. Next to the research you will contribute actively to the activities of AlgoSoc and IViR for example through participation in workshops organisation of lectures or joint activities. To develop your teaching skills you can also be involved in light teaching or student supervision tasks.

More specifically the successful candidate is expected to:

• Conduct academic research in law technology and media values culminating in a PhD thesis (based on a minimum of 4 papers);
• Present your research on academic conferences expert sessions etc.
• Participate in other activities of the project such as team meetings colloquia and reading groups;
• Contribute to the public debate and the organization of outreach and impact activities of AlgoSoc;
• Participate in organizing workshops and conferences;
• Collaborate with other researchers within the AlgoSoc consortium the IViRs Digital Services Act Observatory and the AI Media & Democracy Lab

What we expect from you

• A BA in Law and a (research) Masters degree in Information Law EU Law or equivalent.
• Demonstrated interest in digital regulation and the legal aspects of AI in the media. Preference will be given to candidates with a background in Media Law or knowledge of/affinity for the media sector.
• Strong commitment to collaborative multidisciplinary research and a collegial attitude.
• Clear research interest in the projects topic.
• Excellent command of English both written and spoken (knowledge of additional languages such as Dutch and/or German is a plus).
• Ability and willingness to work independently within a multidisciplinary team of legal scholars communication experts ethicists and data scientists.
• Experience organizing workshops lecture series or similar events.

Does the vacancy appeal to you but are you doubting whether you might be THE person we are looking for Please do apply as we encourage all qualified applicants including minorities women people with disabilities and members of other groups underrepresented in academia. We wish to create a consortium that consists of persons who each contribute in their unique way to the team. Complementarity and not homogeneity is what we are looking for.

What We Offer You

We offer an employment contract for three years with a probationary period of two months preferably starting on January or February 2026. The employment contract is for 38 hours a week.Your salary ranges from 3.059 in the first year to 3.881 in the final year gross per month based on a full working week of 38 hours. This sum does not include the 8% holiday allowance and the 8.3% year-end allowance. The Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU) is applicable.

Your future workplace

The Institute for Information Law (IViR) officially established in 1989 is one of the largest research centers in the field of information law in Europe and one of the largest of its kind in the world.

The Institute employs over 45 researchers who are active in an entire spectrum of information society related legal areas: intellectual property law patents telecommunications and broadcasting regulation media law Internet regulation advertising law domain names freedom of expression privacy digital consumer issues commercial speech AI blockchain et cetera. The Institute engages in cutting-edge research into fundamental and topical aspects of information law and provides a forum for critical debate about the social cultural and political aspects of regulating information markets.

Curious about our organization Learn more about working at the University of Amsterdam here.

If you feel the profile fits you and you are interested in the job we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the link below. We will accept applications until 31 October 2025.

Applications should include the following information (submitted in ):

• A letter of motivation (max two page font size 12) explaining why you are a good fit to this position;
• A full academic CV;
• A writing sample such as a Masters thesis chapter or paper (20 pp.);
• The names and contact details of two references including your thesis advisor who may be approached by the selection committee.
• Please note that all documents above should be compiled and submitted in 1 PDF file.

Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.

Selected candidates will be invited to application interviews that will take place online in November and early December 2025. If selected for the interview round we will ask you to prepare a brief presentation with an idea for a potential research project.

For questions about the position please contact:

• Dr. João Pedro QuintaisAssociate Professor
• E: