79 – The Public Interest in the Data Society

The public interest, in its

ideal form, offers the possibility for all to exercise individual rights

and freedoms, such as freedom of expression and information or the right to

personal data protection. However, in practice the definition of public

interest can vary depending on the context.

In Maud Bernisson’s doctoral thesis in Media and Communication

Studies, she investigates how the notion of public interest was constructed in

relation to digital media during the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

policymaking process. By interviewing key actors of the process, along with

extensive in-depth document analyses, Maud’s research shows that the GDPR redefines the

public interest in a way which diverges from its ideal form. In our

conversation, Maud explains the reasons for this divergence and how it has

affected how the GDPR works for EU citizens.     

Maud Bernisson’s doctoral thesis can be downloaded from DiVA: The Public Interest in the Data Society: Deconstructing the Policy Network Imaginary of the GDPR