University of Amsterdam
PhD Candidate Law - Generative AI in the Media
University of AmsterdamNetherlands7 days ago
Part-timeInformation Technology
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.

Working at the UvA

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 the AlgoSoc project, and will be based the Institute for Information Law (IViR) at the University of Amsterdam, in close cooperation with Utrecht University.

  • A good salary Your salary will be determined on the basis of your experience and seniority, in accordance with the Labour agreement. Your grading and therefore the amounts mentioned are based on full employment of 38 hours per week.
  • 232 vacation hours We also offer parental leave, partner leave and social engagement leave. Through the Employment Conditions Menu Card, there are opportunities for even more vacation hours.
  • Financial arrangements On top of your salary, you receive holiday allowance (8%) and a year-end bonus (8.3%). You build up a good pension with ABP. And in addition, we offer many other allowances and schemes.
  • Career development and room for growth The UvA encourages you to continue to professionalise through training courses and open UvA lectures.
  • Family matters Relocating to the Netherlands with your family? Find out about daycare, schooling, health insurance or employment options and support for your partner or spouse. Including the IDCN-network which provides support for your spouse through various training sessions, social activities, and networking events.

All About This Vacancy

 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 IViR’s Digital Services Act Observatory and the AI, Media & Democracy Lab,

What We Expect From You

  • A BA in Law and a (research) Master’s 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 project’s 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 place at the UvA

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.

About The Amsterdam Law School

Committed, responsible and open-minded. This is how we at the Amsterdam Law School view the role of law in a constantly changing (international) society. With over 5,000 students and 600 staff, we are one of the larger law faculties in the Netherlands. We educate legal professionals who know how to apply the law effectively with the aim of actually contributing to solutions for society. We respond to social developments through innovative and pioneering research. In this way, we always keep in touch with society.

Important to know

Your application & contact

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 one.pdf):

  • 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 Master’s 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:

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

As an employer, the UvA maintains an equal opportunities policy. We value diversity and are fully committed to being a place where everyone feels at home. We nurture inquisitive minds and perseverance and allow room for persistent questioning. With us, curiosity and creativity are the prevailing culture.

Studies show that women and members of underrepresented groups only apply for jobs if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Do you meet the educational requirements but not yet all of the requested experience? The UvA encourages you to apply anyway.

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