Dr. Bernard Keenan

Biography

Bernard Keenan is a lecturer at the Faculty of Laws, University College London. His research focuses on the regulation of digital technologies at the intersection of surveillance, national security, and human rights. He has a particular interest in critical theory, social systems theory, and media theory. His publications include works on the UK's legal oversight system in light of the Snowden revelations, the deployment of Automated Facial Recognition systems by the police, state access to encrypted communications, and the regulation of search engine content moderation systems within the framework of online safety. His book, 'Interception: State Surveillance, Postal Systems, and Global Networks,' offers a media genealogical account of the power to govern the interception of private communications, drawing on archival research. Keenan has also published on the immigration system, law literature, and social theory. Before joining UCL, he worked for seven years at Birkbeck Law School and has a PhD in law from the London School of Economics. Prior to his academic career, he was a solicitor practicing in immigration and human rights law in London and a radio reporter for the BBC in Belfast.

Research Interests

Experience