24 November 2025, Melbourne, Australia

The ARC DECRA Project on Regulating Predictive technologies for Preventive Counterterrorism (DE230101646) invites abstract submissions for an international, interdisciplinary conference addressing the rapid expansion of digital surveillance powers in the context of counterterrorism. This event will bring together scholars, policymakers, legal practitioners, members of civil society, and representatives of government and industry bodies to explore the legal, political, ethical, and technical dimensions of digital surveillance in contemporary security practices.

The conference is hosted by the Centre for Law as Protection at Deakin University and funded by the Australian Research Council and Deakin University. This is an in-person event at Deakin Downtown in Melbourne, Australia.

Conference Overview

In the post-9/11 era, governments around the world have increasingly turned to advanced digital surveillance tools to prevent and respond to terrorism. Facial recognition technologies, predictive algorithms, mass metadata collection, social media monitoring, biometric databases, and AI-assisted analytics are now central components of counterterrorism strategies. These tools are embedded in an expanding web of domestic laws, international norms, intelligence-sharing alliances, and regulatory frameworks.

Global and regional institutions have played a pivotal role in shaping the developing field of international surveillance law. The United Nations Security Council, for example, has issued multiple resolutions encouraging member states to enhance information-sharing and develop digital surveillance capabilities to strengthen international security. Strategic alliances such as the Five Eyes (FVEY), and regional bodies such as Europol, have further contributed to the development of this legal field.

In response to the rapid expansion of digital surveillance powers, scholars and civil society actors have raised a range of political and policy concerns, including the erosion of democratic accountability, lack of transparency, disproportionate use of surveillance tools, and implications for both civil liberties and international security. From a legal perspective, the frameworks governing digital surveillance have been criticised for being fragmented, opaque, and inconsistent across jurisdictions. This legal patchwork raises critical questions about the legitimacy of surveillance authorisations, the effectiveness of oversight and review mechanisms, and the potential for unchecked or arbitrary use of surveillance powers.

This conference seeks to generate cross-sectoral dialogue and multidisciplinary engagement on the implications of contemporary surveillance practices and their regulation, drawing on insights from law, political science, international relations, sociology, ethics, computer science, security studies, and media studies.

Key Topics

We invite submissions that engage with, but are not limited to, the following themes:

· The role of the United Nations and other international organisations in the emergence of international surveillance norms: including analysis of Security Council resolutions, international legal instruments, tribunal decisions, and soft law frameworks.

· Intelligence-sharing and strategic alliances: the role of entities such as the Five Eyes, Europol, and other regional or strategic intelligence-sharing mechanisms in the development and governance of surveillance practices.

· Contemporary surveillance practices, human rights and rule of law principles: implications of digital surveillance practices for privacy, due process, non-discrimination, protest, and other internationally protected rights.

· Technological evolution in surveillance tools and counterterrorism policies: the impact of AI, machine learning, biometric recognition, and mass metadata analysis on counterterrorism practices and policies.

· Accountability, authorisation regimes, and oversight: mechanisms for authorisation, review, and redress; the role of courts, parliaments, and regulators.

· Comparative approaches: examining the influence of international bodies on national counterterrorism legislation and analysing differences in counterterrorism surveillance laws and policies across jurisdictions.

· The future of Surveillance Law: critical perspectives on the emerging risks and social implications of global surveillance governance.

Submission Guidelines

We welcome submissions of abstracts of up to 250 by 9 June 2025 to law-as-protection@deakin.edu.au. Abstracts should clearly articulate the research question, methodology, and contribution to the conference theme. Submissions must include the author’s name, institutional affiliation, email address, and a brief biography (max. 150 words).

Accepted presenters will be invited to submit full papers for consideration in an edited volume or special journal issue with a leading academic publisher.

Important Dates

· Abstract submission deadline: 9 June 2025

· Notification of acceptance: 30 June 2025

· Draft paper submission: 1 October 2025

· Conference date: 24 November 2025

 

For further information, please contact law-as-protection@deakin.edu.au.

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