Joan Barata, member of MEDEA, Senior Legal Fellow at The Future of Free Speech Project at Vanderbilt University and Fellow at Stanford’s Program on Platform Regulation, continues to play a leading role in shaping global conversations around freedom of expression, platform accountability, and legal safeguards in the digital age.
In a recent episode of the Lawfare podcast, Barata joined a distinguished panel to unpack the European Union’s evolving approach to platform governance. Moderated by Lawfare Contributing Editor Renée DiResta, the panel also featured Daphne Keller (Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center) and Dean Jackson (Tech Policy Press and American University). Together, they examined the transformation of the EU’s Disinformation Code of Practice from a voluntary framework into a legally binding set of obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), coming into force on July 1.
Beyond high-level policy debates, Barata remains deeply engaged in on-the-ground legal capacity building. Earlier in June, he completed the second phase of a regional judicial training series in Uzbekistan, aimed at enhancing judicial understanding of freedom of expression, access to information, journalist safety, and digital platform governance.
Covering six regions – Samarkand, Navoiy, Bukhara, Namangan, Andijan, and Fergana – the training sessions reached nearly 180 judges, offering practical guidance on integrating international human rights standards into national legal systems. The initiative was made possible thanks to the support of UNESCO in Uzbekistan, the Supreme School of Judges, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Through his combined efforts – both in global policy circles and judicial education – Joan Barata continues to contribute meaningfully to building robust, rights-based governance frameworks in the digital age.