Researcher Sophia Salziger wins international prize for GDPR research

At the annual conference of the British and Irish Law, Education and Technology Association in Aberystwyth (15–17 April 2026), Sophia Salziger was awarded the BILETA-EJLT Prize. She received the prize for her research on when individuals are entitled to compensation for privacy violations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The prize is awarded each year to promising research in the field of law and technology.

In addition to this recognition, the STeP Research Group contributed several presentations to the conference. Their work addressed current issues such as the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare and agriculture, European regulation of AI, and how algorithmic decision-making can be made more transparent and accountable.

The programme also covered ongoing challenges in enforcing data protection law, including questions around automated decision-making and the use of pseudonymised data.

The conference brought together researchers, legal professionals and policymakers to discuss how to ensure that technology remains a tool that serves society — an issue that continues to grow in importance.