Digital technology is becoming ubiquitous in our daily lives, shaping how we communicate, work, and interact. To build trust in technology, its design, development, and deployment must ensure security and safety. A sustainable digital future relies on frameworks that protect both systems and users.

This conference aims to explore the intersection between digital technology, crime, and the law. Digital technology serves as a powerful tool for detecting, investigating, and preventing crime, enabling both private actors and law enforcement agencies to combat illicit activity. But at the same time, it presents opportunities for bad actors to perpetrate crime, from cyberattacks to online fraud.

Developing a framework for digital trust is critical to addressing these challenges and for supporting broader digital transformation. Using interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approaches, the conference examines how trust can be established and maintained.

Ticket Prices:

Regular tickets - £80
Students tickets (undergraduates & postgraduates) - £50

To register your ticket please go to our conference page here.

Important note: Ticket(s) are not refundable but can be transferred to a different name so a representative can attend on your behalf. *If a discounted ticket is bought, the nominated representative must also meet the criteria of the discounted ticket. For more information or questions, please contact Kitty Lo at kitty.lo@manchester.ac.uk.

Confirmed Speakers

Dr Joseph Lee Nazzini, University of Manchester
HHJ Mark Halliwell, Business and Property Courts, Manchester
HHJ Mark Cawson KC, Business and Property Courts, Manchester
Prof Oreste Pollicino, Bocconi University
Prof Angie Raymond, Indiana University
Prof Scott Shackelford, Indiana University
Prof Aline Darbellay, University of Zurich
Dr Richard Banach, University of Manchester
Dr Thomas Le Goff, Institut Polytechnique de Paris
Prof Jakub Harašta, Masaryk University
Dr Jack Kenny, University of Manchester
Valerie Höß, Commerzbank AG
Professor Christy Yachi Chiang, National Ocean University Taiwan
Mark Farrell, Information Commissioner’s Office
Dr Rachael Ntongho, University of Manchester
Dr Beatriz Kira, University of Sussex
Dr Øyvind Toftegaard, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Dr Christopher Anderson, University of Manchester
Dr Aarti Krishnan, University of Manchester
Dr Jonathan Davis, University of Manchester
Dr Abubakri Yekini, University of Manchester
Dr Jochen Dürr, SIX Group
Hilda Wehbi, Legal Affairs Department of Dubai
Vere Marie Khan, Zed Labs Ltd
Dr Louis Chen, Imperial College London
Professor Georgios Samakovitis, University of Greenwich

The programme will feature six panels, each contributing to building capacity and exploring strategies to enhance security, safety, and trust in digital ecosystems.

Special panel: Quantum Computing

This panel will examine the fundamentals of quantum computing, including the concept of quantum supremacy, and how it differs fundamentally from traditional digital computing. The discussion aims to conceptualise quantum computing in a way that provides frameworks for social scientists across fields such as law, sociology and political economy, to develop their research methods and theoretical approaches. These frameworks will inform academic thinking on the commercialisation of quantum technology and the associated risks of its deployment across critical infrastructure in areas such as finance. The panel will bring insight from computer scientists, quantum computing engineers, and policymakers specialising in quantum technology. It will look at the direction of travel of quantum advancement, the impact on existing technology and business operations, and the implications for governance models.

Panel 1: FinTech and Financial Crime

The first panel will investigate the intersection of FinTech and financial crime, focusing on illicit activities such as fraud, scams, and money laundering. The panel will explore how digital technology can be integrated into the anti-crime frameworks of financial institutions, enhancing their ability to detect, investigate and prevent crime. Key areas of discussion will include opportunities for collaboration among stakeholders such as technology developers, data scientists, and law enforcement agencies in order to strengthen digital trust. Additionally, the panel will identify how the legal framework can act as an enabler, fostering innovative partnerships and supporting the creation of a secure and trustworthy financial ecosystem.

Panel 2: Theory and Practice of Cybersecurity

The second panel will focus on the theoretical and practical aspects of cybersecurity, examining how normative frameworks contribute to the development of digital trust, with a particular emphasis on system security and user safety. Key discussions will focus on identifying governance models, standards, and enforcement regimes that enable public and private entities to develop cohesive and cross-border cybersecurity strategies. The panel will also explore the challenges involved in developing technological tools to mitigate cybersecurity risk, highlighting gaps and opportunities in current cybersecurity practice. A central theme will be the role of legal mechanisms such as contracts and regulatory frameworks in building an effective cybersecurity architecture.

Panel 3: Cybersecurity in Critical Infrastructure

The third panel will examine how critical infrastructure sectors such as defence, energy, and finance respond to cybercrime and develop their cybersecurity capability. This cross-sectoral discussion will aim to identify shared challenges and strategies. Key objectives include identifying common cybersecurity themes in the critical infrastructure, analysing the legal and regulatory frameworks that facilitate capability-building, such as EU DORA and the Digital Resilience Act, and highlighting transferable skills that can be further developed for training security professionals.

Panel 4: Supply Chain Management and Liability Regimes for Digital Technology

This panel will focus on supply chain management for digital technology, examining critical components such as chip governance, data governance (GDPR), and algorithm governance (the EU’s AI Act, China’s AI Law). The panel will investigate how various liability regimes such as contract law, tort law, and consumer protection law, can enhance the resilience and accountability of technology supply chains. The panel will also consider the potential for additional regulatory tools and guidance to strengthen supply chain resilience.

Panel 5: Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Digital Trust

The fifth panel will explore the intersection of ESG frameworks such as anti-slavery initiatives, poverty alleviation and online safety, and the development of digital trust frameworks. The discussion will focus on how the ESG frameworks can be leveraged to develop system security and user safety. There are two primary objectives. Firstly, how digital technology can enhance ESG outcomes, and identify scenarios where they may fall short. Secondly, it will identify the measures required to achieve the ESG goals while maintaining and strengthening digital trust. It will focus on three key sectors: 1) the construction industry, particularly ethical labour practices and supply chain transparency, such as under the UK Modern Slavery Act; 2) the agriculture and environmental sector, looking at sustainability, resource management, and equitable access; 3) platform liability for harmful content, e.g. under the UK Online Safety Act, analysing the role of digital platforms in ensuring online safety and mitigating harm.

Panel 6: International Governance Frameworks

The sixth panel will examine the role of international law in addressing cross-jurisdictional challenges in the digital age. The discussion will focus on how international governance frameworks, e.g. UN treaties such as the Treaty of Cybercrime, and international conventions such as the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, can facilitate cooperation, resolve conflict, and build trust across borders. Key topics will include exploring the potential for harmonisation of laws and regulations, identifying practical pathways to achieve alignment, and evaluating the policy objectives that should guide these developments. The panel will also consider the challenge of balancing national sovereignty against the need for global digital governance.

Connect with the Centre for Digital Trust and Society

The Centre for Digital Trust and Society organises the DTS Guest Seminar Series and is a focal point for research across the University of Manchester that explores aspects of trust and security in our digital world. The Centre is part of Digital Futures, a highly interdisciplinary network which operates across the whole range of the University of Manchester's digital research.

About Digital Futures:

Digital Futures is a highly interdisciplinary network that operates across the whole range of the University’s digital research. We aim to present a coherent overview of The University of Manchester's digital research activity to external stakeholders and bring together research communities to explore new research areas and address strategic opportunities.

Connect with us:

X: twitter.com/DigitalUoM

Linkedin: linkedin.com/showcase/digital-futures-at-the-university-of-manchester

Website: digitalfutures.manchester.ac.uk

Newsletter: tinyurl.com/digitalfuturesuom

Digital Technology, Crime, and the Law Conference - Save The Date!