Staff Profile
Becca Owens
RA in Law
- Address: Newcastle Law School
19-24 Windsor Terrace
Newcastle University
NE1 7RU
Rebecca is a legal researcher on the EPSRC-funded multidisciplinary project, AGENCY: Assuring Citizen Agency in a World with Complex Online Harms, at Newcastle University. Collaborating with Professor Ben Farrand, she spearheads the legal and ethical work package in which she collaborates with a cross-functional team to advise on new digital policies and create new technology to empower users.
Rebecca joined Newcastle Law School in September 2022, bringing a passion for interdisciplinary socio-technical research. She is in the final stages of her PhD in Law in Intellectual Property Law at the University of Liverpool, where she also earned her LLM (with Distinction) and LLB (Hons). Her research has garnered numerous accolades, including the University of Liverpool's Certificate of Excellence in 2019, the John Lennon Memorial Scholarship for her master's project and the Sir Joseph Rotblat Alumni Scholarship for her doctoral research. An award from the FFWG has also supported Rebecca's doctoral research.
Recognised as a rising star in socio-technical cyber security, Rebecca has been awarded a RISCS Associate Fellowship and is a Newcastle University Policy Academy Fellow.
Research Overview
Rebecca’s research champions digital citizen agency. She investigates the intersection of law and emerging technologies, exploring how legal frameworks can be adapted to empower users against complex online challenges.
A Pioneering Approach: Rebecca employs cutting-edge socio-technical methodologies and empirical research to bridge the gap between legal theory and practice. This innovative approach drives her work in critical areas such as cyber law, privacy, and financial inclusion and has led to her being recognised as a rising star in socio-technical cyber security research.
Significant Impact: Rebecca’s dedication is reflected in her peer-reviewed publications, invited talks and £60,000 of research funding. Moreover, her contributions have led to the development of new technologies designed to empower users and enhance digital agency.
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Articles
- Olabode S, Owens R, Zhang N, Copilah-Ali J, Kolomeets M, Wu H, Malviya S, Markeviciute K, Spiliotopoulos T, Neesham C, Shi L, Chambers D. Complex Online Harms and the Smart Home: A Scoping Review. Future Generation Computer Systems 2023, 149, 664-678.
- Gokani N, Garde A, Philpott M, Ireland R, Owens R, Boyland E. UK Nutrition Research Partnership 'Hot Topic' Workshop Report: A 'game changer' for dietary health: addressing the implications of sport sponsorship by food businesses through an innovative interdisciplinary collaboration. Nutrition Bulletin 2022, 47(1), 115-122.
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Book Chapter
- Owens R. Personalised Shopping and Algorithmic Pricing: How EU Competition Law Can Protect Consumers in the Digital World. In: Custers B; Fosch-Villaronga E, ed. Law and Artificial Intelligence: Regulating AI and Applying AI in Legal Practice. The Hague: T.M.C. Asser Press, 2022, pp.395–410.
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Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)
- Copilah-Ali J, Owens R, Wu H, Zhang N, Olabode S, Durrant A, Vlachokyriakos V, Elliot K. Responsible AI and the Smart Home Environment: A Multidisciplinary Overview of Issues, Challenges, and Solutions. In: International Conference on AI and the Digital Economy (CADE 2023). 2023, Venice, Italy: IET.