Projects per year
Personal profile
Areas of Expertise
Dr Karen Mc Cullagh, PhD, MSc, LLM, LLB, PG Dip. Higher Education Practice, PG Cert. Professional Legal Studies (Solicitor), Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy, British Computing Society Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection.
Karen’s research specialism is information rights encompassing data protection, privacy, Freedom of Information, and IT Law with a focus on the legal implications of emerging technologies.
Key Research Interests
Karen's research on data protection has garnered international recognition, being cited in influential policy documents by organizations including the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the EU Parliamentary Research Service. Her work on the impact of Brexit on UK data protection law is cited extensively in the House of Lords European Affairs Committee Inquiry Report on UK-EU data adequacy. Her collaborative research on data protection, anonymization, and pseudonymisation has led to invitations to provide expert advice to various stakeholders, including academia, regulatory bodies, and industry.
Her comparative research on freedom of information laws has led to invitations to give oral evidence to the Scottish Parliament and talks to practitioners.
Karen is also a frequent contributor to media outlets, providing expert commentary on legal and technological issues. She has been interviewed by the BBC and has written for prestigious blogs including EU Law Live and Inforrm.
PhD supervision interests
Karen is interested in supervising research students in all areas of privacy and data protection, freedom of information, and other legal aspects of information technology, such as the use of social media technologies to promote e-democracy and freedom of expression.
Completed PhD Research Students
Michael Heslin, (PhD, 2024) “The Future Hurtles Towards the Past: The Structure of Moral Enterprise Liability.”
Bradley Foster, (PhD, 2023) "Fake News’: Legal and Psychological Challenges in the Regulation of Social Media."
Laura Caulton, (PhD, 2020), “Communications offences and social media: Evidencing a hybrid approach to dealing with low-level criminal cyber speech from perpetration to conviction.”
Warut Songsujaritkul, (PhD 2018), "Rethinking Media Plurality Regulation: Promoting Exposure Diversity and Controlling the Power of New Online Selection Intermediaries."
Teaching Interests
Teaching Excellence
Karen is a dedicated teacher. She has won several awards for excellence in teaching, including the Students' Union Transforming Education Award: Advisor of the Year in 2017-18, UEA Student Law Society award in the category: ‘Lecturer who makes me want to attend a 9am lecture!,’ in the academic year 2015-16, and the UEA Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2013. She has also been nominated for the OUP Law Teacher of the Year award in 2019, and a Teaching Excellence Award at the University of Salford in 2008 and 2011. Her commitment to teaching excellence is further evidenced by her recognition as a Senior Fellow of Advance HE.
Teaching Pedagogy
Karen contributed as executive member of BILETA to the development of a Lecture Recording Policy, and to the development of JISC's National Centre for AI development of a report A Pathway to responsible, ethical AI, and contributed to the development of UEA's Lecture Capture Policy.
Karen conducted a pilot study on the use of films and documentaries to teach Internet law during the academic year 2016-17. She disseminated the findings of her study in three different ways: a poster at the University’s Learning & Teaching Conference in May 2017 and at the BILETA conference 2018, and article in the University’s Learning Highlights Magazine (Spring edition).
She also conducted a study on the use of ‘clicker quizzes’ to improve interaction and engagement in Lectures and as a formative assessment tool in 2011. She presented the findings of the clicker study at the 6th annual Education in a Changing Environment Conference where the paper was shortlisted for a prize. She also disseminated the findings of the action study in the journal: Practice and Evidence of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Projects
- 2 Finished
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Tracking Timeliness, Transparency, and Trustworthiness: An assessment of the impact of Covid-19 on UK freedom of information laws as an accountability mechanism - Looking back, Looking forward
1/08/23 → 31/03/25
Project: Internal Funding › AHRC IAA Fund
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EU adequacy assessments: Evolving criteria, political tensions, and the push for a global data standard
Mc Cullagh, K., 15 Jun 2025, In: Common Market Law Review. 62, 3, p. 889 – 912 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Case C-33/22 Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde confirms that the GDPR has general application to Member States’ Parliaments
Mc Cullagh, K., 30 Jul 2024, In: European Data Protection Law Review. 10, 2, p. 232-236 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
Open AccessFile31 Downloads (Pure) -
Submission to House of Lords European Affairs Committee: Inquiry into data adequacy and its implications for the UK-EU relationship
Mc Cullagh, K., May 2024, 8 p.Research output: Other contribution
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Post-Brexit UK Data Protection: Staying the Course or Charting a New Direction?
Mc Cullagh, K., 7 Sept 2023, Data Protection and Digital Sovereignty Post-Brexit. Celeste, E., Costello, R. Á., Harbinja, E. & Xanthoulis, N. (eds.). 1 ed. BloomsburyResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
Open AccessFile132 Downloads (Pure) -
Data exchange
Mc Cullagh, K., 17 Nov 2022, UK Regulation after Brexit Revisited. Kassim, H., Davies, C., Ennis, S. & Jordan, A. (eds.). p. 78-80 3 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
Open AccessFile
Prizes
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Appointment as Governor to the Corporation of City College Norwich
Mc Cullagh, Karen (Recipient), Aug 2024
Prize: Appointment
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Appointment as Secretary of British & Irish Law, Education & Technology Association
Mc Cullagh, Karen (Recipient), Apr 2021
Prize: Appointment
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Appointment as Treasurer of British & Irish Law, Education & Technology Association
Mc Cullagh, Karen (Recipient), Apr 2023
Prize: Appointment
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Reviewer Certificate: Oxford Journal of Legal Studies (2024)
Mc Cullagh, Karen (Recipient), 2024
Prize: Other distinction
File -
UEA Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2012-2013.
Mc Cullagh, Karen (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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ESRC Peer Review College (External organisation)
Karen Mc Cullagh (Member)
4 Jun 2025 → …Activity: Membership › Peer review panel
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Guest Lecture "International Data Transfers"
Karen Mc Cullagh (Invited speaker)
22 Feb 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Invited talk
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The Relevance of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to FOI and FOISA (Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002)
Karen Mc Cullagh (Invited speaker)
24 Sept 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Invited talk
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Meeting of the Scottish Public Information Forum (SPIF)
Karen Mc Cullagh (Chair)
23 Sept 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop or seminar
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Society of Legal Scholars Annual Conference
Karen Mc Cullagh (Speaker)
4 Sept 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
Press/Media
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Op-Ed: “Confirmation in Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde that the GDPR applies to Member State Parliaments,” EU Law Live Blog (20.02.24)
20/02/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blog
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Inadvertent disclosures in FOI responses addressed in ICO advisory notice.
4/10/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blog
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UK Police forces need to review their ‘policing’ of information
24/08/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blog
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Podcast: Mc Cullagh, K. & Fletcher, A. After Brexit: What has changed? Data And Digital Regulation
24/05/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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After Brexit: What has changed? Data And Digital Regulation
Karen Mc Cullagh & Amelia Fletcher
1/05/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution