As part of the launch of his new book, Chilling Effects: Repression, Conformity, and Power in the Digital Age, Professor Jonathon (Jon) Penney explored how digital technologies are being weaponized to reshape our behaviour, social norms, and democratic freedoms—and the legal frameworks and policy reforms needed to respond.
Drawing on social psychology, evolutionary science, and empirical research, Penney argues that contemporary digital systems do more than encourage self‑censorship: they foster conformity at scale. His influential studies, including research on online behaviour following the Snowden revelations, demonstrate the far‑reaching effects of digital surveillance on public discourse and civic engagement.
Osgoode Hall Law School hosted a panel discussion to mark the book’s launch, bringing together Penney with Professor Neil Richards, a leading scholar on privacy and freedom of expression, and Professor Ronald Deibert, founder and director of the internationally renowned Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. The panel examined the legal, regulatory, and policy challenges arising from surveillance, large‑scale data collection, and AI‑driven technologies.
Deibert shared examples of activists and journalists who have faced harassment and monitoring, while Richards reflected on how everyday technologies—from AI assistants to facial recognition systems—have normalized constant surveillance. Together, the panelists raised critical questions about civil liberties, democratic accountability, and the growing influence of both states and corporations in shaping digital life.
The discussion underscored Osgoode’s role as a hub for cutting‑edge legal research and dialogue on the societal impacts of emerging technologies. Faculty, students, and alumni actively engaged with the panel, offering questions and perspectives that connected Penney’s scholarship to pressing legal and social challenges.
Chilling Effects offers a timely framework for understanding the intersection of technology, law, and behaviour, reinforcing the importance of research that informs legal debate and public policy in the digital age.