Boston University School of Law

09/10/2026

Woodrow Hartzog explains, “When we get accustomed to having our face scanned for everything we do online, it is really dangerous, not only potentially for the privacy risks but also to acclimate an entire population into thinking that that is normal behavior. Facial recognition is the most dangerous surveillance tool ever created... Look at how easy it is to channel people's choices into agreeing to have their faces scanned as a condition of a good or service. The more we can lean into policy frameworks that require strong protections from the company—rather than putting the onus on the person whose face is being scanned or who has to reveal their identity—then the better off I think we’ll be.” Read more:

To keep scammers at bay, dating apps are embracing biometric scanning tools and “verified human” badges. These moves are sparking concerns about surveillance and privacy.

09/10/2026

Shira Diner explains that if Clancy is retried on a less serious offense, she could request to waive her right to a jury trial and have a judge decide her fate. Diner notes, “I’ve tried to do jury waive trials or asked for a jury waive trial and they wouldn’t do it. It’s really just up to the discretion of the judge.” Read more:

Prosecutors must decide whether to retry Lindsay Clancy, pursue a plea deal or drop the case altogether.

09/10/2026

Sarah Sherman-Stokes notes, “After Sept. 11, we saw a conflation of views about immigration and terrorism. Investigative agencies were reimagined and reorganized. There’s been the targeting of Muslim and South Asian people, and racial profiling, surveillance, deportation, and detention. All that didn’t lead to a single terrorism prosecution. Yet it was a harbinger of what we see now.” Read more:

It seems like only yesterday. Tragedies sometimes have that effect. The good times — the triumphs, the moments of joy — aren’t forgotten, but are remembered in a smudge of… Related posts: No related posts.

09/10/2026

All alumni are invited! Join us on Friday 9/18 for the BU Law Alumni Weekend Opening Forum and Welcome Reception.
Dean Angela Onwuachi-Willig will provide updates on BU Law and then Jessica Silbey will provide insights on "How AI Is Reshaping Legal Learning.” A dynamic panel of faculty members will provide a look into how we're preparing the next generation of lawyers to navigate an AI-influenced world.
Afterwards, mingle with BU Law alumni across generations at the Welcome Reception.
Spots are limited. REGISTER NOW: http://spr.ly/6186BGB2Sy

09/09/2026

Join us on Monday, September 14th for a book talk to discuss "Dividing Lines | How Transportation Infrastructure Reinforces Racial Inequality" with NYU School of Law Professor and ACLU President Deborah Archer. Moderated by Ngozi Okidegbe.
Learn more and register: http://spr.ly/6189BGBXAZ

09/09/2026

student org fair! Did you do a double take?

09/09/2026

James Bessen's research explained that "the installation of even a single ATM reduced the number of tellers required by an average urban bank branch from 20 to 13." Read more:

"When politicians talk about the need to protect people from technological innovations, they’re doing harm, not good."

09/08/2026

David Rossman notes that the jury selection for the Clancy retrial, "I would expect some people to be less than candid because they want to be on the jury in such a notorious case." Read more:

The judge in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial declared a mistrial Friday after the jury failed to come to a unanimous decision following seven days of deliberation.

09/08/2026

All alumni weekend is 10 days away! Join us for the inspirational Silver Shingle Awards Dinner on Saturday, September 19. Together our community will honor service to the profession, school, and community. And we'll award the Young Lawyer's Chair, honoring an alum who has made a significant impact within 10 years of graduation.
Spots are limited. REGISTER NOW:
http://spr.ly/6182BGB4hC

09/08/2026

David Rossman says of the "relatively conservative" MA prosecutor Cruz, “...it, to the public, would seem to be an admission of having erred originally if the prosecutor did not try to charge her again." Read more:

The mistrial in the case of the 36-year-old Massachusetts mother who admitted to killing her three children sets up the possibility of another trial in a matter that has sown division and drawn attention to postpartum mental health.