Randall Stephenson

Randall Stephenson is a Senior Researcher at the Department of Public Law within the Max Planck Society. His research focuses on the intersection of digital communications, democratic accountability, and public law, particularly regarding intelligence gathering and libel law reforms. He holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford, where his thesis was published as A Crisis of Democratic Accountability (2018).

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil), University of Oxford (awarded without revisions)
• Master of Studies (MSt), University of Oxford
• LLM, Columbia Law School
• Admitted to the Bar of Ontario (2003)

Research Interests: Stephenson examines how digital surveillance and internet dynamics challenge traditional notions of governmental accountability. His work critiques libel law’s treatment of political speech across jurisdictions, advocating for reforms aligned with institutional accountability frameworks. Recent projects include Democracy and State Secrets (examining mass surveillance legality) and Rethinking Digital Media Regulation (investigating societal discourse changes).

Awards & Affiliations:

• Associate Fellow, Higher Education Academy (UK, 2014)
• Podcast contributor discussing defamation in the 2024 U.S. election

Grants & Projects:

• Lead researcher for "Democracy and State Secrets"
• Co-lead for "Rethinking Digital Media Regulation"

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Johanna Rinceanu and Paolo Granata on digital media legal frameworks, and conducts comparative law analyses across Germany, the U.S., UK, and Canada.