We are happy to announce that Joan Barata is joining our Future Free Speech Project as Senior Legal Fellow.

Joan Barata says: “As an active advocate of freedom of expression involved in numerous projects throughout the world over the last twenty years, I see this collaboration with Justitia as an excellent opportunity to further contribute to this area and its manifestations, at a time when legal and policy developments affecting both traditional and new communication platforms are challenging the right to free speech. I am glad to bring my expertise to an excellent team of specialists and use both my theoretical and practical background to foster a good understanding of the complex implications involving the effective protection of freedom of expression and freedom of information in different institutional, legal and political contexts.”

Joan is joining FFS at a pivotal moment where we are moving our HQ to Vanderbilt University at Nashville Tennessee, USA. Executive Director of The Future Free Speech Project Jacob Mchangama says: “I´m thrilled and honored to announce Joan Barata as a Senior Legal Fellow at the Future of Free Speech Project. Joan is one of the world´s foremost experts on the international standards that govern freedom of expression and access to information both on- and offline. Joan´s wealth of experience and stellar CV is a huge boost to the Future of Free Speech´s mission to serve as one of the world´s premier resources for cutting-edge research and thoughtful advocacy on behalf of the most fundamental of human rights.” 

Joan Barata | Senior Legal Fellow

Joan Barata works on freedom of expression, media regulation, and intermediary liability issues. He is a Senior Fellow at Justitias Future Free Speech project. He is a Fellow of the Program on Platform Regulation at the Stanford Cyber Policy Center. He has published a large number of articles and books on these subjects, both in academic and popular press. His work has taken him in most regions of the world, and he is regularly involved in projects with international organizations such as UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the Organization of American States or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, where he was the principal advisor to the Representative on Media Freedom. Joan Barata also has experience as a regulator, as he held the position of Secretary General of the Audiovisual Council of Catalonia in Spain and was member of the Permanent Secretariat of the Mediterranean Network of Regulatory Authorities.