Juan Ortiz-Freuler, PhD ________________________________________
Center for Human Rights and Global Justice Email: jof7754@nyu.edu
Law School, New York University
139 MacDougal St. 5th Floor, New York, NY 10012
ACADEMIC POSITIONS _________________________________________________________________
July 2026 - CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS & GLOBAL JUSTICE, NYU LAW
USA
Research Scholar
- Researching how the Human Rights framework can shape artificial intelligence systems, infrastructures, and policies.
- Co-leading organization of a two-day conference at NYU.
- Co-authoring article for Law Review with Chair of the Center, Cesar Rodriguez Garavito.
- Supporting the NYU Law Clinic by managing a group of second- and third-year law students through weekly meetings where we respond to client needs through legal research.
2022 - 2026 ANNENBERG SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION, USC
USA
Wallis Annenberg Fellow (2022- 2025) | Doctoral Research Assistant - Manuel Castells (2022- 2026)
- Research assistance during the drafting of his latest book, “Digital Society” (2024).
- Co-authored journal article on interface geopolitics published in New Media & Society.
- Support in setting up an AI Advisory Council for the Government of Spain.
2017 - 2024 BERKMAN KLEIN CENTER FOR INTERNET & SOCIETY, HARVARD
USA
Fellow (2017-2018) – Affiliate (2018- 2024)
- Co-chaired the Re-Decentralizing the Web Study Group.
- Founding member of the Emerging Digital Issues in the Global South (EDIGS) research group. Co-editor of the #ThinkSouth fanzine.
- Founding member of the Tierra Común Network of Decolonial Researchers.
- Co-founder of the Non-Aligned Technologies Movement, a network with over 120 academics and practitioners.
EDUCATION_________________________________________________________________
2021-2026
PhD, Communication
Annenberg School of Communication
University of Southern California
Awarded May 15, 2026
- Committee: Manuel Castells (Co-Chair), Hernan Galperin (Co-Chair), Jonathan Aronson, Paola Ricaurte (Tecnológico de Monterrey / Berkman Klein Center)
2015-2016
MSc, Social Science of the Internet
Oxford Internet Institute
University of Oxford
- Distinctions in Online Metrics and Measurements and Technology & Regulation
2014-2015
MPP, Public Policy
Blavatnik School of Government
University of Oxford
- Distinction in Foundations of Government
- Chevening Scholar
2005-2009
Law Degree
Faculty of Law
Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (UTDT)
- First of Class
- Focus on Constitutional Law & Philosophy of Law
PUBLICATIONS_______________________________________________________________
JOURNAL ARTICLES
- Ortiz-Freuler, J. and Castells, M. (2026) From search engines to AI agents: Interface control and the restructuring of communication power. New Media & Society.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2026). Informational Sovereignty: The Commercial and Geopolitical Risk of Newsroom Dependency on Third-Party Infrastructure in Latin America. International Journal of Communication.
- Ortiz-Freuler, J. (2026). Neutralising the propaganda machine: proposals for cyber-propaganda de-escalation. Journal of Cyber Policy, 1–19.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2025). Infrastructural power: State strategies for internet control. Internet Policy Review.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2023). Unveiling gatekeeping practices in mobile environments: A comparative analysis of operating systems and app gardens. International Journal of Communication, 17.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2023). Datafication, identity, and the reorganization of the category individual. Temple Law Review, 95(4), 673–698.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2022). The weaponization of private corporate infrastructure: Internet fragmentation and coercive diplomacy in the 21st century. Global Media and China, 8(1).
BOOKS
- Bustos Frati, A., Caeiro, C., Ferracutti, D., Martínez, M.F., Kirschbaum, I., & Ortiz Freuler, J., (2024). Evaluating internet development in Argentina: Using UNESCO's ROAM-X internet universality indicators [Spanish]. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000391409
ESSAYS IN EDITED VOLUMES
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2026) "Corporations are becoming social scaffolding, defining the shape and range of alternative social arrangements". In J. Anderson & L. Rainie (Eds.),Building a Human Resilience Infrastructure for the AI Age. (pp. 93-95). Imagining the Digital Future Center, Elon University.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2025). Automation will reshape our understanding of the individual and society. In J. Anderson & L. Rainie (Eds.), Expert views on the impact of AI on the essence of being human. (pp. 75-78). Imagining the Digital Future Center, Elon University.
- Ortiz Freuler, J., The smart city as a shift in the locus of knowledge and power, in Brandusescu, A., & Reia, J. (Eds.). (2022). Artificial intelligence in the city: Building civic engagement and public trust. (pp. 88-90) Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Montréal, McGill University.
ZINE
WHITE PAPERS AND REPORTS
- Ortiz Freuler, J., (2025). Pulse 2025: The Trump effect on digital rights in the global majority. Global Network for Social Justice and Digital Resilience.
- Ortiz Freuler, J., (2024). Scanning the horizon: The future of digital rights and resilience in the Global Majority. Global Network for Social Justice and Digital Resilience.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2022). Datafication and the future of human rights practice. JustLabs.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2021). The neutrality pyramid: A framework to redistribute power over the net. Web Centralization Monitor.
- Szewach, P., & Ortiz Freuler, J. (2020). Disinformation and the current state of Argentina’s media market. Global Disinformation Index.
- Web Foundation. (2019). A contract for the web. (JOF editor and coordinator)
- Ortiz Freuler, J., & Iglesias, C. (2018). How are governments in Latin America using artificial intelligence? Web Foundation.[cited by the World Health Organization & International Telecommunications Union and UN Special Rapporteur on Racism's report on (A/HRC/56/68)]
- Avila, R., Brandusescu, A., Ortiz Freuler, J., & Thakur, D. (2018). Artificial intelligence: Open questions about gender inclusion. Women 20 (a G-20 track).
- Avila, R., Ortiz Freuler, J., & Fagan, C. (2018). The invisible curation of content: Facebook’s News Feed and our information diets. Web Foundation.[cited in UN Special Rapporteur Report on AI (A/73/348), and an OECD report on disinformation]
- Brandusescu, A., Ortiz Freuler, J., & Thakur, D. (2017). Artificial intelligence: Starting the policy dialogue in Africa. Web Foundation.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2017). How much did the percentage of internet users in México actually grow in 2015? An analysis of the official statistics, and their interpretation by public officials [Spanish]. R3D.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2016). Mexico's universal internet access policy: Mexico Conectado. A working document presented at the UN’s IGF.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2015). Supply and demand of open data in Mexico: A diagnostic report on the government’s new open data portal. Consultancy for Social Tic.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2014). The Argentine Ombuds: Diagnostic and recommendations on transparency, accountability and openness [Spanish]. ACIJ.
- Ortiz Freuler, J., & Cornejo, C. (2013). Information technologies and public control in Latin America: Recommendations and good practices for the strengthening of public oversight office’s digital strategy [Spanish]. ACIJ – Iniciativa TPA.
- Ortiz Freuler, J. (2013). Strategies and tools for the administration of a digital observatory on competitive public contests [Spanish]. ACIJ.
- Maurino, G., & Ortiz Freuler, J.** (2013). Selection of judges in the city of Buenos Aires: Diagnostic and proposals [Spanish]. ACIJ.
- Maurino, G., & Ortiz Freuler, J.** (2013). Policy recommendations and good practices for the selection of judges in Argentina [Spanish]. ACIJ.
- Ortiz Freuler, J., & Cornejo, C. (2011). Participatory planning in the Auditoría General de la Nación Argentina [Spanish]. ACIJ.
- Cornejo, C., Ortiz Freuler, J., Lavin, R., & Maurino, G. (2011). Diagnostic report on transparency, participation, and accountability in supreme audit institutions of Latin America [Spanish]. ACIJ.
** Alphabetical order
TEACHING EXPERIENCE________________________________________________________________
STANDALONE TEACHING ASSISTANT
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (USC)
COMM 209: Communication and Media Economics (Fall 2025 & Spring 2026) - Teaching Assistant
Designed and taught weekly classes for 25 undergraduate communication students. Responsible for designing classes and grading classwork.
UNIVERSIDAD TORCUATO DI TELLA (UTDT)
Constitutional Law (2011) - Teaching Assistant
Designed and taught 2-hour standalone sessions where 45 students examined leading cases through the lens of different theoretical frameworks. Responsible for grading essays.
UNIVERSIDAD DE FLORES (UFLO)
Philosophy of Law (2010) - Teaching Assistant
Designed and taught 2-hour sessions where 45 students experimented with theoretical frameworks by analyzing their implications in specific contexts. Responsible for grading essays.
UNIVERSIDAD TORCUATO DI TELLA (UTDT)
Philosophy of Law (2009-2010) -Teaching Assistant
Designed and taught 2-hour weekly standalone sessions where 45 students experimented with theoretical frameworks by analyzing their implications in specific contexts. Responsible for grading exercises and essays.
INVITED INSTRUCTOR
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Berkman Klein Summer School - Invited Instructor (2019)
Co-Designed and taught a 3-hour hands-on course on public interest negotiation and advocacy for 15 students from around the world.
GUEST LECTURES
2026
- Infrastructure power, sovereignty and Non-Alignment. Invited by Jens Pohlmann. UC Davis. remote participation, May 5.
- Tech Geopolitics and Non-Alignment. AI & Bias Lab at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Philadelphia, PA, remote participation, Feb 9.
2025
- The Commercial & Political Risk of Network Points of Control. The Media School, University of FLorida. December 5.
- The Commercial & Political Risk of Network Points of Control. The Media School, Indiana University Bloomington. November 20.
2024
- AI & algorithms in government. Invited by Senior Adjunct Prof. Rangita de Silva. AI & Bias Lab at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Philadelphia, PA, remote participation, January 23.
2023
- AI & algorithms in government. Invited by Senior Adjunct Prof. Rangita de Silva. AI & Bias Lab at U.Pennsylvania Carey Law School, remote. January 22.
2022
- AI & algorithms in government: Case studies from Latin America. Invited by Senior Adjunct Prof. Rangita de Silva. AI & Bias Lab at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Philadelphia, PA, remote participation, March 28
2021
2020
- Un futuro para internet. Invited by Adjunct Professor, Tomás Pomar. ODIA-Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina, remote participation, October 10.
- La Gobernanza de Internet y su actualidad. Invited by Mendoza Supreme Court Judge, Mario Adaro. Maestría en Derecho Digital y Estado de la Universidad Champagnat, Mendoza, Argentina, remote participation, July 31.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE________________________________________________________________
ACADEMIC ADVOCACY
2015- 2026
Global
WEB FOUNDATION
Senior Policy Fellow (2019-2020) // Policy Fellow (2017 –2019)
2017-2020
USA/UK
Boston/London
- Technical and operational support to Tim Berners-Lee on policy issues.
- Designed templates and coordinated the Working Groups that drafted the ContractfortheWeb.org
- Designed methodology and co-authored research on Facebook’s News Feed algorithm & the Use of automated systems by Latin American Governments
- Authored WFs presentation on Net Neutrality before the FCC.
- Coordinated, revised and edited publications on AI, algorithms and personal control over personal data
- Represented the Foundation at conferences and round-tables.
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
2015 – 2022
Washington D.C.
- Open Markets Institute - Summer Compass Fellow –Developing a monitor of newspaper dependencies on infrastructure managed by big tech. Conducted interviews with journalists and newspaper technology managers (Summer 2022).
Latam
Mex/Bra/Arg/Col
ASOCIACIÓN CIVIL POR LA IGUALDAD Y LA JUSTICIA (ACIJ)
Strengthening of Democratic Institutions
2011-2014
Argentina
BA
ICT projects
- Defined strategy and implemented a digital campaign against a major reform of the judiciary. Coordinated support from NGOs for what became the fastest growing online petition in Argentina (140.000 signatures in 7 days +17,000 Facebook likes). Massive repercussions in media and Senate (reformajusticia.org + Change)
- Drafted script, sketched visuals, and supervised development of a TV spot against the reform of the judiciary (+21,000 views on YouTube)
- Sketched and co-developed prototype of web application for the National Ombudsman to simplify presentation of complaints and facilitate public access to reports.
- Coordinated activities with programmers to crowdsource the systematization of information contained in PDFs of asset declarations of politicians throughout Argentina (see IJNET)
- Co-designed a cutting-edge grant-winning project on the use of ICTs for transparency and citizen participation throughout the judge selection process (CAD$ 50.000). Brainstormed a grant-winning project on civic-tech to crowd-control progress of public works in shanty towns (U$145.000 - see The Guardian).
- Supervised redesigning process of ACIJ’s website and creation of three blogs: increased interactivity and simplified navigability.
Justice Initiatives
- Developed and applied a real-time online debate forum on judicial reform. Coordinated participation of leading figures of national debate on judicial reform, such as María L. Garrigós, and debated with them
- Created and represented two web-based observatories on judge selection processes (city of BA and nationwide: Implemented crowdsourcing methods as input for analysis of regulations and practices for periodic posts on irregularities detected (+86,000 views). Succeeded in generating a major transparency reform in the City of BA: Sued the Council for not granting public access to videos of oral exams and interviews. Council now publishes videos on YouTube.
- Drafted challenges against the designation of a Judge and the State Prosecutor, the contents of which were used by several senators during the Public Hearing, and were published by the press.
- Coordinated actions from five NGOs in a campaign for the appointment of a National Ombuds.
Supreme Audit Institutions
- Researched and assessed best practices on transparency, participation, accountability, and use of ICTs by Latin American Supreme Audit Institutions. Networked national and sub-national officials of Latin America and representatives of labor union. Organized conferences and managed the budget. (Project supported by the World Bank Institute and Open Society Foundations)
- Designed and created interactive website to disseminate research on transparency and participative practices implemented by Supreme Audit Institutions of Latin America, and promote and facilitate interaction between regional actors.
- Collaborated in the drafting of laws on Access to Information and Open Government.