Tech lawyer, digital rights advocate, author and researcher.

Institute for Information Law (IViR)

At one of Europe's leading research institutes for information law, Ot teaches and conducts research on the intersection of technology, law and human rights. His academic work focuses on the legal implications of emerging technologies including quantum computing and artificial intelligence. See his IViR profile for more.

Contributing to the Dutch judiciary

As a substitute judge at the District Court of The Hague, Ot sits on cases where he can contribute with his expertise.

Books, journalism and public discourse

Ot writes books and journalism on technology, law and society. His book Voorbereid (2025) became a bestseller, reaching #2 on the Dutch non-fiction charts. He is also a correspondent for De Correspondent, where he writes about digital resilience, privacy and the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure, and publishes the newsletter Voorbereid on Substack. You can subscribe here to his newsletter.

Supporting independent media and democracy

As a member of the supervisory council, Ot oversees this foundation that supports independent journalism and democratic discourse in the Netherlands.

Voorbereid (2025)

How vulnerable is the Netherlands to disruption? From cyberattacks to failing infrastructure, this book examines whether government, businesses and citizens are sufficiently prepared for disaster scenarios. Voorbereid became a bestseller, reaching #2 on the Dutch non-fiction charts. With a foreword by Joris Luyendijk and an afterword by Beatrice de Graaf.

From Encryption to Quantum Computing – The Governance of Information Security and Human Rights, Springer (2022)

PhD dissertation exploring the legal and societal implications of encryption, quantum computing and post-quantum cryptography for human rights and digital security.

Unravelling the myth around open source licences: An analysis from a Dutch and European law perspective (with L. Guibault), T.M.C. Asser Press (2006)

A comprehensive legal analysis of open source software licenses under Dutch and European law, examining the rights and obligations of developers and users.

Journal articles

The right to trust your vote: Cybersecurity, human rights and electronic voting (2024)

Annotatie bij EHRM 13 februari 2024 (Podchasov / Rusland), Computerrecht (2024)

Developing a human-rights compatible governance framework for quantum computing, Research Directions: Quantum Technologies (2024)

The Right to Root: Constructing a Claim to Control Devices from the Right to Privacy, JIPITEC (2023)

The right to encryption: Privacy as preventing unlawful access, Computer Law & Security Review (2023)

Fundamental rights assessment of the framework for detection orders under the CSAM proposal (2023)

Export control of cybersurveillance items in the new dual-use regulation, Computer Law & Security Review (2023)

In defense of offense: information security research under the right to science, Computer Law & Security Review (2022)

The new rules for export control of cyber-surveillance items in the EU (with M. Rucz, J.V.J. van Hoboken & M. Koot), Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2021)

Openingssalvo in nieuwe Nederlandse Crypto Wars?, Mediaforum (2020)

Het privacy-argument tegen de Dopamine Machine, Privacy & Informatierecht (2018)

De zeven privacytrends van 2017, Mediaforum (2018)

Over waterfilters en bioscoopschermen: het WIV-voorstel en Tele2/Watson, Mediaforum (2017)

Annotatie bij Rb. Oost-Brabant 20 juli 2016, Mediaforum (2017)

Geheime surveillance en opsporing: Richtsnoeren voor de inrichting van wetgeving (with S.J. Eskens & N.A.M.N. van Eijk), IViR (2016)

10 Standards for Oversight and Transparency of National Intelligence Services (with S.J. Eskens & N.A.M.N. van Eijk), Journal of National Security Law & Policy (2016)

Study of fundamental rights limitations for online enforcement through self-regulation (with C. Angelopoulos et al.), Open Society Foundations (2016)

Het Schrems/Facebook-arrest en de gevolgen voor internationale doorgifte, Nederlands tijdschrift voor Europees recht (2016)

Burgers tegen Plasterk: het Nederlandse staartje van de Snowden-saga, Ars Aequi (2015)

Zes jaar bestuur en rechtspraak in de telecommunicatiemarkt (with E.J. Dommering & N.A.M.N. van Eijk), IViR (2004)

Opinion pieces

Inlichtingendiensten te vrij in nieuw wetsvoorstel, De Volkskrant

Leg wettelijk vast dat experts onderzoek mogen doen naar gaten in cyberbeveiliging, De Volkskrant

Bescherm je cliënten tegen de staat, versleutel je mail, NRC

Óók soft- en hardware die niet uit China komen zijn notoir onveilig. Hacken is het probleem, niet Huawei, De Volkskrant (2019)

Justitie toegang geven tot versleutelde chatberichten is geen goed idee, Trouw (2019)

Testimony

Testimony to the PEGA committee for the hearing on spyware and fundamental rights, European Parliament (2022)