When Law meets Pop

26.01.2026.
When Law meets Pop

Application Form

Course Summary

Both law and popular culture pervade our lives and law often lives in images the way images live on the screen. From the beginning of the last century photos, later movies, and television, recently everything on internet (online news platforms, reels, shorts, and live stream) can shape our perception of law and can affect how players in the legal system behave.

During our course we would like to explore some aspects of the interface between these enormously important subjects. With the rise of social media and influencer marketing, clarifying the legal and ethical issues related to the activities of opinion leaders has become increasingly important. The aim of the course is to explore how media, internet and influencers shape public perception of the legal system, how law influences cultural narratives, legal professionals’ behaviour and public understanding of justice, ethics, and fundamental rights. At the same time the course gives an overall picture of the European regulations and highlights some important Member State rules concerning our topics.

Venue

ELTE Faculty of Law Building

Course Requirements

At least level B2 in English.

Previous or ongoing legal studies.

Meet the Lecturers

Prof. Dr. habil. PhD Gergely GOSZTONYI

He has over 20 years of teaching and research experience in media law, and he is a Professor at ELTE Faculty of Law. He is the Head of Digital Authorisation Research Lab (DARL) at the ELTE Faculty of Law. His research interests include global regulation of social media, censorship, deepfake, alternative media and the liability of intermediaries.

Dr. Anna MADARASI LL.M.

She is a judge at the Metropolitan Court of Budapest, where she served as spokesperson for several years. Co-founder and co-chair of Res Iudicata Judicial Association. In addition to her judicial career, she is PhD candidate and a guest lecturer at the International and EU Law Department of ELTE Faculty of Law. Her research field and main interest is trial publicity.

Course Syllabus

Lessons 1-9 would analyse the conflict between fair trial and free speech through historical, worldwide well-known, and recently broadcasted or live streamed high profile courtroom cases (U.S., UK, Europe) since the beginning of the last century until nowadays. During the course

the participants would get a comprehensive comparative knowledge of the regulations and case law concerning the collision of the above-mentioned rights.

Lesson 10-18 would examine the European legal frameworks concerning influencers and the corresponding practices of EU Member States to inform the participants about the dynamic development of this legal environment.