In this episode of Terms of Service, Mary Camacho sits down with William McGeveran—Dean of the University of Minnesota Law School and author of a leading privacy law casebook—to explore the evolving landscape of data protection, surveillance, and individual rights. With deep insights into both U.S. and European frameworks, McGeveran breaks down where current laws fall short, why consent alone doesn’t protect privacy, and how legal systems can (and should) evolve to meet the challenges posed by AI, big tech, and systemic data collection.
William McGeveran – William McGeveran was named the twelfth dean of the University of Minnesota Law School in 2024. He originally joined the faculty of Minnesota Law in 2006 and previously served as the interim dean and the associate dean for academic affairs. Dean McGeveran’s research focuses on information law, with particular focus on data privacy and trademark law. His scholarship in trademark law considers the balance between prevention of harmful consumer confusion and protection of valuable speech including parody, commentary, and comparative advertising. McGeveran is also the sole author of a casebook, Privacy and Data Protection Law, used by instructors at dozens of U.S. law schools. Dean McGeveran has been a resident fellow at the University of Minnesota Institute of Advanced Study, a visiting professor at University College Dublin School of Law, and an instructor in the Notre Dame Law School London Programme. He frequently speaks to the media, submits amicus briefs, works with policymakers, and teaches continuing legal education courses in his specialty areas. Dean McGeveran earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University and a B.A., magna cum laude, in political science from Carleton College. While an undergraduate he spent one year as a nonmatriculated visiting student at Worcester College, Oxford. Prior to joining Minnesota Law, he was a resident fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School. He previously clerked for Judge Sandra Lynch on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and practiced as an intellectual property litigator at Foley Hoag LLP in Boston. Before law school, Dean McGeveran worked in national politics for seven years, primarily as a senior legislative aide to then-Rep. Charles Schumer.
Privacy isn't dead—but it is under pressure. If you're tired of shrugging at every “accept cookies” pop-up, this episode will help you rethink what’s possible through law, accountability, and systemic reform. Listen to Dean William McGeveran on how to reclaim digital dignity.
🎧 Listen now: Episode Link
Host: Mary Camacho
Guest: William McGeveran
Produced by Terms of Service Podcast
Sound Design: Arthur Vincent and Sonor Lab
Co-Producers: Nicole Klau Ibarra & Mary Camacho