Navigate 2026 | BKC's Leah Plunkett on what to expect
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Leah Plunkett, a scholar at Harvard Law School affiliated with the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, introduces Navigate 2026 as an upcoming event set to take place in June in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She describes the gathering as a unique blend of a professional conference and a social retreat, likening it to a "wedding weekend meets nerd camp" where attendees from diverse sectors such as academia, arts, activism, industry, government, and civil society come together. The event promises engaging keynote discussions alongside significant opportunities for networking and enjoyment with global leaders in the field of digital life and law.
A central theme of the conference is the exploration of how children, families, and communities navigate the complexities of digital existence within the legal framework. Plunkett emphasizes that the program will feature lively interactions among experts from various backgrounds to address pressing issues in the digital realm. The event aims to foster a shared dialogue that helps participants identify common goals and strategies for steering society toward a collective digital future, ensuring that the conversation remains inclusive and forward-looking.
The second day of Navigate is highlighted as particularly significant, featuring a town hall session led by Berkman Klein's Jonathan Zittrain designed to unite all attendees in this collaborative discussion. Beyond the intellectual rigor, the event will include substantial social components, notably a lobster bake at Strawberry Bank, which Plunkett jokingly notes will see plenty of food consumption despite previous lighthearted complaints about eating too much seafood last year. This balance of serious discourse and communal enjoyment is intended to create an idyllic seaside experience that strengthens professional bonds while having fun.
Currently, there are still a limited number of spots available for registration, and Plunkett encourages interested individuals to join the event before it fills up. The partnership between Berkman Klein and the IAPP marks the second consecutive year they have organized this gathering, demonstrating their commitment to bringing together thought leaders for this specific weekend in Portsmouth. Attendees can expect a well-rounded experience that combines high-level insights on digital law with the unique charm of New Hampshire's coastal town, making it an essential opportunity for anyone involved in the intersection of technology and society.
Read the full video transcript
Hi, my name is Lea Plunkett. I teach,
research, and write about kids,
families, and communities, and digital
life in the law at the Harvard Law
School. I'm also part of the Berkman
Klein Center for Internet and Society at
Harvard University.
And Berkman Klein is thrilled to be
partnering for a second year in a row
with the IAPP to bring you Navigate in
the idyllic seaside town of Portsmouth,
New Hampshire happening this June.
Navigate is kind of like a wedding
weekend meets nerd camp. We swarm the
town of Portsmouth, New Hampshire for
engaging keynote discussions as well as
lots of fun with other leaders from
around the world across the academy,
arts, activists, industry, government,
civil society, and much more. And also
you eat a lot of lobster. That's true,
Larry. I got you last year in my swag
bag. You did also a mug. I did, and I
didn't eat you. No, but you ate lots and
lots of my siblings at the lobster bake
on Strawberry Bank, and I know you all
had so much fun, but we didn't. I'm
sorry, Larry, but that is going to
happen again. There's going to be a lot
of fun as well as Navigate will come in
for a landing with a town hall
the second day of Navigate led by
Berkman Klein's own Jonathan Zittrain
that brings everyone together for a
shared dialogue to identify the common
course on which we're rowing toward our
shared digital future.
We still have a few spots available. We
hope you will come aboard and register
to join us.