‘Privacy campaigners are preparing a legal challenge to the NHS’s coronavirus test-and-trace programme as concerns grow about the amount of contact data that will be collected and retained by government.’
The Guardian, 31st May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Mr Justice Mann, Judge in charge of Live Services, has issued guidance to judges today about PDF bundles. The guidance applies to all courts, but not to tribunals.’
St John's Chambers, 20th May 2020
Source: www.stjohnschambers.co.uk
‘The “COVID-19 Guidance Tracker” is a new resource set up by the Regulatory team at Six Pump Court which is designed to enable businesses and legal professionals to more easily navigate to the applicable COVID-19 guidance that is most relevant to their area of work.’
Six Pump Court, May 2020
Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk
‘Following the publication last week by the Joint Committee on Human Rights of its report on the proposed NHS App and the risk of adverse effects on privacy and human rights, the Committee has drafted a Bill – the Digital Contact Tracing (Data Protection Bill) – and sent it to the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock.’
Doughty Street Chambers, 12th May 2020
Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk
‘In the rush to lift the lockdown with safeguards, the government has given a green light to “contact tracing” via bluetooth apps on our smartphones (provided we own them and are willling to take up the app).’
UK Human Rights Blog, 15th May 20202
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘The Human Rights Committee, reviewing NHSX’s current digital contact tracing app architecture, has recommended that the government’s current privacy assurances are not sufficient to protect data privacy and that legislation must be passed to ensure that. This echoes Professor Lilian Edwards’ call for primary legislation to ensure privacy rights are protected. These recommendations are given special significance NHSX’s choice to adopt the controversial and arguably less secure “centralised” model.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 11th May 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘Around 60 percent of the UK public will need to use the NHS’ Covid-19 contact tracing app for it to effectively quell the outbreak. But it has been warned that uptake will depend on whether the app “gives reason to be trusted”. EachOther asks experts their views on how trust is being earned and eroded.’
Each Other, 7th May 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
‘The NHS contact-tracing app must not be rolled out across the UK until the government has increased privacy and data protections, an influential parliamentary committee has said, as rights groups warn that the current trial is unlawful under the Data Protection Act.’
The Guardian, 7th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Coronavirus presents a serious threat to society, legitimising the collection of public health data under Article 9:2 (g) of GDPR regulations, which allows the processing of such data if “necessary for reasons of substantial public interest”. Some of this collection will take the form of contact tracing apps, which have been used in containing the spread of coronavirus in countries such as Singapore.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 1st May 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘ Today the Joint Committee on Human Rights will take evidence from the Information Commissioner, academics and the CEO of NHSX on the risks to the right to privacy (Article 8 ECHR) if a contact tracing app is introduced to track and slow the spread of the coronavirus. This is helpful scrutiny of the government’s plans. Yet if the government goes ahead with its proposed contact-tracing application it is essential that the processing of large amounts of personal data by the state, even if done in the public interest, needs a clear legal basis in the form of specific legislation.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 4th May 2020
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
‘With the UK’s coronavirus lockdown extended for three more weeks, some people are looking towards a planned NHS phone app as “holding the key” to easing restrictions. But how realistic is this expectation and could there be unexpected consequences? EachOther examines.’
Each Other, 16th April 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
‘The Good Law Project is to take legal action against councils over access to education by children from low income families during the lockdown.’
Local Government Lawyer, 9th April 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘The UK government must ensure pupils from poor backgrounds have computers and internet connections during the coronavirus lockdown or face legal action for depriving children of their education, according to a group of legal activists.’
The Guardian, 6th April 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A faulty till system that led to sub-postmasters being wrongly accused of stealing money is still not working properly, MPs have been told.’
BBC News, 10th March 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The case of R (Bridges) v Chief Constable of South Wales Police & Information Commissioner [2019] EWHC 2341 (Admin); [2020] 1 WLR 672 is said to have been the first claim brought before a court anywhere on planet earth concerning the use by police of automated facial recognition (“AFR”) technology. There could be nothing wrong with posting scores of police officers with eidetic memories to look out for up to a 800 wanted persons at public gatherings. So why not use a powerful computer, capable of matching 50 faces a second with a database of (under) 800 suspects, to do this job much more cheaply and instantaneously, flagging any matches to a human operator for final assessment? According to the Divisional Court in Bridges, this may, depending on the facts of each particular deployment, be lawful.’
UK Police Law Blog, 21st February 2020
Source: ukpolicelawblog.com
‘National guidance is urgently needed to oversee the police’s use of data-driven technology amid concerns that it could lead to discrimination, a report has said.’
The Guardian, 23rd February 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Civil Procedure Rule Committee last week put off approving the rules for the new whiplash portal until next month, it is understood, making the April start-date all-but impossible.’
Legal Futures, 10th February 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘In the final judgment of this long-running group litigation, the court found numerous issues with the Post Office’s Horizon IT system and ruled in favour of the subpostmasters and subpostmistresses. The overarching point that emerges is the importance of advancing a realistic case, supported by properly considered and careful expert and factual witness evidence.’
Henderson Chambers, 22nd January 2020
Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk
© Inner Temple Library 2020