How smart devices are exploited for domestic abuse – BBC News

‘The number of domestic abuse cases has increased dramatically since the UK’s Covid lockdown – and tech has played a role.’

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BBC News, 18th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Academy trust facing legal challenge over award of £2m software contract – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 16th, 2020 in computer programs, contracts, local government, news, public procurement by sally

‘A large academy school trust faces litigation from a firm that lost out in the award of an IT contract.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Man denied £1.7m payout by Betfred takes fight to High Court – BBC News

Posted October 16th, 2020 in computer programs, consumer protection, contracts, gambling, interpretation, news by sally

‘A man who was refused a payout of £1.7m after his online betting company account was credited with the money is taking his case to the High Court.’

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BBC News, 16th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK passport photo checker shows bias against dark-skinned women – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2020 in bias, computer programs, internet, minorities, news, passports, photography by sally

‘Women with darker skin are more than twice as likely to be told their photos fail UK passport rules when they submit them online than lighter-skinned men, according to a BBC investigation.’

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BBC News, 8th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government to pay £2m to settle coronavirus testing case – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2020 in competition, computer programs, contracting out, coronavirus, news by sally

‘The UK has agreed to settle a lawsuit over how it selected an IT contract for coronavirus testing at its Lighthouse labs.’

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BBC News, 8th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Vos: ‘lawyers face steep learning curve on tech’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘All lawyers will need to become familiar with the concepts and workings of distributed ledger technology, smart legal contracts and cryptoassets, according to the next master of the rolls. In a foreword to a landmark report on the regulation of blockchain technology, Sir Geoffrey Vos says that the pandemic “has only emphasised our need to understand the ways in which technology is affecting our professional lives. Lawyers face a steep learning curve.” ’

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Law Society's Gazette, 5th October 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Data protection challenges of remote working – Local Government Lawyer

‘Samantha Smith looks at how organisations can handle the data protection challenges of remote working.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The impact of digitalisation on the immigration process – EIN Blog

‘The coronavirus pandemic created an impetus for the legal world to finally begin accepting digitalisation of processes, moving away from the traditional paper process to an online version. The immigration process is already faced with a myriad of concerns which leaves the applicant in a weak position, and most often, with a lack of funds to cover their costs. The Home Office’s inability to train and effectively manage applications, outsource services to dubious third-party contractors has been exacerbated further by the haphazard application of online processes which do not match the needs of the immigration process. Despite the fact that online applications are easier to complete for legal representatives a number of issues have arisen as a result of this sudden change.’

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EIN Blog, 21st September 2020

Source: www.ein.org.uk

‘Farcical’ legal hold-ups caused by ageing systems – BBC News

Posted September 22nd, 2020 in adoption, computer programs, coronavirus, delay, news by sally

‘When Louise Westra and her partner decided to adopt a child in November 2018, they were aware of the long process that was ahead of them, but they were not to know that the coronavirus pandemic would hold them back from completing the adoption of their son.’

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BBC News, 22nd September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Policing Our Privacy – Where Does the Law Lie? – 39 Essex Chambers

‘Last Tuesday the Court of Appeal (Sir Terence Etherton MR, Dame Victoria Sharp PQBD and Singh LJ) allowed the appeal of the civil liberties campaigner, Edward Bridges, against the decision of the Divisional Court which had dismissed his claim for judicial review of South Wales Police Force’s use of live automated facial recognition technology (“AFR”).’

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39 Essex Chambers, 17th August 2020

Source: www.39essex.com

Bar students call on regulator to waive exam requirement – Legal Futures

Posted August 20th, 2020 in barristers, computer programs, coronavirus, examinations, legal education, news by sally

‘A petition calling on the Bar Standards Board (BSB) to waive the requirement that Bar students complete the centralised BSB exams has attracted more than 1,000 signatures on its first day.’

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Legal Futures, 20th August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB chief aims to arrange exam resits as soon as possible – Legal Futures

Posted August 18th, 2020 in barristers, complaints, computer programs, examinations, legal education, news by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is looking to arrange another round of exams well before December, its chief executive has told Legal Futures, as complaints about the online system mount.’

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Legal Futures, 18th August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers step in to support beleaguered Bar students – Legal Futures

Posted August 13th, 2020 in barristers, complaints, computer programs, examinations, legal education, news by sally

‘Barristers have offered to support the dozens of Bar students who have so far reported major problems with taking their exams, including having to urinate into bottles and buckets in front of their computers.’

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Legal Futures, 13th August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar students hit by technical failures in first online test – Legal Futures

Posted August 13th, 2020 in barristers, complaints, computer programs, examinations, legal education, news by sally

‘A “small number” of Bar students were affected by technical issues that prevented them from completing their first online exam, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) said yesterday amid a stream of complaints, along with calls from practitioners for the regulator to act.’

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Legal Futures, 12th August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Students lodge formal complaint against BPP alleging City favouritism – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A multifaceted complaint against legal educator BPP from students on its postgraduate solicitor programmes was formally submitted today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th August 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Home Office drops ‘racist’ algorithm from visa decisions – BBC News

‘The Home Office has agreed to stop using a computer algorithm to help decide visa applications after allegations that it contained “entrenched racism”.’

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BBC News, 4th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Deepfake’ warning over online courts – Legal Futures

‘Video manipulation software, including ‘deepfake’ technology, poses problems for remote courts in verifying evidence and that litigants or witnesses are who they say they are, a report has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 29th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Met uses software that can be deployed to see if ethnic groups ‘specialise’ in areas of crime – The Guardian

Posted July 28th, 2020 in computer programs, London, minorities, news, police by sally

‘Origins software produced by Trevor Phillips’s firm allows users to profile suspects, says company.

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The Guardian, 27th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government admits breaking privacy law with NHS test and trace – The Guardian

‘The UK government broke the law in rolling out its test-and-trace programme without a full assessment of the privacy implications, the Department of Health and Social Care has admitted after a legal challenge.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Digitisation of Welfare and Irrationality Review: SSWP v Johnson – Oxford Human Rights Hub

‘In Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v Johnson & Ors [2020] EWCA Civ 778, the England & Wales Court of Appeal took the uncommon step of holding an executive decision unlawful for Wednesbury irrationality. Johnson highlights that irrationality is not merely a desperate ground of last resort for judicial review applicants. The case is also an important illustration of how substantive review may be relied upon by those affected by the digitisation of welfare.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 30th June 2020

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk