Cryptocurrency is Property: AA v Persons Unknown – The 36 Group

Posted February 11th, 2020 in contracts, cryptocurrencies, electronic commerce, jurisdiction, news by sally

‘In a significant recent decision, the High Court has acknowledged the finding of the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce (“UKJT”) in its Legal Statement on Cryptoassets and Smart Contracts that cryptocurrency is property.’

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The 36 Group, 11th February 2020

Source: 36group.co.uk

Disposals of cryptoassets, tax & the UKJT Legal Statement – Society for Computers and Law

Posted February 6th, 2020 in cryptocurrencies, electronic commerce, jurisdiction, news, taxation by sally

‘Leigh Sagar looks at the mechanics and tax implications of cryptoasset disposals in the light of the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce Legal Statement on cryptoassets and smart contracts.’

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Society for Computers and Law, 29th January 2020

Source: www.scl.org

Gambling watchdog bans credit cards for online betting sites – The Guardian

Posted January 14th, 2020 in consumer credit, consumer protection, electronic commerce, gambling, news by sally

‘Gambling businesses are to be banned from allowing consumers in Great Britain to use credit cards to bet from 14 April, the Gambling Commission has announced.’

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The Guardian, 14th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

VAT charges on digital versions of newspapers overturned – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 9th, 2020 in EC law, electronic commerce, internet, media, news, statutory interpretation, VAT by tracey

‘A major publisher has been successful in overturning a previous ruling that found that the digital versions of its newspapers were subject to VAT charges.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 8th January 2020

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Crypto statement a ‘watershed’ for English law – Law Society’s Gazette

‘In its first substantive output since being announced a year ago, the LawTech Delivery Panel last week posted good news for anyone developing, or working with, products based on blockchain encryption technology.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 25th November 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Refreshing legal clarity on cryptocurrencies and smart contracts – Technology Law Update

Posted November 20th, 2019 in computer programs, contracts, cryptocurrencies, electronic commerce, news by sally

‘A UK Government-backed task force has reviewed the status of cryptocurrencies and smart contracts under the existing law. In a new Legal Statement, they offer some welcome clarity to these evolving technologies.’

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Technology Law Update, 19th November 2019

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Digital assets “are property” under English law – Legal Futures

Posted November 19th, 2019 in consultations, contracts, cryptocurrencies, electronic commerce, jurisdiction, news by sally

‘Blockchain and smart contracts were given a major boost towards becoming a standard method for securely storing and transferring cryptoassets yesterday, when the expert panel charged with giving the technology legal certainty decided they should be treated in principal as property.’

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Legal Futures, 19th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

AI – a tool for the law, or its digital master? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 19th, 2019 in artificial intelligence, contracts, electronic commerce, news, podcasts by sally

‘In the latest Henry Brooke Lecture (12th November, hosted by BAILII and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer), Supreme Court Justice Lord Sales warned that the growing role of algorithms and artificial intelligence in decision making poses significant legal problems.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 18th November 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

“Mixed messages” from consumers on online conveyancing – Legal Futures

Posted November 19th, 2019 in conveyancing, electronic commerce, electronic filing, news, reports by sally

‘Only 19% of home buyers use online conveyancers, despite the dominance of online searches as a way of finding property, a report has found.’

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Legal Futures, 19th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Speech by Sir Geoffrey Vos, The Chancellor of the High Court: the annual COMBAR lecture – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Speech by Sir Geoffrey Vos, The Chancellor of the High Court: the annual COMBAR lecture.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 13th November 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

MPs call for reform of online gambling laws – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 8th, 2019 in electronic commerce, gambling, internet, news by tracey

‘The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Related Harm (GRH APPG) said current legislation has its limitations and that new laws should be introduced and “focus on prevention of harm and retrospective concerns” and further “assess the kind of industry we would like to have in the future”.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 7th November 2019

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Blockchain offers the law “enormous opportunities” – Legal Futures

Posted October 24th, 2019 in contracts, conveyancing, electronic commerce, legal services, news, probate by sally

‘The buzz around distributed ledger technology (DLT), including blockchain, is much more than hype and the tech will eventually transform conveyancing and probate, an academic specialising in innovation has indicated.’

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Legal Futures, 24th October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

UK fine issued for breach of CMA initial enforcement order – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 26th, 2019 in competition, electronic commerce, mergers, news, penalties by tracey

‘A payments provider that breached an order to stop the integration of its UK business with a rival until a full merger investigation could be carried out has been fined £250,000 by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).’

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th September 2019

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Electronic signatures are valid, confirms Law Commission – Law Commission

‘Electronic signatures can be used to execute documents, including where there is a statutory requirement for a signature, the Law Commission has today confirmed. This means that, in most cases, electronic signatures can be used as a viable alternative to handwritten ones.’

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Law Commission, 4th September 2019

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Written signatures under threat as law commission backs electronic versions – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 4th, 2019 in electronic commerce, electronic filing, Law Commission, news by sally

‘A 20-month investigation by the Commission into electronic signatures has ruled they are a legally viable alternative to handwritten ones including on deeds from trust documents to powers of attorney, commercial deals, personal financial transactions and across Government.’

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd September 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Regulator approves self-exclusion system for problem gamblers – The Guardian

Posted September 2nd, 2019 in electronic commerce, electronic mail, gambling, internet, news by sally

‘A system that allows problem gamblers to block themselves from all UK betting websites in one go has finally been approved by the industry regulator, 18 months after it was supposed to be ready, the Guardian understands.’

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The Guardian, 1st September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bitcoin worth £900,000 seized from hacker to compensate victims – The Guardian

‘A judge has ordered the confiscation of bitcoin worth more than £900,000 from a jailed hacker in the first case of its kind for the Metropolitan police.’

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The Guardian, 23rd August 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Solicitor operated unauthorised online divorce business – Legal Futures

Posted August 22nd, 2019 in disciplinary procedures, divorce, electronic commerce, news, solicitors by sally

‘A family lawyer who created an online divorce service did so to avoid regulation and not share the fees generated with his law firm, a tribunal has found in striking him off.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd August 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Information Commissioner raises privacy concerns over Facebook’s Libra cryptocurrency plans – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 6th, 2019 in cryptocurrencies, data protection, electronic commerce, internet, news, privacy by tracey

‘Facebook’s past privacy breaches suggest financial information might not be safe if it launches cryptocurrency, the Information Commissioner has warned.’

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Daily Telegraph, 5th August 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Airbnb host fined £100,000 for letting council flat – BBC News

‘An Airbnb host who rented out his central London council flat to tourists has been fined £100,000 and evicted.’

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BBC News, 29th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk