Category: internet

You’ve got bail: judge lets lawyer off over beeping phone – The Guardian

Posted April 7th, 2017 in courts, internet, judiciary, news, telecommunications by sally

‘The sudden trilling of a mobile phone amid the solemn atmosphere of a court hearing often leads to stern glances from the bench and cringing embarrassment from the offender. But Mr Justice Holman, one of the longest-serving high court judges in England and Wales, responded to an electronic interruption from one lawyer’s device in the family court on Thursday with compassionate forbearance.’

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The Guardian, 6th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

University lecturer jailed after using bitcoins to buy drugs over ‘dark web’ that led to friend’s death – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 6th, 2017 in cryptocurrencies, drug offences, internet, news, sentencing, teachers, universities by sally

‘A university lecturer has been jailed after buying a cocktail of drugs over the “dark web” that led to the death of his friend.’

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Daily Telegraph, 5th April 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Revenge porn victims complain police treated their abuser ‘like the victim’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 5th, 2017 in internet, news, police, rehabilitation, sentencing, sexual offences, suspended sentences, victims by sally

‘Revenge porn victims have complained police treated their abuser ‘like the victim’ after he was given police protection at court and was not sent to jail.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th April 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Home Secretary statement: meeting with Communication Service Providers – Home Office

Posted March 31st, 2017 in internet, press releases, terrorism by sally

‘Home Secretary Amber Rudd has given a statement following her meeting today with Communication Service Providers.’

Full press release

Home Office, 30th March 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Top tech firms avoid encryption issue in government talks – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2017 in encryption, internet, news, terrorism by sally

‘Leading tech firms have promised to work closely with the government to remove extremist material from the internet and social media following a meeting with the home secretary, Amber Rudd.’

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The Guardian, 30th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

McKenzie Friend Marketplace to ban “active” students from giving legal advice in wake of criticism – Legal Futures

Posted March 28th, 2017 in codes of practice, internet, law centres, McKenzie friends, news, trainee solicitors, universities by sally

‘The McKenzie Friend Marketplace (MFM), which hopes to help hundreds of law students find paid work offering legal services, has responded to criticism from practitioners by announcing that it will ban active students from providing legal advice – although they will be able to give clients other types of support.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 28th March 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Snooping by police to be monitored by independent authority – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2017 in data protection, EC law, electronic mail, interception, internet, investigatory powers, news, police, privacy, telecommunications by sally

‘A new independent surveillance procedure to prevent police officers granting themselves permission to access personal emails and records of web-browsing history is being established by the government.’

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The Guardian, 28th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

WhatsApp must be accessible to authorities, says Amber Rudd – The Guardian

Posted March 27th, 2017 in encryption, intelligence services, internet, investigatory powers, news, police, privacy, publishing, telecommunications, terrorism, terrorism prevention & investigation measures by sally

‘Amber Rudd has called for the police and intelligence agencies to be given access to WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging services to thwart future terror attacks, prompting opposition politicians and civil liberties groups to say her demand was unrealistic and disproportionate.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Plusnet fined £880,000 for charging more than 1,000 ex-customers – The Guardian

Posted March 23rd, 2017 in consumer protection, fines, internet, news, telecommunications by sally

‘Plusnet, the BT-owned broadband and landline company, has been fined almost £900,000 by Ofcom for continuing to charge more than 1,000 customers even though they had cancelled their accounts.’

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The Guardian, 22nd March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs cite anti-terror law over Google ‘inaction’ on far-Right group’s video – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 22nd, 2017 in internet, news, terrorism, terrorism prevention & investigation measures, video recordings by sally

‘Google risked breaking anti-terrorism laws by allegedly failing to remove illegal recruitment videos by a banned far-Right group, MPs have suggested.’

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Daily Telegraph, 21st March 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prisons and Courts Bill to improve access to justice and better protect the vulnerable – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 21st, 2017 in bills, civil justice, courts, criminal justice, internet, news, prisons by sally

‘Plans to revolutionise the courts to make them more straightforward and efficient, and deliver swifter justice for victims.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 20th March 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Quality must trump convenience in online justice reforms – The Bar Council

Posted March 21st, 2017 in barristers, bills, civil justice, courts, criminal justice, internet, press releases by sally

‘As the Government presses ahead with plans for online and virtual hearings, the Bar Council has warned that the quality and the reputation of our system of justice must not suffer.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 20th March 2017

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Local authority alert sees family barrister fined over data security failings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 20th, 2017 in barristers, confidentiality, disciplinary procedures, documents, fines, internet, news by sally

‘A senior family law and Court of Protection barrister has been fined £1,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office for failing to keep clients’ sensitive personal information secure.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th March 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

News focus: ‘Virtual justice’ and the IT panacea – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 20th, 2017 in bills, courts, criminal justice, internet, Ministry of Justice, news, telecommunications by sally

‘Just over six years ago, a taxpayer funded independent study of a pilot “virtual court” concluded that: “A rollout based on the pilot’s performance and parameters is likely to cost more money than it saves. A break-even scenario may be achieved, but this is still likely to be a challenge.” ‘

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Law Society’s Gazette, 20th March 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Litigant in person network goes live to co-ordinate support for access to justice – Litigation Futures

Posted March 17th, 2017 in internet, litigants in person, news by sally

‘The Litigant in Person Network – an online platform which aims to connect a wide range of people with a common goal of improving access to justice – has gone live this week.’

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Litigation Futures, 16th March 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Justice reformer condemns digital criminal courts plan – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 16th, 2017 in bills, consultations, courts, criminal justice, guilty pleas, internet, news, victims, witnesses by sally

‘Government plans for virtual court hearings and online guilty pleas for criminal offences are poorly costed, based on weak evidence and have not been subjected to proper consultation, a national justice charity says today.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 15th March 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Social media firms accused of ‘commercial prostitution’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 15th, 2017 in hate crime, internet, news, select committees by sally

‘Social media companies have been accused of “commercial prostitution” and having “no shame” after being grilled by MPs over their failure to take down abusive content.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th March 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK medicines regulator says it is ‘completely impossible’ to control illegal online pharmacies – The Independent

Posted March 13th, 2017 in health, internet, licensing, medicines, news, pharmacists by sally

‘It is “completely impossible” to control the vast numbers of unlicensed pharmacies illegally selling drugs online, the British medical regulatory agency has warned.’

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The Independent, 12th March 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Magistrate disciplined after Facebook comments on case he oversaw – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 13th, 2017 in internet, magistrates, news, professional conduct by sally

‘A magistrate has been reprimanded after posting a Facebook message about a court case he had overseen.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th March 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ticket touts face unlimited fines for using ‘bots’ to buy in bulk – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2017 in computer crime, computer programs, consumer protection, criminal justice, government departments, internet, news, sale of goods by sally

‘Touts who use computer software to harvest concert tickets in bulk and resell them at vast mark-ups face unlimited fines as part of a crackdown on highly profitable resale sites such as Viagogo, StubHub and GetMeIn.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk