Probe into price comparison website deals – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 27th, 2013 in conflict of interest, consumer protection, insurance, internet, news by sally

‘Price comparison websites and insurers in the motor, travel and home insurance markets are the subject of a regulatory probe by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) amidst concerns that consumers are being misled when buying cover through those sites.26 Nov 2013.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Judge sentencing rapist, 12, warns against using Internet as a babysitter – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 26th, 2013 in children, internet, news, pornography, rape, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘A judge has warned that the Internet cannot be used as a “babysitter” as he sentenced a 12-year-old for raping his younger sister after watching porn at school.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Linking to infringing material may not on its own be an act of copyright infringement, says UK judge – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 25th, 2013 in copyright, injunctions, internet, media, news by sally

‘Businesses that merely publish a link on their website to copyright infringing material online may not themselves be liable for copyright infringement, a High Court judge has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 22nd November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Emma Way: Driver in #bloodycyclists Twitter storm convicted after knocking cyclist off bike – The Independent

“A 22-year-old woman who posted about ‘bloody cyclists’ on Twitter hours after knocking a cyclist off his bike has been convicted of failing to stop and failing to report an accident, but cleared of driving without due care and attention at Norfolk Magistrates Court today.”

Full story

The Independent, 19th November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Google and Microsoft agree measures to block abuse images – BBC News

Posted November 18th, 2013 in child abuse, indecent photographs of children, internet, news by sally

“Leading search engine companies Google and Microsoft have agreed measures to make it harder to find child abuse images online.”

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BBC News, 18th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Watchdog bans rogue Land Registry and DVLA adverts – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 13th, 2013 in advertising, driving licences, internet, land registration, news by sally

“Two more adverts have been banned as the ASA continues its battle with websites that give the impression of being ‘official.’ ”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 13th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

OFT clears Google’s takeover of Waze – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 13th, 2013 in competition, internet, mergers, news, ombudsmen, takeovers by sally

“The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has cleared Google’s takeover of Israeli-based mapping technology company Waze Mobile after finding it does not raise competition concerns.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Damian Green’s digital pathfinders – speech by Damian Green

Posted November 12th, 2013 in crime prevention, internet, police, speeches, telecommunications by sally

“Speech given by Policing Minister Damian Green on Monday 11 November 2013 to the College of Policing’s digital pathfinders conference.”

Full speech

Ministry of Justice, 11th November 2013

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

UK objects to attempt by Council of Europe to examine online spying – The Guardian

“Britain is delaying the publication of a declaration on internet freedom by the 47 members of Europe’s human rights watchdog after objecting to a probe into the gathering of ‘vast amounts of electronic data’ by intelligence agencies.”

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The Guardian, 8th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More Tweet Trouble for Rooney and Nike? – Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted November 7th, 2013 in advertising, codes of practice, complaints, internet, news, sport by sally

“A tweet by ‘Wayne Rooney’ landed Nike in front of the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) again last month, following a complaint by a user of Twitter that the tweet was not obviously identifiable as a marketing communication and was therefore in breach of the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code 2.1, 2.3 and 2.4. The ASA’s decision on this tweet is interesting in light of its previous decision in a similar case involving Nike and Mr Rooney, and is worthy of note for any lawyers involved in advising sports teams and players on devising social media policies and/or regulating their social media use on a personal level.”

Full story

Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers,6th November 2013

Source: www.sportslawbulletin.org

Lord Chief Justice suggests using Skype and FaceTime in courts – The Independent

“Video-call technology such as Skype and FaceTime could be used to allow criminal defendants to take part in court hearings from home, the most senior judge in England and Wales has said. In his first press conference, the new Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas, said the use of such applications could reduce the cost of hearings held in the run up to a trial.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Last chance to comment on OFT consultation on online games – Technology Law Update

Posted November 5th, 2013 in consultations, consumer protection, internet, news, undue influence by sally

“The OFT recently published a consultation paper on its proposed eight new sector-wide principles in relation to online and app-based games. Whilst the principles will not be legally binding, they make clear the OFT’s views on businesses’ obligations under consumer protection law. The principles were proposed following the results of the OFT’s investigation in April 2013 which highlighted concerns about pressure put on children to make in-game purchases because of pressure to do so within the games. It was found that, in some games, parents were unwittingly incurring large bills due to their children being misled by aggressive practices which exploited their inexperience and vulnerability (for example, by implying that other players or characters within a game were reliant on the consumer paying for something). The OFT considered that these types of practices may amount to undue influence.”

Full story

Technology Law Update, 5th November 2013

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

More Tweet Trouble for Rooney and Nike? – Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted November 5th, 2013 in advertising, codes of practice, complaints, internet, news, sport by sally

“A tweet by ‘Wayne Rooney’ landed Nike in front of the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) again last month, following a complaint by a user of Twitter that the tweet was not obviously identifiable as a marketing communication and was therefore in breach of the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code 2.1, 2.3 and 2.4. The ASA’s decision on this tweet is interesting in light of its previous decision in a similar case involving Nike and Mr Rooney, and is worthy of note for any lawyers involved in advising sports teams and players on devising social media policies and/or regulating their social media use on a personal level.”

Full story

Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 5th November 2013

Source: www.sportslawbulletin.org

Cookie-replacement tracking technology would be subject to same ‘cookie law’ rules, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 5th, 2013 in advertising, consent, data protection, internet, news, privacy by sally

“Businesses that track internet users’ behaviour in order to serve them with personalised content, such as adverts, using technology that will replace ‘cookies’ will still be subject to UK privacy laws, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 4th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Man wrongly charged in Crown Prosecution Service’s ‘homophobic witch-hunt’ – The Independent

“A man whose life was ruined when he was charged with child sex offences after looking at legal gay pornography in a hotel room has accused the police and Crown Prosecution Service of a ‘homophobic witch-hunt’ after his case was finally thrown out. The defendant endured a ‘two-year nightmare’ after being arrested in front of his family, charged with 10 offences almost a year later and repeatedly bailed, before every charge was dropped. If convicted he would have faced jail and been forced to sign the sex offenders’ register. His father died while he was awaiting trial.”

Full story

The Independent, 1st November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Press regulation: The 10 major questions – BBC News

“The Royal Charter on press regulation is expected to be approved later. What are the major questions that have defined the debate?”

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BBC News, 30th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘British justice on trial’: Judge urges phone-hacking jury to consider only the evidence presented to them – The Independent

“The jury that will decide the guilt or innocence of Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson and six other defendants was sworn in at the Old Bailey with a warning from the judge that ‘British justice is on trial’.”

Full story

The Independent, 30th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Failing to inform online consumers about cancellation rights should be criminal offence, say trading standards bodies – OUT-LAW.com

“Businesses that sell goods and services to consumers over the internet should face criminal penalties if they fail to display details on cancellation rights, the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) and Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers (ACTSO) has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th October 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

SFO could snoop on communications to uncover evidence of corruption, says director – OUT-LAW.com

“The director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has warned that the agency may use powers of surveillance to uncover evidence of corruption within corporates.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 25th October 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Facebook sexual groomer Arfon Roberts-Griffiths jailed – BBC News

“A man who posed as a teenager on the Facebook social network in a bid to contact schoolgirls has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk