UK mobile phone firms to be banned from selling locked handsets – The Guardian

Posted October 28th, 2020 in consumer protection, news, ombudsmen, sale of goods, telecommunications by sally

‘Mobile phone companies are to be banned from selling devices that are locked into specific networks to make it easier for customers to switch providers.’

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The Guardian, 27th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Individual privacy versus national security: where is the line? – Lamb Chambers

‘Oscar Davies discusses the recent Privacy International case and its wider implications, in which the CJEU held that UK law went too far in permitting “general and indiscriminate” access of bulk communications data to MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.’

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Lamb Chambers, October 2020

Source: www.lambchambers.co.uk

Ombudsman report finds council wrongly accused woman of using abusive language, stopped Care Act assessment – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Royal Borough of Greenwich has been told by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that it need not compensate a woman it wrongly accused of using abusive language to a staff member.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

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

Drivers to be banned from picking up mobile phones – BBC News

‘It will become illegal for anyone to pick up and use their mobile phone while driving, under new legislation to be enacted next year.’

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BBC News, 17th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Supreme Court’s decision in Unwired Planet – what comes next? – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

‘The UK Supreme Court has handed down its long-awaited judgment in Unwired Planet. Its decision has profound implications for patent owners and implementers alike and is likely to lead to heavily contested jurisdictional disputes going forward.’

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 15th September 2020

Source: competitionbulletin.com

The Supreme Court’s decision in Unwired Planet – what comes next? – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

‘The UK Supreme Court has handed down its long-awaited judgment in Unwired Planet. Its decision has profound implications for patent owners and implementers alike and is likely to lead to heavily contested jurisdictional disputes going forward.’

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 15th September

Source: competitionbulletin.com

Greater protections for victims of online abuse proposed by Law Commission – Law Commission

‘The Law Commission has today published proposals to better protect victims from harmful online behaviour including abusive messages or emails, cyberflashing, and pile-on harassment. Reforms to tackle the malicious sharing of information known to be false have also been proposed.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 11th September 2020

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Mother sues MoJ over child’s lack of access to father in jails lockdown – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2020 in children, families, human rights, news, prisons, telecommunications by sally

‘A mother who fears her 19-month-old child will forget their father if prison visits do not resume soon has begun preliminary legal action against the Ministry of Justice.’

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The Guardian, 31st August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Fair and reasonable’ telecom IP ruling is boost for UK courts – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Long-awaited Supreme Court rulings on mobile phone patents will boost the UK’s position as a forum for resolving global IP licensing disputes, specialist lawyers said today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 26th August 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New Judgment: Unwired Planet International Ltd and another) v Huawei Technologies (UK) Co Ltd and another [2020] UKSC 37 – UKSC Blog

‘This appeal discusses whether the English court has the power or jurisdiction, or is it a proper exercise of any such power or jurisdiction without the parties’ agreement:

– to grant an injunction restraining infringement of a UK SEP unless the defendant enters into a global licence under a multinational patent portfolio;
– to determine the rates/terms for such a licence; and
– to declare that such rates/terms are FRAND?’

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UKSC Blog, 26th August 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Former police chief convicted over child abuse video granted court of appeal hearing – The Guardian

‘A decorated former police chief has won two key battles in her fight to overturn her conviction for possessing a child abuse video and get her job back, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 2nd August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

One in 70 recorded rapes in England and Wales led to charge last year – The Guardian

‘Fewer than one in 70 recorded rapes resulted in a charge last year, as tens of thousands of victims did not support demands from police and prosecutors and withdrew from the process.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

The 4 Principles Applicable to Telephone Disclosure by Giles Bridge – Broadway House Chambers

‘You are the witness to or the victim of a crime. The police officer says that they need you to hand over your mobile phone. The officer says it will be examined and all of the contents may be downloaded. The officer cannot say when you will get your phone back. There is a long backlog of phones waiting to be downloaded, it could be a couple of months. It’s your phone, you really rely upon it. Like most people, your average screen time has rocketed during lockdown. There is so much detailed and very personal information on that phone. You ask the officer, ‘Do you really need to take my phone?’ You are very reluctant to hand it over. The officer says, if you do not hand it over the case probably will not go any further. Discussions like this take place every day across the United Kingdom.’

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Broadway House Chambers, 29th June 2020

Source: broadwayhouse.co.uk

Pontypool rape confession after parents see text message – BBC News

Posted June 30th, 2020 in guilty pleas, news, rape, sentencing, telecommunications, young offenders by sally

‘A man has been sentenced for raping a woman after his parents saw an incriminating text message on his phone and made him confess to the police.’

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BBC News, 29th June 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police in England and Wales taking ‘excessive personal data’ from mobile phones – The Guardian

‘Police are extracting “excessive amounts of personal data” from the mobile phones of victims and witnesses during investigations and are in danger of discouraging the public from reporting crime, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has warned.’

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The Guardian, 18th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police in England and Wales dropping rape inquiries when victims refuse to hand in phones – The Guardian

‘Rape investigations are being systematically dropped after victims refuse to hand over their mobile phones for analysis, an investigation has found.’

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The Guardian, 17th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Termination of a Code Agreement by Operators – Falcon Chambers

‘In this article we intend to examine the continuation of a Code agreement falling within the terms of the Electronic Communications Code (“the Code”) and the ability of an operator to terminate it permanently, such that the agreement may be treated as at an ended at the specified break date without any ongoing continuation of the operator’s contractual liability. We shall also consider the issue of renewal following termination.’

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Falcon Chambers, June 2020

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

Solicitor and wife witness client’s will via WhatsApp video – Legal Futures

Posted June 3rd, 2020 in coronavirus, executors, news, solicitors, telecommunications, wills by sally

‘A solicitor and his wife have used WhatsApp video to witness a will made by a man who was very ill with Covid-19, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

EP 113: Tracking Coronavirus Symptoms: an erosion of privacy? – Professor Lilian Edwards – Law Pod UK

Posted May 27th, 2020 in bills, coronavirus, internet, news, podcasts, privacy, telecommunications by sally

‘With the new contact tracing app due to be rolled out in the rest of the UK after the Isle of Wight trial in May, Rosalind English discusses privacy concerns with Professor Lilian Edwards of Newcastle University, whose Bill seeks to address some of these concerns.’

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Law Pod UK, 26th May 2020

Source: audioboom.com