Regulating content on user-to user and search service providers – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The dust has settled since the government released its draft Online Safety Bill. Now is therefore a good time to evaluate its aims, methods, and potential impacts, which we will do so in this two-part post. The first post will have a look at the overall architecture of the bill, discussing what it is trying to do and how it is trying to do it. The second post will survey responses to the bill from academics and civil society campaigners, discussing whether the bill does too much or not enough.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd August 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Writing fake online reviews could be made illegal – BBC News

‘A plan to crack down on online rip-offs including making it illegal for people to write or host fake reviews has been outlined by the government.’

Full Story

BBC News, 19th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Proposals to allow electronic documents would revolutionise trade – Law Commission

‘The Law Commission has announced a consultation on proposals to allow for the legal recognition of electronic versions of documents such as bills of lading and bills of exchange. If implemented, the reforms could revolutionise global trade and bring the processes into the 21st Century. We are also considering reform of the legal treatment of cryptoassets and digital assets and today published a call for evidence as part of that process (see below).’

Full press release

Law Commission, 30th April 2021

Source: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/proposals-to-allow-electronic-documents-would-revolutionise-trade/

Councils may have suffered because of ‘pre-paid cards’ cartel, according to provisional findings of regulator – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 6th, 2021 in benefits, competition, electronic commerce, local government, news by sally

‘Local authorities may have missed out on an alternative supplier of pre-paid cards or products that were either cheaper or better suited to both their needs and the needs of those using such cards, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has said after provisionally finding that five companies engaged in cartel behaviour.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 6th April 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

A Campaign To Include Mx Title On All Forms Is Gaining Momentum. Here’s Why It’s Important – Each Other

Posted March 2nd, 2021 in electronic commerce, equality, gender, news, transgender persons by sally

‘Include Mx, which was launched in November 2020, is a micro campaign that approaches businesses and organisations to ask them to include Mx as an option on forms. Mx is a gender neutral honorific that was first coined and used in the 1970s. It’s used by those who do not identify as a particular gender, as well as those who do not want to reveal their gender.’

Full Story

Each Other, 1st March 2021

Source: eachother.org.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.” ’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 5th October 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Watchdog launches probe into fake and misleading online product reviews – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 27th, 2020 in consumer protection, electronic commerce, internet, news by sally

‘A consumer watchdog has launched a probe into the sale of fake product reviews which it fears could mislead shoppers.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 22nd May 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full speech

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”.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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).’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th September 2019

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com