‘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.’
Law Commission, 4th September 2019
Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk
‘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.’
Daily Telegraph, 3rd September 2019
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘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.’
The Guardian, 1st September 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘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.’
The Guardian, 23rd August 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘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.’
Legal Futures, 22nd August 2019
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Facebook’s past privacy breaches suggest financial information might not be safe if it launches cryptocurrency, the Information Commissioner has warned.’
Daily Telegraph, 5th August 2019
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘An Airbnb host who rented out his central London council flat to tourists has been fined £100,000 and evicted.’
BBC News, 29th July 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
The UK’s data privacy regulator, the ICO, has started issuing notices of intention to fine data controllers under the GDPR for data breaches. The maximum fine the ICO can impose for a breach of data protection laws increased from £500k under the Data Protection Act 1998 to €20m or 4% of global annual turnover, whichever is greater, under GDPR. GDPR also introduced stronger data breach reporting and notification requirements.
Technology Law Update, 10th July 2019
Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk
‘The UK’s markets regulator has proposed a ban on financial instruments linked to digital “cryptocurrencies” such as Bitcoin, warning that such products could cause huge losses for retail consumers unlikely to understand their risks or value.’
The Guardian, 3rd July 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘One of the great frustrations of reading about blockchain is that many of those who set themselves the task of explaining it tell you what they believe it does, rather than explaining what it is, and often what they think it does is received wisdom, leading their expositions to founder on the Scylla of over-simplification. Others, who do understand what it is, often presume on the part of a general readership a level of familiarity with what might appear to be arcane technical concepts which such a readership does not possess: anyone for Byzantine Fault Tolerance? Their expositions thus founder on the Charybdis of incomprehensibility to all but fellow experts. Neither approach really facilitates a consideration of the benefits nor an appreciation of the risks involved in the use of blockchain technology.’
Tanfield Chambers, 11th March 2019
Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk
‘A new code of ethics should govern the removal of harmful content from the internet and there should be “large fines” for technology companies that fail to comply with it, a prominent group of MPs has said.’
OUT-LAW.com, 19th February 2019
Source: www.out-law.com
‘As the price of the controversial “cryptocurrency” Bitcoin plunges, new figures show that the City watchdog is stepping up its investigations into the murky sector.’
Daily Telegraph, 25th November 2018
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Claims for compensation made under the old Electronic Communications Code (ECC) in the UK cannot be brought before a tribunal tasked with resolving disputes under the new ECC, the tribunal has confirmed.’
OUT-LAW.com, 6th November 2018
Source: www.out-law.com
‘Online service providers should consider alternatives to passwords to keep their systems secure and meet their obligations under data protection laws, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has said.’
OUT-LAW.com, 5th November 2018
Source: www.out-law.com
‘Financial Technology: Opportunities and Challenges to Law and Regulation, East China University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai, China.’
Supreme Court, 26th October 2018
Source: www.supremecourt.uk
‘Companies must provide easy access to compensation if they fail to deliver shopping on time, a consumer group has urged, after Amazon was ordered to clarify its “misleading” one-day delivery claim for Prime customers.’
Daily Telegraph, 15th August 2018
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘A future where law firms are ‘distributed entities’ based on blockchain and smart contracts, and lawyers will add value by being “stronger” trusted advisers assisted by artificial intelligence, has been mapped out by futurologists.’
Legal Futures, 13th August 2018
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘The health care regulator is calling for greater powers to protect patients from online GPs after a struck-off doctor was discovered using a loophole to prescribe “unsafe” drugs.’
Daily Telegraph, 6th August 2018
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘It has been clear for a while now that court orders against intermediaries can be a useful tool in tackling web-based infringement. Online selling requires the involvement of technology services – internet service providers, online marketplaces, social media platforms, etc – in order to function. The law recognises this and looks for ways to tackle infringement. But a recent UK Supreme Court ruling (Cartier International v BT) takes a new direction by requiring IP owners to repay ISPs for the cost of blocking measures.’
Technology Law Update, 29th June 2018
Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk
‘Unlockd, an app developer, sought an interim injunction to prevent Google withdrawing its services. Roth J found that the balance of convenience was in the applicants’ favour. Their claim raised a serious issue to be tried and any action by Google to withdraw their platform would severely damage the applicants’ business. An interim injunction was granted.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 11th May 2018
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
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