EIR: when is information ‘held’? – Panopticon

“One of the issues which commonly arises for information law practitioners is the question, which arises under both FOIA and the EIR, of whether a public authority actually holds the information which has been requested. The leading case on section 1(1) FOIA is University of Newcastle v IC & British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection [2011] UKUT 185 (AAC), [2011] 2 Info LR 54 and substantially the same approach has been adopted in, for example, Keiller v IC and University of East Anglia [2012] 1 Info LR 128 and Clyne v IC & London Borough of Lambeth [2012] 2 Info LR 24 in relation to regulation 3(2) EIR. What is required is a common-sense and non-technical approach. That, of course, is easier stated than applied.”

Full story

Panopticon, 7th May 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Sky News reporter cleared over canoe man email hacking – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2013 in electronic mail, interception, media, news, public interest by tracey

“Sky News correspondent Gerard Tubb will not face prosecution for hacking the email account of ‘canoe man’ John Darwin, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Exclusive: Chilcot Inquiry to challenge official line on Iraq – The Independent

Posted March 6th, 2013 in disclosure, electronic mail, evidence, inquiries, Iraq, news, war by sally

“The inquiry into how Tony Blair committed Britain to war in Iraq is set to challenge the official version of events when it reports later this year, The Independent understands. The team led by Sir John Chilcot, which is examining Britain’s part in the US-led invasion, will ‘challenge previous accounts of what happened’, according to senior sources in the inquiry.”

Full story

The Independent, 6th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Telcos to get early interim access to land but Law Commission plans slightly favour landowners, experts say – OUT-LAW.com

“Telecoms operators will be able to access land for equipment installation even
when full agreement with landlords has not been reached under Law Commission
proposals published today to revise the laws governing the installation and
maintenance of telecoms equipment.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 28th February 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Cracking the Electronic Communications Code – Law Commission

Posted February 28th, 2013 in electronic mail, internet, Law Commission, news, reports, telecommunications by sally

“In a report published today the Law Commission is recommending reforms that will bring the Electronic Communications Code up to date with modern technology while continuing to balance the rights of landowners and the public demand for modern communications services.”

Full story

Law Commission, 28th February 2013

Source: www.lawcommission.justice.gov.uk

‘Ill-judged and offensive’ Hillsborough police email slammed by watchdog – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 27th, 2013 in electronic mail, freedom of information, media, news, police, reports by sally

“The police watchdog has written to a chief constable expressing concern over comments in an email about the Hillsborough disaster that were ‘at best ill-judged and at worst offensive and upsetting’.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th February 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Council to sue three of its own members in slur row – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2013 in defamation, electronic mail, local government, news by tracey

“A Conservative-controlled council is to sue three of its own members claiming they have damaged its reputation.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Universities and requests for lecturers’ private research: when will it be “held” by the University? – Panopticon

Posted December 14th, 2012 in electronic mail, freedom of information, news, universities by tracey

“The First-Tier Tribunal’s decision of 13 December 2012 in Montague v (1) Information Commissioner (2) Liverpool John Moores University EA/2012/0109 will be of interest to academic institutions, and any other public bodies whose employees have research interests not necessarily connected with their job. Anya Proops of 11KBW appeared for the University.”

Full story

Panopticon, 13th December 2012

www.panopticonblog.com

Q&A: Communications Data Bill – BBC News

Posted December 11th, 2012 in bills, electronic mail, internet, investigatory powers, news, telecommunications by sally

“The government’s draft Communications Data Bill details plans to increase the amount of data gathered about the web and mobile habits of anyone in the UK.”

Full story

BBC News,

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Snooper’s charter’ faces rough ride through parliament – The Guardian

“Civil liberties are said to have been the political glue that brought the two coalition parties together before the general election, and nothing joined them more strongly than their joint opposition to Labour’s ‘Big Brother’ database.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Internet surveillance will save lives, says Theresa May – Daily Telegraph

“Lives will be saved by new internet powers allowing security services and police to snoop on emails, web visits and social networking sites, Home Secretary Theresa May has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Update on Freedom of Information – 11 KBW

“This paper focuses on developments in the case law concerning freedom of information over roughly the last 12 months. The number of cases concerning freedom of information being decided has continued to grow at an exponential rate (in part due to successful efforts by the Information Commissioner (‘the IC’) to get on top of the case backlog faced by his office). The Information Rights Tribunal (‘the Tribunal’) website contains the outcomes of over 220 appeals since the beginning of 2012 alone – and the vast majority of these are substantive decisions. There have also been seven Upper Tribunal (‘UT’) decisions, and one decision each from the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.”

Full story (PDF)

11 KBW, 20th November 2012

Source: www.11kbw.com

Content of emails should generally not be considered as property, rules High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 9th, 2012 in confidentiality, disclosure, electronic mail, intellectual property, news by tracey

“Businesses do not have a general claim of ownership over the content in staff emails, a High Court judge has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 8th November 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

MPs call communications data bill ‘honeypot for hackers and criminals’ – The Guardian

“The home secretary, Theresa May, has been told by peers and MPs that her £1.8bn internet monitoring proposals will be a ‘honeypot for hackers and criminals around the world’ and that she must bring in prison sentences for those who hack databases.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Use stronger snooping powers against fly tipping, watchdog urges – Daily Telegraph

“New powers to snoop on all emails, web visits and phone calls could still be used to combat minor crimes despite Government assurances, the watchdog who oversees them has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th October 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Criminals could avoid surveillance of their communications even under expanded regime, says Information Commissioner – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 18th, 2012 in bills, electronic mail, intelligence services, news, telecommunications by sally

“Serious criminals will be able to avoid details of their communications being monitored under an expanded intelligence gathering regime proposed by the Government, the UK’s data protection watchdog has warned.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 17th October 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Information stored in electronic recycle bins is held for purposes of FOI disclosure, says watchdog – OUT-LAW.com

“Public sector bodies will generally be required to disclose information even if it is stored in computer ‘recycle bins’, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th October 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

NightJack blogger receives £42,500 payout from Times publisher – The Guardian

“The Lancashire detective exposed by the Times as the author of the NightJack police blog has received a £42,500 damages payout from the publisher of the newspaper.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

News International wins court ruling on searches related to phone hacking – The Guardian

Posted October 5th, 2012 in disclosure, electronic mail, interception, media, news by tracey

“Lawyers acting for more than 170 phone-hacking victims, including Cherie Blair and Hugh Grant, were dealt a blow on Friday after losing a high court application to force News International to do a general search of its databases for potential evidence of illegal voicemail interception.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th October 2012

Surce: www.guardian.co.uk

Freedom of Information to include ministers’ private texts – BBC News

“Emails from private accounts and texts sent by the prime minister and cabinet members could be accessible under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).”

Full story

BBC News, 30th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk