Twitter users “free to speak not what they ought to say, but what they feel” – UK Human Rights Blog

“The famous ‘Twitter joke’ conviction of Paul Chambers has been overturned on appeal, bringing welcome clarity to what is and what is not an offence of this type. On discovering a week before he was due to take a flight that the airport was closed due to adverse weather conditions, he tweeted that ‘I am blowing the airport sky high!!’ unless the situation was resolved by the time of his flight. He was convicted of sending a message of a ‘menacing character’, but has had the conviction quashed on appeal, on the basis that, as it was a joke, it was not of a menacing character.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 27th July 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

‘Twitter joke’ case only went ahead at insistence of DPP – The Guardian

“The director of public prosecutions (DPP) stopped his staff dropping the case against Paul Chambers, author of the ‘Twitter joke’ about blowing up Robin Hood airport in South Yorkshire, it has been claimed.”

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The Guardian, 29th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Twitter joke trial became confrontation with judicial establishment – The Guardian

Posted July 27th, 2012 in airports, internet, news, threatening to destroy or damage property by sally

“Paul Chambers’s conviction shows the law’s difficulties in discriminating between tones of voice in emails, tweets and texts.”

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The Guardian, 27th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Robin Hood Airport tweet bomb threat man wins case – BBC News

“A man found guilty of sending a menacing tweet threatening to blow up an airport has won a challenge against his conviction.”

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BBC News, 27th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina (William Hill Organization Ltd) v Horserace Betting Levy Board – WLR Daily

Posted July 27th, 2012 in gambling, internet, law reports by sally

Regina (William Hill Organization Ltd) v Horserace Betting Levy Board [2012] EWHC 2039 (Admin); [2012] WLR (D) 221

“A person who entered into betting transactions on an Internet betting exchange in the course of his business was not a bookmaker for the purposes of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963.”

WLR Daily, 20th July 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Twitter joke case appeal judgment due – The Guardian

“A man found guilty of sending a menacing tweet after making a joke about blowing up an airport is to learn the outcome of his challenge against conviction.”

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The Guardian, 27th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More than 2,000 O2 ‘porn pirates’ to be sent letters – BBC News

Posted July 26th, 2012 in copyright, internet, news, pornography by sally

“More than 2,000 O2 customers will receive letters accusing them of illegally downloading porn films.”

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BBC News, 24th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Katie Wynter murder: Killer Tony Bushby jailed for life – BBC News

Posted July 25th, 2012 in identity fraud, internet, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A 19-year-old man convicted of murdering a teenager as she babysat her sister’s two children in Hertfordshire has been given a life sentence.”

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BBC News, 25th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

ISPs split over UK open internet code of practice – BBC News

Posted July 25th, 2012 in codes of practice, internet, news by sally

“Several leading UK internet service providers have refused to sign a code of conduct designed to guarantee ‘full and open access’ to the net.”

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BBC News, 25th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gabby Agbonlahor’s ex-girlfriend spared jail – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 25th, 2012 in harassment, internet, news, restraining orders, suspended sentences by sally

“The former girlfriend of Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor has escaped a prison sentence for harassing his current partner for four years.”

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Daily Telegraph, 24th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Sky’s ‘totally unlimited broadband’ claims not misleading, ASA rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 24th, 2012 in advertising, internet, misrepresentation, news by sally

“A major UK internet service provider’s (ISP’s) claim that it could offer a ‘totally unlimited broadband’ service to customers was not misleading, despite the fact the service would contain ‘inherent limitations’, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 23rd July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Employer liable for “gay and proud” Facebook status hijack of ex-employee by colleagues – OUT-LAW.com

“A company can be liable for unwanted comments made on the Facebook account of an employee by colleagues, providing that the actions ‘fall within the course of employment’, an employment tribunal has found.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 20th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

‘Homegrown’ British terrorist bride jailed over Jewish plot – Daily Telegraph

“Serial bride who met and married her third husband through a Muslim dating site was jailed for eight years for planning to launch a terrorist attack upon Jewish communities in Manchester.”

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Daily Telegraph, 20th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Government outlines plans for fast-track justice – The Guardian

“‘Flash incarceration’ of offenders who breach court orders, widespread naming online of those convicted, more witnesses giving evidence via videolink and Sunday court sittings are among measures outlined in government plans to speed up justice.”

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The Guardian, 13th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Snooping errors twice led to wrongful detention, watchdog reveals – The Guardian

“The police have wrongly accused and detained two people in separate cases as a result of mistakes made in the disclosure of their personal communications data, a watchdog has revealed.”

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The Guardian, 13th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Views sought on Government’s ‘communications data’ surveillance plans – OUT-LAW.com

“A Parliamentary committee is seeking views on Government plans to expand existing laws on communications surveillance.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

John Terry trial: Twitter’s contempt for the rules – The Guardian

Posted July 10th, 2012 in contempt of court, internet, news, trials by sally

“A Rio Ferdinand tweet shows there’s a difference in attitude on social media when it comes to some fundamental principles of our judicial process.”

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The Guardian, 9th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Home secretary upholds decision to extradite Richard O’Dwyer – The Guardian

Posted July 10th, 2012 in copyright, extradition, internet, news by sally

“The home secretary, Theresa May, has told the House of Commons that she will not revisit plans to extradite Sheffield Hallam student Richard O’Dwyer to the US on copyright charges, saying the decision had ‘already been taken’.”

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The Guardian, 9th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Content Services Ltd v Bundesarbeitskammer – WLR Daily

Posted July 9th, 2012 in consumer protection, contracts, EC law, internet, law reports by sally

Content Services Ltd v Bundesarbeitskammer (Case C-49/11); [2012] WLR (D) 195

“Article 5(1) of Parliament and Council Directive 97/7/EC of 20 May 1997 on the protection of consumers in respect of distance contracts meant that a business practice which made the information referred to in that provision accessible to the consumer only via a hyperlink on a website did not meet the requirements of the Directive, since that information was neither ‘given’ by that undertaking nor ‘received’ by the consumer and was not a ‘durable medium’.”

WLR Daily, 5th July 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Data Bill call for evidence – Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Data Bill

“The Joint Committee is a committee of both Houses appointed to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Communications Data Bill. Inquiry Status: The Committee has issued a Call for Evidence, which asks for submissions by 23 August 2012.”

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Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Data Bill, 5th July 2012

Source: www.parliament.uk