The Human Rights Act helps us hold power to account. We must defend it – The Guardian

‘Protestors like John Catt are being monitored by the state without explanation – except that they ‘could be a victim’ of a future crime. What’s going on?’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK government tests whether ‘online activity history’ can serve to verify identity – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 27th, 2016 in data protection, internet, news, parliament, privacy, statistics by sally

‘The UK government has tested whether internet users’ “online activity history”, including data from social networks, can be used to verify their identity when they use online public services.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th July 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Restrictions on access to internet connection records agreed by UK peers – OUT-LAW.com

‘New UK surveillance laws will restrict access to people’s internet connection records (ICRs) further than was originally proposed after amendments to the Investigatory Powers Bill were approved in the UK parliament.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 20th July 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Investigatory Powers Bill: Theresa May-led legislation could be killed by ruling from European Court, privacy campaigners claim – The Independent

‘A European Court of Justice ruling could deal a “serious blow” to Theresa May’s most prized piece of legislation, campaigners have said.’

Full story

The Independent, 19th July 2016

Source; www.independent.co.uk

Snooper’s charter could endanger journalists and sources, peers warn – The Guardian

‘Peers have issued a serious warning that the government’s proposed “snooper’s charter” law could endanger journalists and their sources.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Porn sites will need age verification from 2017, Government announces – The Independent

Posted July 7th, 2016 in bills, internet, news, pornography, privacy by sally

‘The Government has unveiled plans for age verification on porn websites in its new Digital Economy Bill, set to come into force in 2017.’

Full story

The Independent, 7th July 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Brexit and the Future of Data Protection – Employment Blog

Posted June 27th, 2016 in appeals, brexit, data protection, EC law, human rights, news, privacy, referendums by sally

‘As we all reel in shock at today’s news, thoughts will inevitably turn to how our impending divorce from Europe will impact on the sphere of data protection. Our own data protection laws have of course been profoundly shaped by Europe. Until yesterday, many had assumed that Europe’s control over our data protection laws would in due course become even more intensive, as we journeyed into a world in which the EU Data Protection Regulation reigned supreme across Europe. However, the clocks have stopped. The Regulation is not to become law in the UK. The future of data protection law is therefore necessarily shrouded in mystery.’

Full story

Employment Blog, 24th June 2016

Source: www.employment11kbw.com

‘Reasonable’ costs bill halved under proportionality test – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The senior costs judge has slashed a claimant’s costs bill in a high-profile media case because of the proportionality tests brought in by the Jackson reforms – despite deeming it to be ‘reasonable and necessary’.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 6th June 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Post-Jackson proportionality rule can prevent full recovery of ‘reasonable’ costs, says senior judge – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 8th, 2016 in civil procedure rules, costs, damages, fees, news, privacy, proportionality by sally

‘The new rules limiting the recovery of the costs of civil court action to a “proportionate” amount may prevent successful parties from recovering costs that would otherwise have been reasonable, a senior costs judge has confirmed.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 7th June 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Senior Costs Judge halves “reasonable” bill under proportionality rule – Litigation Futures

Posted June 6th, 2016 in costs, fees, news, privacy, proportionality by sally

‘The Senior Costs Judge has demonstrated the harsh impact of the post-Jackson proportionality rule – along with providing some guidance on how to apply it – after halving the costs of a privacy action that he had deemed reasonable after a line-by-line assessment.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 6th June 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Bulk data collection not ‘inherently incompatible’ with right to privacy, say UK law makers – OUT-LAW.com

‘Giving the intelligence and security services a right to collect data about citizens in bulk is not “inherently incompatible” with people’s right to privacy, a UK parliamentary committee has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 2nd June 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Examining the effectiveness of celebrity injunctions – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Is the Supreme Court’s decision in PJS v NGN [2016] UKSC 26, [2016] All ER (D) 135 (May), as Lord Toulson suggests, out of touch with reality? Sara Mansoori, barrister at Matrix Chambers, considers the wider consequences of the case and suggests that even when information is in the public domain, the law of privacy can prevent repetition of that information where such repetition can cause unwarranted distress.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th May 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexhange.co.uk

The women forced to give birth in front of male prison guards – The Independent

Posted May 26th, 2016 in birth, news, pregnancy, prison officers, prisons, privacy, reports, women by tracey

‘The Government is coming under pressure to justify why it imprisons pregnant women and their babies, after a report suggested that the practice can cause significant harm to infants and mothers without benefiting public safety.’

Full story

The Independent, 26th May 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Using the courts to silence the press abuses our freedoms and makes our judges look foolish – Daily Telegraph

‘I recently wrote on these pages criticising celebrity injunctions taken out to gag English newspapers, even when the stories were freely reported in other countries. The expensive celebrity game reminded me, I wrote, of the Spycatcher farce and the series of trials during which Margaret Thatcher tried to prevent British newspapers from publishing extracts from Peter Wright’s MI5 memoir, despite the book being freely obtainable outside England.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 22nd May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The celebrity threesome case risks undermining the law – The Guardian

Perhaps for the first time – and almost certainly for the last, since he is about to retire – Lord Toulson is the hero of the press. As the sole dissenting judge in the Supreme Court ruling on the current celebrity injunction of speculation, he would have allowed the claimant’s name to be published – at least by news organisations that were prepared to run the risk of paying damages for breaching the claimant’s privacy.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Supreme court upholds ‘celebrity threesome’ injunction – The Guardian

Posted May 20th, 2016 in confidentiality, injunctions, media, news, privacy, public interest, Supreme Court by tracey

‘The supreme court has extended the interim privacy injunction preventing identification of a celebrity who has been involved in a three-way sexual encounter.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Celebrity injunction: PJS cannot be named, says Supreme Court – BBC News

Posted May 19th, 2016 in appeals, injunctions, internet, media, news, privacy, public interest, Supreme Court by sally

‘An injunction banning the naming of a celebrity involved in an alleged extra-marital relationship should stay in place, the Supreme Court has ruled.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Supreme court to give ruling on ‘celebrity threesome’ injunction – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2016 in appeals, injunctions, internet, media, news, privacy, Supreme Court by sally

‘The supreme court is set to deliver its long-awaited decision on a privacy injunction preventing identification of a celebrity said to have taken part in a three-way sexual encounter.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Celebrity threesome’ injunction decision due on Thursday – The Guardian

Posted May 17th, 2016 in appeals, injunctions, internet, media, news, privacy, Supreme Court by sally

‘The supreme court will on Thursday deliver its long-awaited decision on a privacy injunction preventing identification of a celebrity involved in a three-way sexual encounter.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge Refuses To Force Alleged Hacker To Reveal His Passwords – RightsInfo

‘A UK law enforcement agency asked a court to force alleged hacker Lauri Love to reveal passwords for computers they confiscated. The Court said no. The problem? That would bypass human rights safeguards UK Parliament built into investigatory powers laws.’

Full story

RightsInfo, 11th May 2016

Source: www.rightsinfo.org