ICO says Government still to make the case for greater police communications monitoring powers – OUT-LAW.com

“The case for law enforcement to be given enhanced powers to monitor individuals’ internet communications has still to be made, the UK’s privacy watchdog has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 11th May 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

 

Case for snooping powers backfires for Theresa May – Daily Telegraph

“An attempt by Theresa May to defend proposed new snooping powers backfired yesterday when she was contradicted by her own child exploitation experts.”

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Daily Telegraph, 10th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

 

Phone hacking: Andy Coulson wins leave to appeal over ruling on legal fees – The Guardian

Posted May 8th, 2012 in appeals, fees, interception, news, telecommunications by sally

“Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson has won permission to appeal against a high court ruling that News International is not liable to pay his potential legal fees over the phone-hacking scandal.”

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The Guardian,

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Homeserve ruling: now cold-caller silence could be golden for victims – The Guardian

“Homeserve, fined £75,000 by Ofcom, is offering consumers compensation if it is the source of nuisance marketing calls.”

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The Guardian, 21st April 2012

Source:www.guardian.co.uk

HomeServe fined £750,000 over silent calls – The Guardian

Posted April 19th, 2012 in consumer protection, fines, insurance, news, telecommunications by tracey

“Home insurance and repairs company HomeServe has been fined £750,000 by the telecoms regulator for making an excessive number of silent and abandoned calls.”

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The Guardian, 19th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Director of Public Prosecutions Kier Starmer admits CPS ‘faces tough decisions’ on phone hacking cases – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 19th, 2012 in interception, media, news, police, prosecutions, telecommunications by tracey

“Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer says each of the four files presented to the CPS on phone hacking will be considered as an individual case.”

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Daily Telegraph, 18th April 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ken Clarke defends secret courts plans after Nick Clegg criticisms – The Guardian

“The justice secretary, Ken Clarke, has defended proposals to create a new generation of secret courts in the face of criticism from Nick Clegg and parliament’s human rights committee, saying the plans will make the system more accountable and more conducive to intelligence sharing with other countries.”

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The Guardian, 4th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Real time communications monitoring legislation would need privacy safeguards to comply with EU laws, expert says – OUT-LAW.com

“New legislation that would enable a UK intelligence agency to monitor data from internet communications in real time without a warrant could be challenged at EU level unless other privacy safeguards limit the scope of that monitoring, an expert has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 3rd April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Theresa May defends email surveillance plans – The Guardian

“The home secretary has defended government plans to extend the powers of the security services to monitor the public’s email, telephone calls and social media communications against growing criticism, insisting they are vital to catch paedophiles, terrorists and other criminals.”

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The Guardian, 3rd April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

O2 disclosure ruling could impact on workings of imminent new anti-piracy code, campaigners say – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 29th, 2012 in copyright, disclosure, internet, news, telecommunications by sally

“A High Court judge has laid out flaws in using internet protocol (IP) addresses to identify alleged copyright infringers which should have ‘ramifications’ for how imminent new anti-piracy rules operate, a campaign group has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 29th March 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

IPCC urging evidence law change – BBC News

Posted March 29th, 2012 in complaints, evidence, interception, news, police, telecommunications by sally

“Changes to the law are needed to ensure fuller details can be revealed in cases where people have died at the hands of officers, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said.”

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BBC News, 29th March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ofcom acts to protect mobile users from ‘bill shock’ – The Guardian

Posted March 12th, 2012 in consumer protection, contracts, news, ombudsmen, telecommunications by sally

“Watchdog sets deadline for mobile operators to introduce maximum liability caps for phone contracts.”

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The Guardian, 9th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Consent’ may not count for malware-infected apps, regulator says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 29th, 2012 in consent, consumer protection, news, telecommunications by tracey

“The premium rate phone regulator might disregard consumer consent for paid-for mobile applications if those apps turn out to contain malicious code, the premium rate services (PRS) regulator has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 29th February 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Phone hacking: Cherie Blair to sue News International – The Guardian

Posted February 23rd, 2012 in interception, media, news, telecommunications by sally

“Cherie Blair, the wife of the former prime minister, is suing News International and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire over the alleged hacking of her phone by the News of the World.”

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The Guardian, 22nd February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ofcom targets phone and broadband switching ‘slammers’ – BBC News

Posted February 10th, 2012 in consumer protection, internet, news, telecommunications by tracey

“Landline phone and internet providers which switch customers to their service without their consent – a process known as ‘slamming’ – are being targeted by Ofcom.”

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BBC News, 9th February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Phone hacking: 50 cases outstanding as new wave of celebrities launch legal action – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 9th, 2012 in damages, interception, media, news, telecommunications by sally

“Fifteen more phone-hacking claims against the News of the World have been settled, with substantial damages awarded to well-known figures and members of the public, but more than 50 cases are still outstanding.”

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Daily Telegraph, 8th February 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Coogan v News Group Newspapers Ltd and another; Phillips v Same – WLR Daily

Coogan v News Group Newspapers Ltd and another; Phillips v Same [2011] EWCA Civ 48; [2012] WLR (D) 18

“The phrase ‘technical or commercial information or other intellectual property’ within the definition of ‘intellectual property’ in section 72 of the Senior Courts Act 1981 was apt to embrace telephone voice messages said to have been intercepted by a private investigator on the telephones of individuals; and the effect of that finding was that the privilege against self-incrimination on which the interceptor might otherwise have relied was removed.”

WLR Daily, 1st February 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

£20,000 fine levied for marketing ‘likely to result in harm to children’ – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in advertising, children, fines, internet, news, telecommunications by sally

“PhonepayPlus has fined a company £20,000 after determining that it was in ‘serious’ breach of its rules around the promotion of premium rate services (PRS) to children after two sisters ran up a bill of more than £2,500 texting the service.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 3rd February 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Coogan and Phillips v NGN – give a thought to the under-privileged – Kirsten Sjovoll – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in appeals, interception, news, privilege, self-incrimination, telecommunications by sally

“The Court of Appeal today (1 February) dismissed Mr Glenn Mulcaire’s appeal against an order that he provide information to claimants in the phone hacking litigation. The Court (Lord Judge, Lord Neuberger and Maurice Kay LJ) unanimously upheld the rulings of Mann J and Vos J that, as a result of the operation of section 72 of the Senior Courts Act 1981, Mr Mulcaire was not entitled to rely on his privilege against self-incrimination (‘PSI’).”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 1st February 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Phone hacking cases to be settled – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 19th, 2012 in interception, media, news, telecommunications by sally

“Several phone hacking victims suing News International are expected to have their claims settled today in a series of payouts which could cost the company millions of pounds.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th January 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk