IT law has been proper news for more than a month. The HMRC data debacle has been shown to be far from unique as government departments and commercial organisations have competed for top spot on the shame lists that the press have compiled. Every minor breach merited some sort of coverage, although one suspects that…
The last two months have seen enormous demand for safe guidance on data handling. There is widespread concern that breaches of good data practice will wreak havoc in an organisation and damage its reputation irretrievably. In response to that demand and to alleviate that concern, SCL has arranged a special conference at short notice. The…
A series of hearings in the battle between RIM and Visto over the patents underpinning the Blackberry device has resulted in what appears to be a win for RIM. The full judgment is available on BAILII but Mr Justice Floyd is reported to have taken the view that Visto’s patent was not valid. However, questions…
Vince Cunningham is a leading expert on trade with China. He highlights some of the things you need to know about China and astonishing expansion of the Chinese economy and influence….
The Danish case concerns Infopaq International, a media monitoring and analysis company. It has pretty obvious implications for the whole of the EU, even if the answers to some of the referred questions seem clear in advance of an ECJ ruling. The Højesteret may have decided to get its money’s worth. It has decided to…
Microsoft Although the main reporting of the massive ‘fine’ imposed by the EU Commission has been relatively sensational, the truth is that this was to a large extent the realisation of a calculation. It is not in fact a ‘fine’ in the strictest sense – or in EU parlance. It may be thought to have…
New NCC research claims that software rights-holders are shifting the legal burden onto consumers who buy computer programmes, leaving them, say the NCC, with less protection than when they buy a cheap biro. The OFT has been asked to examine the potentially unfair contract terms of 17 firms that NCC has identified in Whose licence is…
Laurence Eastham reviews the blogs that might help you keep informed, sharpen up your opinions or just help fill the slack working days which so many IT lawyers complain about….
Computer games based on films are nothing new. However, a new movement has given an interesting twist to this process. Machinima is a burgeoning new film form where films are made using 3D real-time technology. To quote the machinima Academy of Arts and Sciences,[1] machinima is: ‘the convergence of filmmaking, animation and game development….
In December 2007, the Data Sharing Review Secretariat sought responses to a range of questions on the steps that might be taken to improve the workings of the Data Protection Act 1998 with a particular focus on data sharing. SCL’s Privacy and Data Protection Interest Group has worked on a meaningful response, with Andrew Sharpe…