The UK government has announced that it is giving statutory powers to the new Digital Markets Unit (DMU) regulator to enforce pro-competition rules and protect users from the “unfair practices” of big tech companies. New Watchdog To Prevent Abuse of Market Power Following a consultation in July 2021, the government says that it is giving statutory powers to its…
The EU Parliament, Council negotiators and lawmakers have agreed new rules under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that will limit the market power of the big technology companies and open up the market for competitors. What Is The Digital Markets Act? The Digital Markets Act (DMA) from the European Commission has been designed to ensure a higher degree of…
A recent revision to the (draft) Online Safety Bill could mean that executives who don’t comply with the regulator’s information request could start facing penalties such as jail just two months after the bill becomes law. The Online Safety Bill The UK government’s Online Safety Bill, published in May 2021 and now introduced to parliament, is (draft) legislation that’s…
Under the the draft Online Safety Bill legislation, adult websites (i.e. pornographic) site operators will be legally required to verify the age of website visitors or face tough penalties. Online Safety Bill For those who run commercial porn sites, the bill, which expected to be introduced to parliament in the next few months, looks likely to mean that: –…
Following recent announcements of a toughening-up of the (draft) Online Safety Bill, we look at what the bill is, and what its implications are. What Is The Online Safety Bill For? The UK government’s Online Safety Bill is (draft) legislation that’s designed to place a ‘duty of care’ on internet companies which host user-generated content in order to limit the…
The ICO launched an investigation after more than 1,000 Sussex and Surrey police officers were found to have downloaded a free app to covertly record calls with members of the public on police-issued phones. Google Play Store App The app, free to download for the Google Play Store, and called ‘Another Call Recorder’ (ACR), had been approved for use in…
The EU’s adoption of a proposal on the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on Tuesday not only offers the potential to help tackle the market dominance of big tech businesses but could also protect whistleblowers. What Is The Digital Markets Act? Currently at the proposal stage, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) from the European Commission is designed to ensure a…
In this tech-insight, we take a brief look at billionaire Elon Musk’s usage of Twitter, how and why he makes such use of the platform, and what Mr Musk’s interactions can teach businesses about using Twitter. Who Is Elon Musk? South African-born, business magnate Elon Musk, is the CEO, early investor and Product Architect of Tesla Inc, and Chief…
After recent reports that discarded e-waste in 2021 will weigh more then the Great Wall of China, The International Data Sanitization Consortium (IDSC) has sent an open letter to the RT Hon Alok Sharma MP, President of COP26, urging that e-waste be included on the agenda. Electronic The Fastest Growing Global Waste Stream According to the UN’s Global E-waste…
In this insight, we look at ‘smart’ doorbells and how the outcome of a recent legal case has highlighted the legal responsibilities that owner/operators of smart doorbells have under UK law. Smart Doorbells Smart doorbells, such as Eufy, Ring, Nest Hello, Arlo, Vuebell, IseeBell, and more are Internet-connected replacements for traditional doorbells. Smart doorbells use a smartphone app to…
