The ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) – a rather vague collective term for the random mix of new technology which has now infiltrated our lives. In simple terms, it is the group of devices that are connected to the Internet. From the fridge which tells its owner that the milk is running low, the interrupting virtual … Continue Reading
The Law Commission of England, together with the Scottish Law Commission, last week announced a consultation into the laws around the self-driving vehicles, as they help prepare for a ‘safe and effective deployment’ of such vehicles in the UK. The consultation, which is part of a three year review (running until March 2021) looks at … Continue Reading
The UK government has recently published its response to its call for views on illicit Internet Protocol Television streaming devices or “ISDs”. The government describes ISDs as “small plug and play media servers, originally designed to allow consumers to stream legitimate content”, which have been modified with software that enables users to view “illegal content … Continue Reading
In August 2017, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer initiated an investigation to determine whether the acts, policies, and practices of the Chinese Government related to technology transfer, intellectual property and innovation are unreasonable or discriminatory and either burden or restrict US commerce under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. … Continue Reading
The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal from the judgment of a High Court case, which concerned the question of whether a licence to use electronically supplied software amounts to the “sale of goods” under the Commercial Agents (Council Directive) Regulations 1993 (“Regulations”). This question is important, given the significant protections and post-termination payouts … Continue Reading
On February 6, 2018, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and CFTC Chairman Christopher Giancarlo provided testimony on virtual currencies to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Their written statements and testimony can be found here. Below we provide a summary of the written statements and testimony and analysis for participants in the … Continue Reading
The European Commission has issued a press release announcing that the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission have reached a political agreement to end unjustified geoblocking for consumers wishing to buy products or services online within the EU. Geoblocking occurs when a customer is treated differently based on their nationality, place of residence or location … Continue Reading
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) recently released a Report summarizing the comments received during two roundtable discussions that the USPTO hosted in 2016 on patent subject matter eligibility. Since 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued four major decisions that have transformed subject matter eligibility law, and the USPTO has responded with … Continue Reading
In a decision dated 8 March 2017, the French Competition Authority (the “FCA”) fined jointly Altice Luxembourg and SFR Group EUR 40 million on the basis that SFR Group failed to meet its commitments with regard to the deployment of optical fiber. When SFR was taken over by Numericable in 2014, the FCA authorized the … Continue Reading
In earlier posts, we have highlighted the impact of the Digital Republic Bill in France on regulation in the digital sphere, such as open data, the online cooperative economy and access to the internet. This post highlights the changes introduced by the Bill that will particularly affect stakeholders in the telecommunications sector. The key measures … Continue Reading
For those of us who wonder how that Dream Vacation ad follows us from our initial Google® search on our PC to our subsequent iPad searches: the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Staff Cross-Device Tracking Report has some answers, as well as some advice. Released on January 23, 2017, the Report gives insight into legal … Continue Reading
Commercial use of drones is on the rise, with companies like Amazon (which recently filed a patent for a “flying warehouse”) positioning themselves at the forefront of the field. The challenge is to capitalise on drones’ commercial and technological potential, whilst navigating a complex and developing area of law. UK regulation is comparatively flexible, although … Continue Reading
A recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settlement is a reminder that companies should make sure that they live up to their privacy policies and that their opt-out procedures work as promised. If not, the FTC is likely to claim that the company violated Section 5 of the FTC Act by engaging in unfair and deceptive … Continue Reading
This week, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress approved the new Cyber Security Law. The law, which contains 79 articles under eight chapters, is set to take effect in June 2017 and has wide-ranging implications for how companies in China handle personal data and cybersecurity issues. The law applies broadly to entities or … Continue Reading
Inventors and technology owners considering licensing their technology may want to read our guidance note: ‘Technology Licensing: Some Strategic Thinking’, which is available here. Drafted with potential licensors in mind, the note explores some of the key issues around technology licensing (that is, licensing the IP rights subsisting in an inventive product or process in … Continue Reading
The US International Trade Commission (“ITC”) announced that it will consider whether a laches defense can be used in Section 337 investigations. In Certain Network Devices, Related Software, and Components Thereof, the respondent argued that a laches defense should be available in light of the Federal Circuit’s 2015 decision in SCA Hygiene Prods v. First … Continue Reading
Mobile apps that collect and report health-related data have increased consumers’ knowledge and tracking of their individual health issues in inventive ways– a consumer can count her daily steps and caloric intake, monitor blood pressure, and track many other variables. Some apps are interactive and are capable of transmitting data to health professionals—or other third … Continue Reading
The presidential campaign is well underway in the U.S., even though the election is over 6 months away. Many candidates reach out to the public through automated phone calls or texts, often referred to as “robocalls,” and prerecorded voice calls. To remind candidates and their campaigns that those calls and texts are regulated under the federal … Continue Reading
With much publicity, the FCC recently released its Open Internet Order laying out the its revised net neutrality rules. In an historic change of position, the Order, among other things, (1) reclassifies retail broadband internet access as subject to “common carrier” regulations, (2) imposes prohibits from giving preferred customers a “fast lane” to end-user customers, … Continue Reading
In a split 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit yesterday upheld Patent Office rules making it easier for companies to kill bad patents. This decision was the first issuing from an appeal of an inter partes review (IPR) decision. Created two and a half years ago, IPRs have become an … Continue Reading
Companies typically include a “Terms of Use” on their websites, which essentially serves as a contract between the company and the website user regarding the user’s use of the website. Online Terms of Use are typically presented to consumers in a couple of different forms (more on that below). Companies with websites targeted to U.S. … Continue Reading
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a much-anticipated ruling in the latest chapter of the saga of copyright infringement cases related to new technology. In American Broadcasting Cos., Inc. v. Aereo, Inc., the Court held that Aereo’s broadcast television Internet streaming service constituted an unauthorized public performance in violation of the Copyright Act. … Continue Reading
What is it? A new top-level domain name (TLD) permitting registration of (brand).LONDON, with priority given to London businesses, organisations and individuals. Anyone with a presence or interest in London should consider seeking to register a .LONDON domain name. It is expected that domain names will be allocated by August or September 2014. Who is … Continue Reading
Most companies by now have made their footprint in social media, including on leading platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. With 500 million Tweets being sent per day, companies need to get creative to come up with enough content to engage their consumers. One popular technique is to send Tweets that contain links to third-party content, along … Continue Reading
