On 20 February 2019, we reported on the then current status of the “Directive on copyright in the Digital Single Market” (the Directive). Unlike the progress of the Directive up until now, matters have progressed quickly in the last couple of weeks.… Continue Reading
The Committee of Advertising Practice (“CAP”) recently drew attention to a number of misleading “faux fur” claims in relation to certain clothes and accessories in its enforcement notice published on 17 January 2019. The notice records CAP’s concern that consumers have been misled by ads for “faux fur” products, in contravention of Section 3 of the … Continue Reading
Whilst uncertainty around the terms of the UK’s exit from the European Union remains, EURid (the European registry manager of .eu domain names) has provided information about what will happen to those .eu domain names which are currently owned by UK registrants. The European Commission has made it clear that, subject to transitional arrangements that … Continue Reading
The UK government has this week published its Outsourcing Playbook (the Playbook) providing guidance for central government on getting outsourcing right, from making the initial decision to outsource through to termination, transition and dealing with supplier failure. With in-boxes groaning under the weight of Brexit related government guidance it would be easy to miss the … Continue Reading
In 2016 the EU proposed the “Directive on copyright in the Digital Single Market” (the Directive). Since then, the Directive has been widely debated at EU level and has been the subject of intense campaigning and lobbying, with various interested parties writing numerous open letters to the EU Council’s Working Party on Intellectual Property, the … Continue Reading
In early December 2018, the Geo-Blocking Regulation 2018/302 (the Regulation) came into force across the EU, with the aim of creating a single digital market by banning unjustified geo-blocking (the blocking of access to websites to individuals based in certain territories) and other forms of discrimination based on customers’ nationality, place of residence or establishment … Continue Reading
Last year, the Global IP & Technology Law Blog covered the investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into commercially driven posts on social media, the results of which were published last week. Following the investigation (which considered potential breaches of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008), a number of prominent online … Continue Reading
On the 14 January 2019, the Trade Marks Regulations 2018 (the Regulations) came into force in the UK, amending provisions in the Trade Mark Act 1994 and the Trade Mark Rules 2008, bringing UK trade mark law in line with that of the EU. The Regulations introduce changes to elements of the application process, disputes … Continue Reading
Counterfeit goods now account for up to 2.5% of world trade and 5% of imports in the EU and are a significant problem for many industries in a rapidly evolving digital world. As businesses are aware, tackling IP infringements in counterfeit goods by law enforcement alone is not always effective. Therefore, it will be welcome … Continue Reading
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 Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (“BCAP”) has recently issued revised guidance on the use of superimposed text (“supers”) in TV advertising. Advertisers often use supers to help avoid misleading viewers, as supers can convey information (required for legal or regulatory purposes), to qualify claims made in television ads. However, research by the Advertising Standards … 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
Earlier this month the ASA announced its new strategy, More Impact Online, which aims to advance its regulation of online advertising over the next five years. The strategy has been developed following consultation with consumers, industry organisations and the government, and recognises the need for the ASA to move forward and adapt to the changing … 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
