Data Protection

Introduction As is beginning to become apparent, Brexit has wide-ranging consequences in many commercial and business areas. This is equally true in the sphere of data protection, where much of the applicable legislation has developed at an EU level.  This is readily understandable, given (i) the wide-ranging technological advances that have occurred since the UK […]

Given that most high-profile competition law actions tend to involve the decisions of large-scale regulators following heavily-protracted investigations (such as the recent seven-year EU commission investigation into Google’s online shopping offering), small businesses and consumers could be forgiven for thinking that redress in competition law is not a realistic proposition. It was, however, with this […]

New legislation introduced to extend digital connectivity, regulate direct marketing and protect consumers from unexpected phone bills and ticket bots. The Digital Economy Act 2017 (Act) has officially made its way into UK law.  The Act addresses some of the many issues arising in conjunction with the surge in use of technology, digital media and […]

If carried out properly, the sale of customer or user information offers a potentially lucrative revenue source for any data-rich company. However, get it wrong and – as NHS-approved online chemist “Pharmacy 2U” can now testify – it can be quite the reverse. Pharmacy 2U’s rude awakening took the form of a £130,000 fine from […]

Executive summary UK businesses which transfer to or share with US companies any databases containing personal data have to comply with rules set out in the Data Protection Act to ensure that the transfer or sharing protects the individuals’ privacy rights. One way of doing this was a voluntary scheme set up by the US […]

It’s not fair to say traditional media no longer have consumer appeal; after all the John Lewis Christmas ad makes its own headlines each year! However, new technologies are creating ways for fashion retailers to connect with shoppers in a cheaper, more immediate manner. Last year, Regent Street was the first street in Europe to […]

One of our former account managers, who has recently resigned from her role after five years, has made a data subject access request asking for a copy of all emails about her. Are we compelled to respond to her request? All of your employees and former employees have a right to make a data subject […]

IP owners continue to get punishment dished out to them, and not on a consensual basis. A recent decision of the UK’s Court of Appeal has reviewed the rules that dictate when parallel (or “grey”) market product can be rebranded to match the brand used by the market leader in the national market concerned. The […]

2014 is the “Year of the Consumer” and the UK Government is implementing a raft of new legislation which is aimed at giving greater rights to consumers, who will benefit from increased transparency and further information when purchasing goods or services online. The new regulations apply to “distance selling” contracts (where a trader and consumer […]

New Subject Access Code of Practice Subject Access Requests (SARs) are the device under which individuals can ask businesses to supply them with details of what personal information is held on the individual concerned, as a statutory right under the UK’s Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). The body responsible for enforcing the DPA, the Information […]

According to press reports, the European Commission this week granted Black Forest Gateau, also known as Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte, protected status. The cake, which comes from Germany’s Baden-Württenberg region, takes its name from the “kirsch” from the cherries grown in the Black Forest. The reports suggested that the European Commission had ruled that any dessert that […]

In May last year we provided an update on the new cookie law (The New Cookie Laws – Digesting the Facts) which had been implemented in the UK following an EU Directive (see also The Cookie Diet). The extent to which consent was required from a website user was an issue that was a concern […]