Ryan E. Long warns of the US lawsuits currently targeting social media platforms The Set Up Great news! Your UK based social media dating company – “Better Than Cupid” – just got funded. It’s been launched in the US and is slated to be released in other countries. You just started celebrating. But then you…
Mauricio Figueroa argues why we need to look beyond the conventions of international law to regulate AI Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems are being deployed across industries and sectors of the economy; it is certainly a global problem. At first glance, international law seems like an obvious way forward: a platform designed to address cross-border issues….
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Jagvinder Singh Kang provides some timely advice for your procurement projects this year. IntroductionTechnology procurement has evolved over the decades. Gone are the days of just procuring IT hardware alone, or standard software. Organisations have become more dependent upon Cloud solutions, usually in the form of SaaS, and now there will be an inevitable movement…
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Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No 4) Regulations 2024 made The Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No 4) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/1333) have been made. These Regulations are the fourth commencement regulations under the Online Safety Act 2023. They bring into force on 17 January 2025 the duties about regulated provider pornographic content in section…
The Basics and Beyond Rónán Kennedy reviews a book aimed directly at the legal professional who needs to understand the technology they advise on. Those who work in law and technology are sure to encounter some aspect of hardware or software that they do not understand, either because it is new or because they simply…
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Mark Ryan and Tom Sweet of SES Secure trace the evolution of software escrow and the impact of AI on its use As many readers will know, software escrow is a risk mitigation tool that safeguards the critical assets, such as software applications, organisations are reliant on. It typically involves a tri-party legal agreement being…
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Amanda Chaboryk examines how policies and organisations may need to adapt if generative AI is to be used to improve access to justice. Introduction The legal field has consistently faced a growing and essential demand for innovation to tackle persistent issues related to access to justice. At a high level, the primary factors that impact access…
Mauricio Figueroa summarises the key points from the SCL AI Conference hosted by Herbert Smith Freehills on 8th October. Practitioners, lawmakers, academics, trainees, in-house lawyers, and civil society representatives gathered at Herbert Smith Freehills’ offices in London for the annual Society for Computers and Law AI conference. The event brought together experts to explore the…
The long-awaited Procurement Act is scheduled to come into force in February next year promising a more flexible regime. Professor Albert Sanchez-Graells picks out some of the challenges it will pose for those working in public-sector procurement. After a recently announced 4-month delay to its ‘go live’ date, the Procurement Act 2023 is now due…
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Amanda Chaboryk and Nicholas Cook highlight the importance of reviewing your information architecture before using your data for generative AI The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), and generative AI (GenAI) in particular, has resulted in a dawning era of transformative potential in the legal domain. It has been met with a range of reactions from…
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Product Regulation and Metrology Bill introduced to Parliament On 4 September 2024, the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill had its first reading in the House of Lords. The Bill aims to reform the UK’s product safety regime by addressing modern safety issues. The Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords is due to take…
Tom Whittaker and Ryan Jenkins look at the increasing importance of AI literacy in the EU and more globally AI literacy in simple terms is about developing skills and understanding regarding how to develop and use AI, its opportunities and risks. Contracts, governance and internal policies may require or encourage some form of AI literacy….
Sachin Bhatt, our regular cybersecurity contributor, highlights the threats to our universities from malicious activity…
A team from Hogan Lovells consider the regulatory regimes governing digital accessibility in the UK and EU. Summary: In the era of digital transformation, the need to ensure products and services are accessible to all, including those who experience some form of disability, is greater than ever. While there is not (yet) a global uniform…
Andrew Woolsey and Sophie Ashcroft take a fresh look at the legal issues surrounding defective software through the lens of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal…
Once upon a time technologies like artificial intelligence and the metaverse were confined to the annals of science fiction. No longer, both innovations exist in the here and now, with vast potential to transform our world. These emergent technologies, however, are not without attributes of concern, one of which is energy consumption and the consequent…
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IT contracts and disputes have long concentrated on functional specifications, tests and defects to assure that projects deliver what is intended. This is only part of what is required. William Hooper examines the role of design in contract and dispute….
A team from DLA Piper dig deeper into the House of Lords report on balancing risk and innovation in AI regulation, in particular, the open source question While much attention has been paid to the finalisation of the EU’s AI Act in recent weeks, developments in AI continue at a frenetic rate. On 2nd February…
The price of Bitcoin has climbed since the SEC allowed new trading funds. Martyna Dudek explains what’s changed and the FCA’s own moves to allow crypto trading….
Áine Rafferty knows an in-house legal team is a critical component for many technology firms and has been recognised by industry peers for leading high performing in house technology teams. Here she provides some steers on how to make sure the team is valued by the other parts of the business. The role of the…
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Adrian Aronsson-Storrier and Helen Hart look at the recent case of Harber, a tax case involving fictitious case references generated by ChatGPT…
In a country where cutting-edge technology is both embraced and shaped by cultural norms, Japan presents a fascinating case study for the future of privacy and tech law. How does Japan’s technological landscape influence its legal frameworks, and how do those frameworks differ from or align with Western counterparts? In this episode, host Mauricio Figueroa…
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William Hooper asks: What do lawyers need to know about the assurance of quality in software to contract for it effectively? How do litigators draw on this to prove or defend a claim? His view is that avoiding “system melt-down” seems wiser than dealing with it afterwards. What is Software Testing? Suppliers test systems to…
Ofcom has fined the provider of OnlyFans, Fenix International Limited, £1.05 million for failing to accurately respond to formal requests for information about its age assurance measures on the platform. In June 2022 and June 2023, Ofcom sought information from Fenix on the age assurance measures it had in place on OnlyFans. This included asking…
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The Competition and Markets Authority has published its Annual Plan 2025 to 2026. It sets out the CMA’s commitment to use its competition and consumer protection powers to drive positive outcomes for UK consumers and businesses across the economy. It also describes how the CMA will reflect the new draft strategic steer from the UK…
UK law Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 made The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 SI 2025/381 have been made. They amend primary and secondary legislation following the implementation of Parts 3, 4, and Chapter 2 of Part 5 of the Digital Markets, Competition…
The European Commission has adopted two decisions under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) specifying the measures that Apple has to take to comply with certain aspects of its interoperability obligation. Interoperability enables a deeper and more seamless integration of third-party products with Apple’s ecosystem. It is therefore key to opening up new opportunities for third…
The European Commission has sent two sets of preliminary findings to Alphabet for failing to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), regarding two services for which it has been designated as a gatekeeper. Firstly, the Commission has informed Alphabet of its preliminary view that certain features and functionalities of Google Search treat Alphabet’s own…
UK law CMA publishes final guidance on new direct consumer enforcement powers The CMA has published its final Direct Consumer Enforcement Guidance which sets out how it plans to use its direct consumer enforcement powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which come into force on 6 April 2025. The CMA has…
In IBM United Kingdom Ltd v LzLabs GmbH and others [2025] EWHC 532 (TCC) the Technology and Construction Court considered a dispute about software and in particular if Winsopia had breached a licence agreement under which IBM licensed IBM mainframe software to Winsopia. The case was featured as one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases…
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Beth Gilmour explores the potential benefits and limitations of using AI to increase access to justice in the winning article of the SCL AI Group Junior Lawyer Article Competition Introducing DisruptionImagine someone, sitting anxiously in a waiting room at a solicitor’s office they hastily found online. They clutch a notice of eviction in their hands,…
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