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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UK law Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill The Bill received its third reading in the House of Lords on 10 May 2024. The Bill now goes to the Commons for consideration. Its key focus is to establish a framework for the regulation of AI in the UK, including placing AI regulatory principles on a statutory footing…
The ICO has issued its fourth call for evidence on generative AI. It focuses on individual rights, in particular in relation to the training and fine-tuning of generative AI. In the context of generative AI, this means data protection rights apply to any personal data included in: Therefore, across the AI lifecycle organisations must have…
The CMA is investigating whether Education Software Solutions (ESS) might be abusing a dominant position in the supply of management information systems (MIS) software by making it difficult for schools to switch provider. MIS are important databases used to handle student information, such as attendance and safeguarding, and most UK schools are required to have…
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UK law Automated Vehicles Bill ready for Royal Assent The Automated Vehicles Bill returned to the House of Lords to consider the House of Commons amendments. The House of Commons had proposed 11 amendments to Clauses 40, 43, 89, 93 and 100, as well as amendments to Schedule 1. The Bill has now been passed…
Ofcom has published its draft Children’s Safety Codes of Practice, which sets out how it expects online services to meet their legal responsibilities to protect children online. This is the second key consultation under the Online Safety Act and includes Ofcom’s proposals for how internet services that enable the sharing of user-generated content (user-to-user services)…
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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….
The Upper Tribunal has dismissed the ICO’s appeal in ICO v Experian [2024] UKUT 105 (AAC). Experian is a well-known credit reference agency. It holds and processes data relating to over 51 million people living in the UK (effectively the entire adult population). It also processes the data of UK residents to provide marketing services…
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UK law Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024 receives Royal Assent The Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024 has received Royal Assent. It updates the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 with the aim of ensuring that the UK’s investigatory powers framework remains fit for purpose in the face of evolving threats. It follows the Home Secretary’s statutory report…
The European Commission has opened formal proceedings to assess if Meta (Facebook and Instagram), may have breached the Digital Services Act. As regular SCL readers will be aware, Facebook and Instagram were designated as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) on 25 April 2023 under the DSA, as they both have more than 45 million monthly…