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Articles for Category Tag - Internet Law

UPDATE3 Lords Sneak UK Internet Snooping Law into Bill – Minus Safeguards

23rd January, 2015 (14 Comments)

Opponents of the Government’s plan to revive the twice failed Internet Snooping law, which would force ISPs into logging a much bigger slice of everybody’s online activity and also make it more accessible to security services, are crying foul after dirty politics resulted in 18 pages of new law being snuck into the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill (CTSB) at the last minute.. and without the promised judicial oversight (safeguard).

YouGov Find UK Support for Tougher State Internet Snooping Law is Split

19th January, 2015 (12 Comments)

A new YouGov survey of 1,647 adults across Great Britain, which was conducted at the end of last week, has indicated that 53% of people support calls for a tougher Internet Snooping law that would log and supply more of your private communications data (e.g. email, website, Skype access logs etc.) to the security services. But happily most oppose the recent calls for a ban on encryption.

UPDATE ISPs Urge Caution as Cameron Tries 3rd Internet Snooping Revival

13th January, 2015 (2 Comments)

The UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has felt it necessary to respond after the Prime Minister, David Cameron, created another storm by using last week’s Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks in Paris (France) as a basis to demand tough new Internet surveillance powers and, some believe, to call for a ban on the use of encryption.

Ofcom Propose to Prosecute Owners of Bad Powerline Network Adapters

6th January, 2015 (14 Comments)

The telecoms regulator has started a new consultation that proposes to expand the remit of its existing wireless telegraphy legislation in order to tackle electronic devices that create “undue interference“, which among other things could target consumers that make use of bad Powerline Adapters (HomePlug) for their home computer networks.

The Top Broadband ISP Technology and Internet Policy Changes for 2014-15

2nd January, 2015 (12 Comments)

The past year has been all about technology and deployment, with the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK scheme dominating via its efforts to push BT’s 80Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL2) service out to even more areas, but a lot more than that has happened. ISPreview.co.uk highlights some the key Internet technology, policy and anti-piracy developments of 2014 and predicts what might occur in 2015.

UK High Court Forces Big ISPs to Block 53 New Internet Piracy Websites

28th November, 2014 (45 Comments)

Section 97A of the United Kingdom’s Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (CDPA) has come in handy again after Rights Holders won one of their most significant victories to date, securing a court order that forces all of the country’s largest broadband ISPs to block 53 websites that were found to facilitate Internet copyright infringement (piracy).

UPD Commons Intelligence and Security Committee Blames ISPs for Murder

25th November, 2014 (14 Comments)

It’s probably fair to say that most politicians can be a bit naïve when it comes to matters that require an understanding of ISPs and Internet communications. Sadly this also appears to be true of today’s report from the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee that effectively accused ISPs of failing to help stop the murder Fusilier Lee Rigby by not handing over key communications data.

Company Director Fined for Abuse of Orange UK’s Private Customer Details

12th November, 2014 (4 Comments)

The Government’s Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has fined Matthew Devlin (age 25), a director of three marketing and telecoms companies, the measly sum of £500 after he was found to have “illegally” accessed one of Orange UK’s (EE) customer databases in order to target users with rival upgrade promotions.

UPDATE2 Court of Appeal Rules BT FTTC Broadband Infringes ASSIA Patents

11th November, 2014 (11 Comments)

The Court of Appeal has this morning ruled that two patents owned by California-based ISP ASSIA, which relates to the field of Dynamic Spectrum Management, have been infringed upon by BT’s Next Generation Access (NGA) Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / BTInfinity) superfast broadband technology.

EU Court Rejects Vtesse Networks Appeal vs State Aid for BT’s Broadband

11th November, 2014 (2 Comments)

Fibre optic developer Vtesse Networks, which was only last month gobbled up by Interoute Communications, has lost its appeal at the General Court of the European Union, which challenged the decision to award state aid to BT for its deployment of superfast broadband (FTTC/P) services in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (England).

UK Competition Tribunal Tells Sky to Sell TV Sport at a Fair Price to BT

5th November, 2014 (12 Comments)

After four long years of squabbling the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has today issued an interim ruling that upholds Ofcom’s original 2010 decision against BSkyB (Sky Broadband), which required the media giant to ensure that their Sky Sports channels are made available to BT’s broadband based YouView TV (IPTV) platform.

UK Court Forces Big ISPs to Block 21 New P2P Torrent Websites

24th October, 2014 (9 Comments)

As expected several major record labels and trade bodies, including the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), Sony Music and Universal Music etc., have successfully won multiple court orders that will force all of the country’s largest broadband ISPs to block their customers from accessing 21 P2P Torrent (BitTorrent) indexes, which were found to be facilitating Internet copyright infringement (piracy).

800 Virgin Media Customers Pursued by Internet Porn Piracy Lawyers

24th October, 2014 (2 Comments)

The threat of “speculative invoicing” appears to have re-emerged in the United Kingdom after a long running, but not widely reported, battle between Virgin Media and London law firm Wagner & Co resulted in the UK cable operator being forced to release the details of 800 customers whom are alleged to have shared “illegal” copyright content online.

UK High Court Forces Big ISPs to Block Websites for Trade Mark Abuse

17th October, 2014 (7 Comments)

The High Court of Justice in London has today ruled on a case that concerned the abuse of commercial Trade Marks. Crucially the outcome means that several of the United Kingdom’s largest broadband ISPs (BT, Sky Broadband, Virgin Media, EE and TalkTalk) can now also be forced to block websites that abuse company trademarks / logos, such as by dealing in counterfeit goods.

Marriott Hotel Fined for Blocking Guests Personal WiFi Hotspots

7th October, 2014 (1 Comment)

Sadly not all hotels offer a WiFi Internet service and some even charge excessive amounts for access, although in most of these cases it’s often possible to get your computer online by using a Smartphone to setup a personal WiFi hotspot via a Mobile Broadband link (3G, 4G). At least it is unless your hotel decides to deliberately block personal WiFi.

Luxury Goods Maker Wants ISPs to Block Websites for Trade Mark Abuse

26th September, 2014 (5 Comments)

Broadband ISPs in the United Kingdom could soon be forced to block websites that abuse commercial Trade Marks, assuming the owner of luxury brands including Cartier and Mont Blanc (Compagnie Financière Richemont SA) gets their way in a new court case, which Internet providers and the Open Rights Groups (ORG) are fighting.

Thousands Cut-off After Theft of BT Copper Telecoms Cable in Billingham

23rd September, 2014 (27 Comments)

Criminals have disrupted the broadband and phone services for at least 5,000 people and businesses in the North East England town of Billingham (Durham), which is home to a total population of 36,000+, after they stole large sections of vital copper telecoms cable from BT’s local network.