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No privacy in online wild west

06 November 2019
Issue: 7863 / Categories: Legal News , Data protection , Technology , Human rights
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The right to privacy does not exist in the online ‘wild west’, the Joint Committee on Human Rights has concluded. 

In a report published last week, it found privacy policies are ‘too complicated’ for the vast majority of people to understand that ‘information is being compiled, without their knowledge, across sites to create a profile’. It is too difficult for people, even tech experts, to find out what they have consented to or to stop information being shared. It heard disturbing evidence about eye tracking software being used to make assumptions about people’s mental health, or profiles being used to discriminate when placing job and housing adverts. It concludes that the ‘consent model is broken’. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Freeths—Ruth Clare

Freeths—Ruth Clare

National real estate team bolstered by partner hire in Manchester

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Partner appointed head of family team

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

Firm strengthens agriculture and rural affairs team with partner return

NEWS
Conveyancing lawyers have enjoyed a rapid win after campaigning against UK Finance’s decision to charge for access to the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a recruitment drive for talented early career and more senior barristers and solicitors
Regulators differed in the clarity and consistency of their post-Mazur advice and guidance, according to an interim report by the Legal Services Board (LSB)
The dangers of uncritical artificial intelligence (AI) use in legal practice are no longer hypothetical. In this week's NLJ, Dr Charanjit Singh of Holborn Chambers examines cases where lawyers relied on ‘hallucinated’ citations — entirely fictitious authorities generated by AI tools
The Solicitors Act 1974 may still underpin legal regulation, but its age is increasingly showing. Writing in NLJ this week, Victoria Morrison-Hughes of the Association of Costs Lawyers argues that the Act is ‘out of step with modern consumer law’ and actively deters fairness
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