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01 November 2023
Issue: 8047 / Categories: Legal News , Technology
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Online Safety Act 2023: Tech responsibility

All eyes are on Ofcom following the passing into law of the Online Safety Act 2023 last week

Under the Act, tech companies have a responsibility to prevent and rapidly remove illegal content, like terrorism and revenge pornography, and to stop children seeing material that is harmful to them such as bullying, content promoting self-harm and eating disorders, and pornography. Failure to comply could lead to significant fines of up to £18m or 10% of global annual revenue, whichever is biggest.

Sarah Pearce, partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth, said the Act was ‘a groundbreaking piece of legislation which has been surrounded by tough debate. Attention is likely to focus on the role of Ofcom in enforcement and any code of conduct the regulator draws up on how to comply with the new rules’.

Issue: 8047 / Categories: Legal News , Technology
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Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

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Freeths—Richard Lockhart

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Infrastructure specialist joins as partner in Glasgow office

NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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