On 6 October 2021, Ofcom issued guidance for providers on measures to protect users from harmful material. Ofcom has been given new powers to regulate UK-based video-sharing platforms (VSPs), such as TikTok, Snapchat and Twitch. VSP regulation sets out to protect users from specific types of harmful material in videos, such as material likely to…
Four Preiskel & Co teams have been listed in the latest edition of the Legal 500 2022. The firm has been ranked for IT and Telecoms, led by Senior Partner, Danny Preiskel, and for EU and Competition, led by Tim Cowen. Moreover, we are delighted to see both the Commercial Dispute Resolution team, led by…
On 27 September, the week-long EU General Court hearings began in order to hear Google’s appeal against the European Commission’s 2018 decision which found that Google had abused its dominant position in respect of its Android mobile operating system, and associated fine. Reports from the hearing indicate that lawyers for both the European Commission and…
Preiskel & Co selected as a finalist by The Lawyer Awards 2021 for the Competition and Regulatory Team of the Year.
Find the shortlist publication here.
On 10 September 2021, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued an injunction in the Epic v Apple case. Apps cannot be restricted from directing users to other payment options, in addition to the ones offered by Apple. The injunction will take effect on 9 December 2021. The injunction reads as follows: “Apple Inc. and its officers,…
On 2nd September 2021 the Irish Data Protection Commission (”DPC”) imposed its biggest fine to date on WhatsApp, the messaging app owned by Facebook. In its reasoning (available here) the DPC considered both: the information provided by WhatsApp to its users, and perhaps more importantly the lack of information provided to non-users. Namely, it was…
South Korea’s parliament has approved on the 31st of August 2021 a bill that prohibits Apple and Google from forcing app developers to only use their proprietary billing systems. The bill is an amendment to South Korea’s Telecommunications Business Act. This decision will allow app developers to avoid paying 15 to 30% commission on every…
In a settlement in the US with a number of independent app developers, Apple has committed to allowing independent app developers using the Apple App Store to reach out to users outside of the apps, such as via email, to inform them of alternative ways to make payments. Currently, payments through the App Store and…
On 11 August 2021, the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) published a consultation regarding its draft guidance for international transfers of personal data (“Guidance”), as well as associated data transfer tools which serve to replace Standard Contractual Clauses (“SCC”). The ICO’s post-Brexit data protection actions include these new documents, which are subject to consultation: Proposals aimed…
In December 2020, the US Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) filed a lawsuit against Facebook for a “buy or bury” strategy to new entrants. The claim argued that Facebook was illegally maintaining its social networking monopoly through an anti-competitive campaign to either acquire or kill potential competitors. The claim was dismissed by US District Judge James…
