Radar: Technology & Communications Update - January 2012

We’re starting the year with a ‘what to expect’ preview.  In the current climate, trying to predict what lies ahead seems even harder than usual but on the legal side of the technology and communications sector, there are a few issues which are fairly certain to be significant in 2012.

In brief

• In December 2011, the Government published a consultation on its draft Finance Bill 2012 which contains a number of measures aimed at stimulating economic growth and helping SMEs.  For more information about some of the key measures, see our e-alerts:
  > Changes to Research & Development Tax Relief
  > The Patent Box – How is it shaping up?
  > Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme
• The application period for ‘dot brand’ top level domain names opened on 12 January 2012.  Applications may be filed until 12 April 2012.  See the ICANN website for more information.
• Take a look at some of the more interesting contract law cases of 2011 in our Contract  Law Review 2011

Contents

• What to expect in 2012
  A look at some of the issues likely to dominate the year ahead.
• Cookies again
  The Information Commissioner has updated (and improved) his guidance on cookies.  With five months to go before enforcement of the new rules begins, it seems most organisations still have a lot to do.
• Government progresses changes to the copyright regime
  The Intellectual Property Office has published a Government consultation on proposed changes to the UK’s copyright regime which could potentially have far reaching implications.
• Advocate General Opinion on scope of copyright protection of software
  Advocate General confirms that functionalities of a computer program cannot be protected by copyright.

Lawyers Graham Hann, Glyn Morgan, Christopher Jeffery, Patrick Clark, Vinod Bange