IP & IT News

Scammers abused Facebook phone number search

BBC News – 5 April

Facebook has revealed that ‘malicious actors’ have been harvesting people’s data using their phone numbers and email addresses in the search bar for years. By entering an email address or mobile number, a hacker could access names, addresses and other personal details leaving people vulnerable to scams. The search tool has now been removed.

Apple Watch provides murder case clues

BBC News – 3 April

Australian police have used data from an Apple Watch as potential evidence in a recent murder investigation. The heart rate monitor of Ms. Nilson, the murder victim, showed that she had been murdered over three hours earlier than her daughter had originally claimed. The evidence has not yet been accepted and the trial will not continue until June.

EU urged to act over social media and fake news

The Guardian – 2 April

Following the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, Sir Julian King, the European commissioner for security has called for action against the spread of fake news on social media. King has called for greater transparency on what algorithms social media platforms use and called for greater limits on using data for political purposes.

Quality vs quantity at the European Patent Office

Reddie & Grose – 27 March

In the recent European Patent Office (EPO) Annual Report, it has been revealed that there has been an increase in demand, granted patents and productivity. Reddie & Grose discuss whether these increases have caused the EPO to drop their high standards.

Online content portability rules in effect from 1 April

Out Law – 27 March

New online portability rules come into effect on 1 April 2018, which give consumers wider access to online content when travelling around Europe. The new rules will make paid for services such as Now TV and BT Sport available to subscribers travelling in Europe for ‘a limited period of time’. However, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has stated that services such as BBC iPlayer and All 4 do not fall into this remit.