07 November 2023
The King's Speech today included a number of important items for the technology, privacy and AI sectors.
🔹 Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill
The Bill has been analysed extensively elsewhere, and is currently at report stage in the House of Commons.
The IAPP’s summary is one of the clearest comparisons between the Bill and the GDPR.
🔹 Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill
Currently at report stage in the House of Commons, the Bill is extensive and includes consumer rights protections in relation to subscription contracts and provisions to combat fake online reviews. Perhaps most significantly, the Bill will give the Competition and Markets Authority new powers to address “the far-reaching power of a small number of tech companies.”
🔹 Crime and Justice Bill
Amongst other reforms, the Bill will give Police increased access to the DVLA database to identify criminals, possibly through facial recognition technology.
It will also give Police powers to enter premises without a warrant to seize stolen goods, on reasonable suspicion the goods are inside (including from GPS location tracking data).
The Bill has not yet been published.
🔹 Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill
According to The Times: “The bill would force technology companies to inform the Home Office in advance of new security and privacy features they want to add — and force them to disable those the government objects to. It would also increase the power of the Home Office to force non-UK companies to comply with changes it wants them to make to security features without the right to appeal as is the case at present.”
The Bill has not yet been published.
🔹 Automated Vehicles Bill
The Bill will allow self-driving vehicles to be operated on UK roads, if the vehicle can drive itself safely and follow traffic rules without human intervention. Individuals will not be subject to prosecution in the event of an accident if the autonomous vehicle is operating without their control; the manufacturer will be responsible for the vehicle’s driving.
The Bill had not yet been published.
🔹 Media Bill
According to the House of Commons, the Bill will “bring video-on-demand services like Netflix under UK regulation, ensuring that larger, TV-like services are subject to the same high standards as broadcast TV channels, by giving Ofcom powers to investigate and take action if they consider it appropriate.”
The Times reports that the Bill will task Ofcom with creating and enforcing a new video-on-demand code.
With so much on the government's agenda in what may be its last year in office, there is certainly a lot to watch for anyone in the tech, AI and privacy world...