The government has published the Online Safety Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny and stakeholder review and comment. In doing so, it has set out its justification for the range of flexibilities within the bill including powers: to make further regulations; to issue directions, the framework document, and statutory guidance and codes...

From 27 June 2021, organisations will be able to use the European Commission's long-awaited new Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), also known as model clauses, for data transfers from the European Economic Area (EEA) to recipients in third countries. Issued on 4 June 2021, they replace the existing, or old, SCCs...

Blockchain's future appears bright, with observers such as Marketsandmarkets predicting that the market for blockchain technology and services is expected to grow from US$4.9 billion in 2021 to US$67.4 billion by 2026. Analysts and market readers base this optimism not only on the explosion of public interest in blockchain-enabled cryptocurrencies...

The Internet of Things (IoT) plays a central role in underpinning technologies that support the path to net zero, as our research into decarbonising technologies for cities with Economist Impact has highlighted. IoT technology facilitates monitoring and automation. It can enable more efficient building management or energy consumption. It also...

How is the regulation of the metaverse shaping up? It's a question that was addressed at Osborne Clarke's recent Metaverse Week event, where a case study of a live concert in the metaverse helped spotlight the new and upcoming legislation and regulations that are set to have implications for both...

Decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs) are communities governed by rules that are encoded as a computer programme and maintained on the blockchain. When first conceived, it was hoped that, by removing the powers traditionally delegated to directors and placing these directly in the hands of owners, DAOs would resolve the principal-agent...

It is not always apparent how much some industries rely on artificial intelligence (AI) and usage of this technology varies by individual economic sector. The sports industry is a good example. According to Allied Market Research in 2020, global AI in sports was valued at USD 1.4b, with projected growth...

Through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), businesses could solve a number of problems including, crucially, the transition to a net-zero economy. But there is a clear tension between using AI to promote more efficient use of energy and the fact that AI also poses a challenge to net-zero objectives...

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is leading discussions into early 2023 on the future regulation of the financial services sector as a result of digitalisation, following the publication of papers on the implications of Big Tech and, with the Bank of England and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), of artificial intelligence...

Intermediary service providers In Spain have been complying with the obligations and duties imposed on them by the Spanish Ecommerce Act, which implemented the Ecommerce Directive (Directive 2000/31/EC). Now, with the entry into force of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), their obligations and duties might be extended. The DSA...