Your commercial news round-up: Google and Facebook, Sony, Vodafone and EE, RIP BlackBerry
updated on 06 January 2022
Reading time: two minutes
Happy new year aspiring lawyers!
In the words of Nina Simone, “It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me, and I’m feeling good!”
Let’s get into the first LCN commercial news round-up of 2022.
- French watchdog fines Google and Facebook over cookie policies. Google was handed a hefty fine (yet again!) of €150 million for making it difficult for internet users to refuse cookie trackers when browsing online. Facebook was fined €60 million for the same thing. Most websites offer a button allowing users to accept cookies, but Google and Facebook failed to provide an equivalent button to reject all cookies. The tech giants were fined due to failing to provide users with a choice that infringes on Article 8 of the Human Rights Act (1998) – freedom to consent and right to choose. Four months ago, we reported that South Korea fined Google $177 million for blocking Android customisation.
- Japanese tech giant, Sony plans to enter the electric vehicle market and launch its electric car firm this spring. The multinational cooperation has become the latest electronics manufacturer to venture into the automotive industry. The Japanese Group aims to strengthen its influence in the entertainment sector and make a difference in next-generation mobility. Sony chairman and president, Kenichiro Yoshida said: "With our imaging and sensing, cloud, 5G and entertainment technologies combined with our contents mastery, we believe Sony is well-positioned as a creative entertainment company to redefine mobility.”
- Vodafone and EE have both delayed the reintroduction of EU roaming charges. Vodafone had planned to bring back its charges today but has pushed its date back to carry out more tests. Similarly, EE has delayed its planned reactivation date from January to March. Due to Brexit, UK mobile phone users can no longer receive free roaming in the EU by law, this has now become a costly exercise for many Brits who travel overseas. As it stands, O2 is yet to announce plans to reintroduce EU roaming charges. Seven months ago, we warned of the return of the EU mobile roaming charges.
- Who remembers BBM days? Well, the BlackBerry handset was decommissioned earlier this week. BlackBerry was one of the most prominent smartphone brands in the world, with 85 million users in 2013. BlackBerry days were the early version of Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, we wouldn’t be where we are now without it. Two minutes silence for the legendary BlackBerry, gone but never forgotten!
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