2024: Key things to look out for in tech regulation

Written by Matthew Niblett on 09 Jan 2024

As political institutions slowly emerge from their Christmas hibernation, we look at the key unresolved issues in tech regulation in the UK and the EU. 

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The UK Government's proposals to regulate cryptocurrency and stablecoins

Written by Matthew Niblett on 24 Nov 2023

In November 2023 the UK Government outlined its regulatory intentions for the cryptocasset industry. In this blog, we summarise the UK Government’s plans for the future regulation of cryptoassets and explain the next steps.

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Online Safety Act: What happens now?

Written by Pia Doering on 03 Nov 2023

The Online Safety Bill was introduced in March 2022 to make the UK the ‘safest place in the world to be online’. After a long journey through Parliament, the Bill passed its final parliamentary stages on Tuesday 19 September and was granted royal assent on 26 October 2023, meaning it is now enshrined in law as the Online Safety Act (OSA). However, companies will not have to comply with most of the Act’s provisions immediately. Rather, many details are yet to be set out via secondary legislation and guidance. In this blog post, we take a look at the next steps under the UK’s new online safety regime.   

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The pre-legislative phase: How is policy made in the UK?

Written by Matthew Niblett on 24 Aug 2023

This is one of a series of blogs on how public policy is made in the UK. In this first blog, we look at how policies are created and what happens before they are brought to Parliament as a legislative bill.

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What the UK's Autumn Statement means for the tech sector

Written by Matthew Niblett on 17 Nov 2022

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has published his Autumn Statement, outlining the UK Government’s fiscal policies for the next five years. The statement includes a number of measures of interest for the tech sector, which we summarise below.

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What will Rishi Sunak’s premiership mean for UK tech policy?

Written by Pia Doering on 25 Oct 2022

Once again, the UK has a new Prime Minister. What does this further leadership change mean for the UK’s tech ecosystem and regulatory environment? In this blog, Inline Policy illuminates where a Rishi Sunak premiership could land on issues such as digital competition, data protection, online safety, net zero, artificial intelligence, innovation, and foreign relations.  

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What the 2022 Queen’s Speech means for tech policy in the UK

Written by Alex Rennie on 11 May 2022

The Queen’s Speech on 10 May 2022 outlines all the Bills that the Government intends to introduce in the new Parliamentary session. It includes substantial tech policy reforms in areas in which the UK is diverging from EU policy for the first time. While there are various initiatives, they can broadly be categorised as, first, pro-innovation and pro-competition measures, and secondly, changes to improve the protection of consumers of tech. Here we take you through the main proposals.

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What do the UK’s cybersecurity plans mean for companies?

Written by Hannah Fuchs on 20 Dec 2021

With an increasing number of internet-connectable and interconnected devices, also known as the Internet of Things (IoT), being used in the UK, the Government has introduced the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill to protect these products. This blog will examine the bill, its potential impact, some criticisms of it, and the next steps in the legislative process.

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Local elections 2021: red wall versus blue wall?

Written by Matthew Niblett on 10 May 2021

Much of the focus on this weekend’s election results has been on the Conservative successes in the so-called red wall but less attention has been paid to the inroads by other parties in the Tory’s ‘blue wall’ in the south east of England. In this blog, Matt Niblett rings a warning bell for the Tories.

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Platforms’ actions against hate speech

Written by Alessandra Venier on 14 Sep 2020

Preventing illegal hate speech online is a priority for policymakers worldwide, and the need to do so is increasingly evident. How can governments strike the right balance between tackling the mechanisms and incentives behind the proliferation of illegal hateful content online, while also ensuring that platforms do not enable censorship? A closer look at present and future debates demonstrates the intricacies of keeping an ever-growing number of internet users safe and preserving their fundamental rights.

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COVID-19: a turning point for online content regulation in the UK?

Written by Alessandra Venier on 10 Jun 2020

As the UK prepares some of the most ambitious online harms legislation in the world, the unprecedented efforts taken by tech companies to curb the spread of COVID-19 falsehoods have raised a number of questions for regulators and policymakers. The UK may need to adapt its original stance on online harms in order to face the ‘new normal’.

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Why a European AB5 is still some way off

Written by Matthew Niblett on 06 Mar 2020

California’s recent regulation to address perceived imbalances in the gig economy (known as AB5) has set tongues wagging about the future of companies like Uber and Lyft. Given Europe’s reputation for being tough on tech giants, is a similar intervention on this side of the Atlantic now inevitable?

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Consumer protection legislation in the connected future

Written by Alex Rennie on 02 Mar 2020

The spread of tiny chips into more and more everyday items promises a cumulative leap in convenience for consumers and productivity for businesses. Yet as ever more consumer devices become hooked up to the internet and the line between hardware and software blurs, the question of consumer protection and the need for new consumer regulations will receive greater attention.

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Tech regulation: will the UK go it alone after Brexit?

Written by Olaf Cramme on 02 Dec 2019

Once the political decision about Brexit is settled, the focus will move swiftly to the precise nature of the new relationship between the UK and the EU. The question of regulatory alignment or divergence will then take centre stage - with an uncertain outcome and potentially far-reaching implications for the tech sector.

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Inline’s at-a-glance guide to the 2019 election

Written by Matthew Niblett on 02 Dec 2019

The UK’s fast approaching elections will have major ramifications for businesses, citizens and Britain’s relationship with the rest of the world. Our one-page guide summarises where each of the major parties stands on the most important policy issues for the tech sector.

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UK General Election 2019: Business risks are substantial, whichever way you look

Written by Shomik Panda on 19 Nov 2019

The December 2019 General election will be the fourth election or referendum to take place in the UK in the past five years. Yet despite the unusual timing and general voter fatigue, the stage is set for a high-stake drama: voters are given a last chance to determine whether Brexit ‘gets done’ under UK Prime Minister Johnson’s (Conservative) terms or if a change in direction is warranted.

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Inline at Five: Reflections on founding and growing a political consulting firm

Written by Shomik Panda on 01 Jul 2019

Inline Policy was launched five years ago as the vision of our Founder, Shomik Panda. In this blog, Shomik reflects on the challenges of starting a business from scratch and some of the highlights of the past five years.

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Can data sharing survive the new data protection regime?

Written by Conor Brennan on 05 Mar 2019

Nine months after "GDPR day" our new briefing paper assesses the fallout of the new EU data protection regime, the emerging trends in regulation of data sharing and how industry is responding. 

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MPs examine impact and potential of immersive tech

Written by Megan Stagman on 15 Feb 2019

 In the latest sign of ramping up political interest in immersive technologies, the House of Common's Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee has announced an inquiry dedicated to finding out more about the sector, and determining possible avenues for future regulation.

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New regulations for taxis and ride-hailing in the UK

Written by Matthew Niblett on 13 Feb 2019

Following the UK Government's outline of its approach to regulating the taxi and ride hailing sector, Inline has produced a guide to the most important changes coming down the line for companies operating in the space.

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