An ongoing legal dispute between clothing designer, Katie Jane Taylor and American singer-songwriter, Katy Perry, continues to make headlines. Taylor, owner of the registered trade mark 'Katie Perry', claims that Katy Perry's use of the mark 'Katy Perry' for her products is deceptively similar. In response to Taylor's claim, Katy Perry...
Read MoreWhen seeking out answers, we all reach for Google, the most commonly used platform for information searches. Often, we assume that our search results are accurate. Accuracy is very important when businesses market their products and services on the internet. It is for this reason that they should ensure they do not...
Read MoreThere is a proliferation of ransomware attacks, with reports of a 200% increase in attacks against Australian organisations in recent months. On a global scale, the average cost of cybercrime continues to rise, according to the latest ‘Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021’ by IBM and the Ponemon Institute...
Read MoreFrom 1 November 2021, company directors will be required to have their own unique director identification number (DIN) to verify their identity. DIN’s are a unique 15-digit identifier issued by Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS). Why were DIN’s introduced? DIN’s have been introduced to help prevent the use of false...
Read MoreTrade promotions, such as competitions and other promotional games, are winners for generating hype for your brand. However, trade promotions are heavily regulated and organisations must ensure they comply with relevant laws...
Read MoreOne of the most novel occupations created by the rise of social media is that of the influencer. Influencers earn a living by advertising and promoting brands and connecting them with their own social media followers. An industry code is helping ensure influencers disclose the commercial arrangements that sit behind sponsored posts. In our recent blog post...
Read MoreInflation, avocados and consumer law. You may be wondering what is the connection between these 3 seemingly unrelated topics? Inflation has contributed to the increase in avocado prices by up to 129% in recent years. Separately, a Government review has recognised that in light of inflation, the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) for consumers and small businesses...
Read MoreOn 1 February 2021, the new advertising Code of Ethics (Code), adopted by the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), came into effect. The AANA has published an accompanying Practice Note to in order to assist...
Read MoreState and territory consumer affairs ministers have recently agreed to strengthen the Australian Consumer Law unfair contract terms regime. Key proposed changes, as outlined in the Treasury’s Regulation Impact Statement...
Read MoreWe’ve all seen it – an email sent to the wrong person. Perhaps a misspelled email address or an email sent to the wrong ‘Jennifer’. A recent decision by the Australian Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner shows how a simple clerical...
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