In adapting to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, workplaces have been relying on Zoom Video Communications’ (Zoom) videoconferencing technology which has enabled people working from home to connect with colleagues and the public. However, as Zoom’s popularity increases, workplaces should consider whether Zoom is the appropriate forum to hold private and confidential workplace… Read More
Read moreBusinesses should be aware that competition and consumer laws still apply during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) released the ACCC 2020 Compliance and Enforcement Priorities in February 2020. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on 27 March 2020, the ACCC announced that the 2020 Compliance and Enforcement Priorities will remain… Read More
Read moreThe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (‘ACCC’), the agency responsible for enforcement of competition, consumer and product safety laws in Australia has issued its 2020 Compliance and Enforcement Policy[i]. The ACCC’s focus will remain on product safety issues likely to cause serious harm to consumers and on conduct that will or has the potential to harm… Read More
Read moreBy Katarina Klaric, Principal, Stephens Lawyers & Consultants The on-line dissemination of defamatory material can go viral and result in significant reputational damage to individuals and businesses. Internet search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo further disseminate such material on their websites in search results. Search engine proprietors have sought to exclude their… Read More
Read moreBy Katarina Klaric (Principal) and Emma Contebardo (Lawyer), Stephens Lawyers & Consultants Negative or disparaging online reviews can result in substantial damage to a business’ reputation and also loss of revenue. Where reviews are false, defamatory or not genuine, businesses can take legal action to have the reviews taken down and claim compensation. Some businesses… Read More
Read moreby Katarina Klaric, Principal & Director, Stephens Lawyers & Consultants Data breaches involving an individual’s personal, medical and financial/credit information can result in reputational damage and financial losses. The Australian privacy law provides for an individual affected by a data privacy breach to seek compensation from the organisation involved in the breach. The individual may… Read More
Read moreRisk Management: Data Protection and Privacy Compliance Privacy compliance and data breach risk management is too often not taken seriously by Australian organisations. The complexity of organisational structures and IT business systems in many instances results in management not knowing what data is collected by whole of business and how the data is managed. Privacy… Read More
Read moreStephens Lawyers & Consultants – Information Sheet (March 2020) by Katarina Klaric, Principal & Director, Stephens Lawyers & Consultants A strong business reputation, is crucial in today’s online and social media environment. Maintaining a good on-line business reputation assists a business in: Maintaining and attracting new customers and business opportunities, Retaining staff and attracting… Read More
Read moreStephens Lawyers & Consultants provides a review of the compensation awarded in determinations made during the years 2016-2019 by the Office of the Australian Information Privacy Commissioner in relation to privacy breaches. Case Summaries provided after the Table of Cases. CASE PRIVACY PRINCIPLES BREACHED COMPENSATION RECEIVED ‘RC’ and TICA Default Tenancy Control Pty Ltd (Privacy)… Read More
Read moreKatarina Klaric, Principal, Stephens Lawyers & Consultants * Publication of defamatory comments on websites, social media and business networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are becoming increasingly common and are causing devastating harm to both personal and business reputation and business losses. Some of the defamatory material published is of such an… Read More
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