News

Google may be forced to pay UK iPhone users £750 in compensation for secret tracking

The legal battle has been described as one of the most significant cases in recent history.

The Manc The Manc - 10th November 2021

Google could be forced to pay up to £750 in compensation to iPhone users in the UK if it loses a privacy battle that’s been escalated to the Supreme Court.

The legal battle – which has been described as one of the most significant legal cases in recent history, and a judgment of which is due to be handed down by the Supreme Court today – centres around allegations that the technology firm secretly tracked the online activity of millions of iPhone users in England and Wales, according to Sky News.

It comes after a man named Richard Lloyd – a former director of consumer group Which?- decided to sue Google for collecting web browsing data from iPhone users between 2011 and 2012, despite Google claiming at the time that it was prevented from doing so by the Safari browser’s default privacy settings.

Mr Lloyd alleges that Google ‘cookies’ collected information on 4.4 million iPhone users – who used the Safari web browser between 2011 and 2012 – and claims the company collected data on their health, race, ethnicity, sexuality and political affiliations.

This was even though the users had chosen a ‘do not track’ privacy setting.

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His allegations then go on to claim that this data was then used to group people into categories for advertising purposes, yet Google insists that no information was shared to third parties.

Mr Lloyd – who is backed by campaign group Google You Owe Us – hopes to win between £1 billion and £3 billion in compensation for alleged breaches of the Data Protection Act, and if he wins, the US technology giant could be forced compensate millions of affected iPhone users across the UK.

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Affected iPhone users could potentially claim a tariff of up to £750 in compensation, although it’s believed that a much lower figure is likely.

The case at hand was initially dismissed by the High Court after it ruled it was difficult to calculate how many people had been affected, or whether they had suffered losses, but that decision was eventually overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2019 following an appeal by Google appealed, and the case was subsequently escalated to the Supreme Court.

Mr Lloyd alleges that Google ‘cookies’ collected information on 4.4 million iPhone users between 2011 and 2012 in England and Wales / Credit: Pxfuel

Mr Lloyd said he brought the claim not just as an individual affected by Google’s actions, but as someone who’s representing over four million people.

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Jamie Curle – a partner at law firm DLA Piper – described the judgment as “one of the most eagerly awaited decisions of recent years”, and said it would have “a significant impact on the volume and nature of litigation in the data privacy arena”.

“All eyes will be on this Supreme Court judgment to help answer many of the open questions of law surrounding representative actions for data protection related claims,” added Ross McKean – a data protection partner at DLA Piper.

Featured Image – NurPhoto / Flickr

News

Manchester palaeontologist unearths bones of what may be the largest known marine reptile

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A Manchester-based palaeontologist has unearthed the bones of what may be the largest known marine reptile.

This new identification is a crucial part of a fascinating eight-year long discovery journey.

It all started when a seasoned fossil collector named Paul de la Salle found a giant jawbone on Lilstock Beach, near Bridgewater in Somerset, back in May 2016, and then father and daughter, Justin and Ruby Reynolds from Devon, found the first pieces of a second jawbone and another giant bone while searching for fossils on the beach at Blue Anchor, also in Somerset, in May 2020.

And now, a palaeontologist at the University of Manchester (UoM) Dr Dean Lomax, has identified the fossilised remains of the second gigantic jawbone that measures more than two metres long.

Experts have identified these bones as belonging to the jaws of a new species of enormous ichthyosaur – which is a type of prehistoric marine reptile – and astonishing estimations suggest the oceanic titan would have been more than 25-metres long.

Dr Lomax has been working together with Justin and Ruby Reynolds, along with Paul de la Salle and several family members, since the father-daughter duo first contacted them about their groundbreaking discovery in 2020.

A Manchester palaeontologist has unearthed bones of what may be the largest known marine reptile / Credit: UoM

“I was amazed by Justin and Ruby’s find,” Dr Lomax commented.

“In 2018, my team and Paul de la Salle studied and described Paul’s giant jawbone, and we had hoped that one day another would come to light.”

He explained that Justin and Ruby’s new specimen was “more complete and better preserved” than the first find, and that he “became very excited” at the chance to learn more following their discovery.

As mentioned, the Manchester-based research team, led by Dr Lomax, revealed that the jaw bones belong to a new species of giant ichthyosaur that would’ve been about the size of a blue whale, and they have called the new genus and species Ichthyotitan severnensis – which means ‘giant fish lizard of the Severn’.

The bones – which represent the very last of their kind – are around 202 million years old, and date back to the end of the Triassic Period in a time known as the Rhaetian.

During this time, the gigantic ichthyosaurs swam the seas while the dinosaurs walked on land.

The University of Manchester, where Dr Dean Lomax works as a palaeontologist / Credit: UoM

Ichthyotitan is not the world’s first giant ichthyosaur, but the discoveries by Paul, and Justin and Ruby, are said to be “unique among those known to science”, as they appear roughly 13 million years after their latest geologic relatives – including Shonisaurus sikanniensis from British Columbia in Canada, and Himalayasaurus tibetensis from Tibet in China.

Speaking on the confirmation of the bones’ identification this week, Dr Lomax said: “This research has been ongoing for almost eight years.

“It is quite remarkable to think that gigantic, blue whale-sized ichthyosaurs were swimming in the oceans around what was the UK during the Triassic Period.

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“These jawbones provide tantalising evidence that perhaps one day a complete skull or skeleton of one of these giants might be found.”

Featured Image – UoM

News

Northern Quarter favourite Pie and Ale has sadly closed down

Danny Jones Danny Jones Pie and Ale Manchester closed down

Beloved Northern Quarter eatery and pub Pie and Ale has sadly and quietly closed its doors this week in yet another gutting bit of news for the Manc hospitality sector.

Known for its legendary homemade pies, great selections of ales, craft beers and lagers, not to mention a great little pub when it comes to watching live sport, it’s long been considered an NQ institution.

Unfortunately, however, as confirmed by a sign posted in the window, Pie and Ale has now closed for business after more than a decade.

Safe to say, we’re absolutely gutted, as we’re sure everyone else is.

Credit: The Manc Eats

While no official announcement has been made on their social media as yet, which will no doubt receive love and sadness from its loyal following, the sign in the window simply reads: “Pie and Ale has unfortunately ceased trading. Apologies for any inconvenience.”

The local favourite which was always hailed for being great value for money – celebrated especially for its popular pie and a pint for under a tenner deal – also served up great nibbles and light bites as well as dessert specials.

Although the Lever Street spot previously shut down for a short spell back in 2018 due to what they labelled as “unforeseen circumstances” before reopening just two months later, this latest update looks pretty definitive.

Sister-site Bakerie also ceased trading back in April 2019, with husband and wife founders, Alyson Doocey and David Cook, admitting that all independents had been “feeling the squeeze”.

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While we have few other details at this stage, it does look like Pie and Ale has indeed closed down for the foreseeable future.

A mainstay on our list of the best pies in Manchester since day dot and just the latest in the list of losses in 2024 so far, they will be sorely missed.

We sincerely hope this is like last time and will keep our fingers crossed that we see the pie pros and expert pourers back in business at some point.

RIP to an NQ icon.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

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