Under European Union contract law, consumers are generally entitled to a cooling off period in which they may change their minds and obtain a refund for goods purchased at a distance.

The European Commission is looking to reform public procurement rules.

It has been historic to watch the creation of a peacetime Government between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. And how fascinating to see where both parties agree or disagree, and how they resolve their differences to form their planned way forward. But one area in which both parties have agreed is in doing more to protect civil liberties.

A draft of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement has finally been published. ACTA has been negotiated and discussed in secret between leading Governments for over two years (including North America, Europe, Japan and Korea), and there has been a lot of concern over what it contained.

Nokia is suing Apple in Wisconsin for alleged infringement of five of its patents.

Celebrities who court publicity will now receive less protection from the Press Complaints Commission if their privacy is infringed.

BT and Talk Talk – the Internet service providers – have asked the High Court to provide a ruling as to whether the Digital Economy Act is unlawful.

The government has appointed the first Identity Commissioner. Sir Joseph Pilling took up his role on 1 October.

Estate agents have been warned: the Information Commissioner’s Office is looking to check you out.

The Government has begun announcing its public sector cuts, including in the IT sector.

The Office of Fair Trading has imposed its largest ever fine for a single case on tobacco suppliers and retailers for unlawfully having an agreement or arrangement that had an anti-competitive object or effect, contrary to the Chapter I Prohibition of the Competition Act 1998.

The new Government has announced that it plans to make all Government contracts open to the public.

Facebook has launched a new feature that allows people to see where a user is. Facebook has extolled the virtues of Facebook Places by saying that it is useful for two friends to see if they are both in the locality at the same time so that they can meet up if they want.

The Advertising Standards Authority is considering requiring people to pay a fee if they want the ASA to consider complaints about their competitors.

Ireland has started a process that could see illegal peer-to-peer file-sharers cut off from using the Internet.

The owner of a small café in Essex has vowed to carry on calling themselves Hollands, despite a heavyweight challenge by Harrods.

The UK and Chinese Governments have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on copyright. Under the agreement, the countries will work together on copyright issues to promote strong trade between them.

The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint that ASDA’s advert was misleading because it was highlighting the benefits to consumers of its 100 day guarantee.

More than seven out of every ten UK homes now have a broadband connection through BT or Virgin’s networks.

More than seven out of every ten UK homes now have a broadband connection through BT or Virgin’s networks.