Hi, Here is your weekly round-up of highlights from OUT-LAW News. As always, click the links to read the full stories of the summaries below or see these and many other stories from this week's news at http://www.out-law.com/page-5951. You can also access our archive of weekly emails at http://www.out-law.com/page-7793. The OUT-LAW Team ***Social Media Influence: How Social media came of age and companies and brands joined the conversation*** Social Media Influence, now in its fourth year, is a one-day conference dedicated to the profound changes social media is having on corporate communications, marketing and media. The event will be held March 3rd, 2009 in London. See: http://www.screenevents.co.uk/smi_09/index.html ***This week's highlights from OUT-LAW News*** 1. Home Office vows to better protect personal data The Home Office has promised privacy regulator the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) that it will handle citizens' personal data securely in the future, after the ICO found it in breach of the Data Protection Act. 22/01/2009 http://www.out-law.com/page-9731 2. New EU rules on non-contractual disputes come into force New EU rules on which country's law should govern disputes in tort (such as claims for negligence and misrepresentation), have come into force. The regulation, known as Rome II, took effect across Europe on 11th January. 22/01/2009 http://www.out-law.com/page-9730 3. UK consumers could win rights of direct action under unfair trading law The European Parliament has called for a change to the way the UK has implemented consumer protection laws to allow cheated customers to take direct action against businesses. 22/01/2009 http://www.out-law.com/page-9724 4. UK databases of usable patents go live Two databases have been launched which will enable anyone wishing to use an invention to find out if their use is legal. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has published the database of patents. 22/01/2009 http://www.out-law.com/page-9725 5. Workers earn holiday entitlement when off sick, says ECJ Workers will be able to build up holiday entitlements even when absent on sick leave and will be able to carry over untaken leave until subsequent years, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has said. The ruling will force a change in UK law. 21/01/2009 http://www.out-law.com/page-9719 6. Government data sharing plan could extend to private sector A Government plan to allow more extensive sharing of personal data is not restricted to the public sector and could result in Government-collected information being shared with private companies, a privacy expert has said. 16/01/2009 http://www.out-law.com/page-9716 ***OUT-LAW Radio: returns next week*** http://www.out-law.com/page-7212 ***About this email*** This is a weekly email for subscribers of OUT-LAW.COM, a website with more than 8,000 pages of free legal news and guidance. If and when you need further advice, we hope you'll choose Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind OUT-LAW.COM. Feel free to forward this email to your friends. If someone forwarded this email to you and you'd like your own subscription, register free at http://www.out-law.com. Existing subscribers: you can manage your profile at http://www.out-law.com/page-520. The email address for this subscription is <>. Feel free to give us your feedback by replying to this email. To unsubscribe, please reply with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. (We'd also appreciate you telling us why you've decided to unsubscribe.) This email is sent on behalf of Pinsent Masons LLP, a limited liability partnership registered in England & Wales (registered number: OC333653) and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The word 'partner', used in relation to the LLP, refers to a member of the LLP or an employee or consultant of the LLP or any affiliated firm who has equivalent standing and qualifications. A list of the members of the LLP, and of those non-members who are designated as partners, is displayed at the LLP's registered office: CityPoint, One Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9AH, United Kingdom.