Joris Deene
You have work done by a contractor. Afterwards, a dispute arises over the invoice and the contractor suddenly charges high interest and damages, referring to his “general...
Is the DPA competent for all data processing? A ruling on security clearances and the right to a copy
When an employee complains about the processing of his personal data, the Data Protection Authority (GBA) is usually the competent authority. A Sept. 3, 2025 ruling by the Market Court in...
Phishing victim? When does the court rule that you were ‘grossly negligent’ (and lost your money)?
You are a victim of phishing. You have been tricked by a fake e-mail and a sophisticated phone call, and thousands of euros have disappeared from your account. You expect the bank to rectify this, but they...
Is my neighbor allowed to point his camera at my driveway?
A neighbor dispute over a surveillance camera is a classic legal problem. You feel watched, but your neighbor invokes his safety. The question is: where is the line? A decision by the...
Is a TV series plagiarism if it uses the same setting and themes as a book?
An author writes a book set in a specific, evocative location. Years later, a successful TV series appears that uses the same location and atmosphere. Does that violate the...
Are you allowed to send direct marketing to users with a free account?
A ruling by the European Court of Justice brings important news for any company working with ‘freemium’ models or free accounts. In the Inteligo Media ruling (C-654/23) of Nov. 13, 2025, the...
Can a judge ban a press article even before it is published?
A negative article in the press can do considerable damage to a person's reputation, especially at a crucial time such as an election or a business negotiation. Consequently, the reflex is often to go to court...
Is an AI model itself an illegal copy? German and British judges diametrically opposed
The rise of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, has created a legal minefield. These models are trained on massive data sets, including billions of texts and images that are copyrighted ...
Is your internet provider allowed to advertise “fibre” if you don't get it?
You see it everywhere: ads for superfast Internet with ringing terms like “Start Fiber” or “Giga Fiber.” But what if that ‘fiber’ doesn't include all the fiber optic cable all the way to your...
Is a resignation via a digital registered letter legally valid?
Digitization has fundamentally changed the way we work and communicate. Yet crucial moments in an employment relationship, such as a dismissal, remain subject to strict legal form requirements. This...
Can a defamatory post on X (Twitter) be a ‘printing press crime’?
You are confronted with defamatory or offensive posts on social media such as X (formerly Twitter). You are considering a criminal complaint, but doubt the feasibility. The answer is complex: yes, the Belgian Court...
In the event of bankruptcy, is the curator permitted to sell my customer data?
You are a customer of a company, but it goes out of business. Suddenly, you receive emails from a completely new company that has taken over operations. This raises the question: may the trustee keep the customer list...
Can a creditor seize your domain name?
In our digital economy, a domain name is often one of a company's most valuable assets. But what happens if that company is in debt? Can a creditor simply seize your .be or .eu domain name?.
Can the law keep up with Big Tech?
The influence of major technology companies such as Amazon, Google (Alphabet) and Meta is hard to overestimate. They have reshaped not only our online interactions and political debate, but also the economy...
Can an appeal against a DPA decision be inadmissible?
You disagree with a decision of the Data Protection Authority (GBA) and appeal to the Market Court. Yet, the court declares your appeal ‘inadmissible’ even before the discussion on the merits ...
Does an AI model trained on photographs infringe copyright?
Generative AI systems such as Stable Diffusion are trained on billions of images retrieved from the Internet. Many of those images are copyrighted. The question that creatives and lawyers...
MFA disabled and hacked: who pays skyrocketing data bill?
An IT service provider fails to enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on a customer's cloud environment. A hacker penetrates and consumes more than 700,000 euros worth of cloud services. The distributor...
Is defamation via a YouTube video a printing press crime?
A remarkable ruling by the Ghent correctional court on Nov. 3, 2025, has reignited the debate over the limits of free speech and the definition of “press crimes” in the digital age...
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