[LINK] Can Woolies keep price list URL a secret?

[Steven Clark]

On 19/02/2010 12:11 PM, Stewart Carter wrote:
> Dear Linkers,
>
> Here's a question for the collective Link mind?
>
> Can Woolies prohibit the publication of their price list URL?
>   

They can try. but will probably fail. for very practical reasons.

> I ask because  the terms and conditions for viewing Woolies new grocery
> price service insists the URL must be kept secret.
>   

if it's on the internet, it ain't secret. can never be absolutely
secret. so good luck with that wollies.

> "The site's URL may not be displayed on any website without Woolworths'
> written permission."
>   

google? yahoo? bing?

> What could Woolies do to me if I refuse to keep their URL secret?
>   

they could sue. but they'd have to establish actual loss to have any
chance of damages.

they could try for an injunction preventing you form continuing to
disclose, but horse will have bolted.

would be 'fun' to watch (note: i'm a lawyer and former practitioner, and
the academic in me also loves this kind of thing)

> Can they enforce this secrecy? 
>   

they can try. but i suspect that the media attention surrounding the
case would be amusing. would reading the URL out on national TV breach
the T&C? and the fact they want the URL to be secret would raise
interesting questions ...

but the big hurdle will be: how did you find the URL in the first place
to even be reading the T&C?

-- 
Steven R Clark, BSc(Hons) LLB/LP(Hons) /Flinders/, MACS, Barrister and
Solicitor
PhD Candidate, School of Commerce, City West Campus, University of South
Australia

/Finding a Balance between Privacy and National Security in Australia's
ePassport System/

QUIS·CUSTODIET·IPSOS·CUSTODES
e-mail: steven.clark at internode.on.net
<mailto://steven.clark@internode.on.net>
mobile: +61 414 908 505

8/18 Roberts Street
Unley, South Australia, 5061
AUSTRALIA