Technology liability: Lessons from Wimbledon’s Hawk-Eye failure

Technology liability: Lessons from Wimbledon’s Hawk-Eye failure

Technology liability took centre stage when Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling system glitched this year, not due to a software bug, but because of human error. An operator accidentally disabled a bank of Hawk-Eye cameras mid-match, forcing officials to replay points and issue a public apology. While the system didn’t break, the trust in it did.

This high-profile hiccup reveals a critical truth: automating decisions doesn’t erase liability – it shifts it, highlighting some critical takeaways for businesses who are looking to improve efficiency with automation:

  • Are your people your weakest link? Hawk-Eye didn’t fail – it was switched off. One mis-click exposed flaws in tech, training, and contracts. If you use automation, you need more than good software: ensure contracts, staff training, and fallback plans are fit for purpose and watertight.
  • Is your automation designed to recover from failures? Wimbledon immediately removed the shutdown toggle – a brilliant, regulator-friendly move. While it might seem counterintuitive, removing this single point of failure was, in itself, a form of strengthening the system’s guardrails. Effective automation relies on thoughtfully designed safeguards – like alerts, fail-safes, and controlled manual overrides – that support real-world use while maintaining safety and compliance. Without them, your system is exposed.
  • Is your data protection up to scratch? Hawk-Eye’s visual and timing data counts as personal data under UK GDPR, so if your system is high-risk, you’ll need a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). Automated decisions with legal effects must include human review. Additionally, you must still encrypt data, maintain logs, and report breaches to the ICO within 72 hours.
  • Do your contracts clearly assign liability? Following a glitch, your service level agreements should detail uptime guarantees, system health monitoring, response protocols, and explicit fail-safe enforcement mechanisms. Liability clauses must clearly assign responsibility for losses, from broadcast interruption to reputational harm. Most importantly, specify exactly who is permitted to disable the system, and under what circumstances.
  • Does your insurance cover tech failures? Most UK tech organisations have Professional Indemnity and Technology Errors and Omissions insurance, but cover varies. Some exclude configuration errors – exactly the risk seen at Wimbledon. Ensure your policy includes business interruption coverage, suitable coverage limits (e.g., £10m), and continuous, backdated, and run-off protection for system or provider changes.
  • Can your systems prove what happened? Timestamped logs helped Wimbledon prove what happened. Your systems should do the same. Ensure contracts guarantee access to audit data, as transparency is your best defence.
  • Are your people trained and your controls tested? You’re still liable for your automated systems. Without appropriate staff training or manual controls, you risk negligence. The UK’s AI and Cyber-Security Codes of Practice recommend oversight, logging, and risk checks – build them in now to stay compliant.
  • When was your last tech fire drill? Resilience requires ongoing effort, including audits, outage drills, system tests, and crisis communication plans. Treat it like a fire drill for your tech stack.

To help your business manage the potential risks from technology adoption, you should ask the following questions:

AreaWhat to ask
Data protectionDo we conduct DPIAs? Are logs available? Can we respond within 72h?
ContractsDo SLAs define uptime and alerts? Are liability limits realistic?
TrainingAre staff trained, and are oversight protocols in place?
InsuranceAre tech faults and configuration errors covered? Is the coverage continuous and retroactive?
GovernanceWho can override systems? How often are drills run?

Final word

Wimbledon’s same-day apology and software fix did more than calm fans – it may have helped reduce legal exposure. In the UK, silence or spin often backfires. Swift, sincere comms are not just good PR – they’re good risk management.

It's important to remember, though, that automation doesn’t remove liability – it shifts it. From sport to finance, legal risks remain. Build resilience with clear contracts, oversight, insurance, and response plans.

Our commercial solicitors can help build legal resilience into your contracts and service design, while our data protection solicitors ensure your automated systems stay compliant.



What next?

Please leave us your details and we’ll contact you to discuss your situation and legal requirements. There’s no charge for your initial consultation, and no-obligation to instruct us. We aim to respond to all messages received within 24 hours.

Your data will only be used by Harper James. We will never sell your data and promise to keep it secure. You can find further information in our Privacy Policy.

Our offices

A national law firm

A national law firm

Our commercial lawyers are based in or close to major cities across the UK, providing expert legal advice to clients both locally and nationally.

We mainly work remotely, so we can work with you wherever you are. But we can arrange face-to-face meeting at our offices or a location of your choosing.

Head Office

Floor 5, Cavendish House, 39-41 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5PP
Regional Spaces

Capital Tower Business Centre, 3rd Floor, Capital Tower, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, CF10 3AG
Stirling House, Cambridge Innovation Park, Denny End Road, Waterbeach, Cambridge, CB25 9QE
13th Floor, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, M1 4BT
10 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HP
Belsyre Court, 57 Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6HJ
1st Floor, Dearing House, 1 Young St, Sheffield, S1 4UP
White Building Studios, 1-4 Cumberland Place, Southampton, SO15 2NP
A national law firm

To access legal support from just £149 per hour arrange your no-obligation initial consultation to discuss your business requirements.

Make an enquiry