Jul 4, 2017 | Regulation
The UK’s Department for Media, Culture and Sport will now be known as the department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport, retaining the same DCMS acronym. The name change has been agreed between culture secretary Karen Bradley (who is now the Secretary of...
Jul 3, 2017 | Mobile, Regulation, Social media
Snapchat has introduced a map feature that lets users track other people’s location in real time, a move that could open new doors to marketers, but also sparking concerns among safety and privacy advocates. “Snap Maps”, launched last week, plots users and...
Jun 29, 2017 | Regulation
A significant minority of publicly traded growth companies see cyber security as a “technical topic” not warranting board level consideration, according to a survey out one month after the NHS “ransomware” crisis. While almost nine out of 10 companies see cyber...
Jun 27, 2017 | E-commerce and E-retailing, Regulation, Search engine marketing
The European Commission has forced Google to pay a record fine of £2.1bn (€2.42bn) for abusing its dominance as a search engine. The watchdog said the search engine, owned by parent company Alphabet, breached anti-trust rules with its online shopping service. It said...
Jun 23, 2017 | Regulation
With the number of high profile hacks on the rise, password management app Keeper Security, has pulled together an infographic on the dark web and how hackers make their money. How much is your information worth on the dark web: • Spotify account £2.20 • Hulu account...
Jun 21, 2017 | Facebook marketing, Regulation, Social media, Viral and buyrals
As influencers and celebrities post, filter, and hashtag their way to fame and fortune, brands are working with them to reach and communicate with consumers. Influencer marketing on Instagram alone is now a massive $1 billion industry. In April 2017, the FTC sent...
Jun 15, 2017 | Mobile, Regulation
The EU has scrapped mobile roaming charges from today, meaning that using a smartphone for calls, text and internet away in Europe will cost no more than using it at home. The new “Roam Like Home” legislation effectively bans service providers from adding extra...
Jun 7, 2017 | Marketing through gaming, Regulation
Google has created a new web-based game designed to teach the fundamentals of internet safety to children. The game, called “Interland”, forms part of a programme called Be Internet Awesome, developed in conjunction with online safety bodies such as ConnectSafely, the...
May 31, 2017 | Regulation
72% of UK marketers either cannot answer, or incorrectly list the necessary conditions to meet GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) requirements for “opt-in” consent, according to new research. Commissioned by email service provider, Mailjet with insight added...
May 26, 2017 | Online advertising, Regulation
With just one year to go until the new GDPR data protection rules will come into force, new research from the DMA reveals that nearly half of businesses don’t think they’re going to be ready in time, with a further quarter of companies yet to even start a GDPR plan....
May 24, 2017 | Mobile, Regulation
Most parents believe children should be 11 years or over before they own a smartphone or tablet with internet capability, according to new research. The survey of 2,000 UK adults was conducted by LaptopsDirect.co.uk, published in the Technology Forecast Report 2017....
May 23, 2017 | Facebook marketing, Regulation
Facebook’s moderation policies on sex, violence and hate speech have been exposed in a newspaper report this week, after criticism over the social network’s handling of extreme content. Leaked documents to the Guardian newspaper reveals how Facebook...
May 22, 2017 | Regulation
The US Federal Communications Commission has voted to overturn rules that force ISPs to treat all data traffic as equal. Commissioners at the agency voted two-to-one to end a “net neutrality” order enacted in 2015. The vote is controversial as it means...
May 19, 2017 | Regulation, WhatsApp
The European Union’s competition watchdog has fined Facebook 110 million euros (£94.5m) for providing misleading information over its buyout of mobile messaging service WhatsApp. The European Commission said when Facebook informed the Commission of the 2014 buyout it...
May 19, 2017 | Regulation
With the new GDPR regulations coming into force just 12-months from now, the research from Compuware reveals that the majority of retailers are still at risk of incurring costly non-compliance fines, despite organisations having made some progress since the same...
May 18, 2017 | Online advertising, Regulation
The Interactive Advertising Bureau’s Tech Lab has launched its Dynamic Content Ad Standard, as more marketers adopt personalised ads built in real time. Dynamic ads are built in real time when an ad request is sent to the server, and will pull different creative...
May 17, 2017 | Content marketing, CPG, FMCG digital marketing food and beverages, Online advertising, Online video, Regulation, UK, Viral and buyrals
McDonald’s has withdrawn a controversial video ad after a huge social media backlash, with one charity accusing it of exploiting child bereavement. The advert went live on May 12 across social media and on UK TV, depicting a boy talking with his mother about his...
May 15, 2017 | Regulation
A new email-based ransomware virus has locked up hundreds of thousands of computers in more than 150 countries hitting factories, hospitals, shops and schools worldwide over the weekend. The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) was the highest profile victim of...
May 11, 2017 | Facebook marketing, Mobile, Online advertising, Online video, Regulation, Social media, Viral and buyrals
What happens when you mix big data and politics? An explosive article in last weekend’s Guardian investigated the links between Brexit, Trump and a data mining firm called Cambridge Analytica. But did it uncover a shady political coup or the logical (and legal) next...
Apr 26, 2017 | Online advertising, Regulation
Brands face an uphill battle to offer personalised services online, as new research reveals two thirds (67%) of UK consumers are concerned about how brands use their personal information, such as their name, email, location, and marital status. The research, from...
