Nov 18, 2016 | Regulation, UK
The Investigatory Powers Bill, nicknamed the Snooper’s Charter, has been passed by Parliament, courting controversy with some privacy campaigners calling it the “most extreme surveillance law ever passed in a democracy”. The UK has just legalized the most...
Nov 11, 2016 | Content marketing, Facebook marketing, Regulation
Mark Zuckerberg has hit back against claims that soical media filtering helped Donald Trump win the US Presidential election, by tailoring personal newsfeeds to fit the views of users, rather then suggesting opposing perspectives. Facing criticism that fake news on...
Nov 1, 2016 | Mobile, Regulation
Despite the number of mobile-only banks set to launch in the UK this year, Britons are among the least likely in the world to use them, according to new research. The study, from Nielsen, indicates that nearly two-thirds (63%) of Britons aren’t likely to use...
Oct 24, 2016 | Regulation
Hundreds of thousands of devices such as webcams and DVRs were infected with malicious code to create a so-called ‘botnet’ to target leading sites last week. The attack, on Friday, targetted internet infrastucture firm Dyn which manages web traffic for customers that...
Oct 20, 2016 | Regulation
The annual cost of fraud and cybercrime in the UK is £10.9bn – the equivalent of £210 per adult, according to new research. The study, Get Safe Online, shows examples of online fraud ranging from fraudulent phishing messages to extract the personal details of victims,...
Oct 18, 2016 | Regulation, UK
UK government spy agencies broke privacy rules by collecting large amounts of UK citizens’ data without adequate oversight, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) has ruled. Complaints about data collection by GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 were put forward by campaign...
Oct 11, 2016 | Mobile, Regulation
Samsung has halted production and sales of its Note 7 phone worldwide, telling owners to switch them off, amid fears that the devices can catch fire. BREAKING: Samsung Note 7 is officially DEAD, permanently discontinued as replacements of defective Note 7,s are also...
Oct 11, 2016 | Facebook marketing, Regulation, Social media
Facebook paid £4.16m in UK corporation tax last year, marking an increase on the previous year, but a £11.3m ‘tax credit’ could cancel out any future contributions. The £4.16m is a big increase on the £4,327 paid in 2014, which prompted an outcry from campaigners who...
Sep 28, 2016 | Online advertising, Regulation
Nine in ten consumers have a severe lack of understanding as to how organisations are using their personal data, according to a new study. The Chartered Institute of Marketing has released a study today warning businesses over data usage, and asking whether enough is...
Sep 23, 2016 | Regulation
Yahoo has admitted that data from at least 500 million of its users was “stolen” during an attack in 2014, in what could be a “state sponsored” attack. The company says it was only recently found as part of an internal investigation. It said...
Sep 14, 2016 | Online advertising, Regulation
Adblock Plus is now selling “acceptable” ads themselves, aimed at replacing intrusive ads with less annoying ones, it claims. The move will see the ad filtering service introduce its own ad marketplace where web site owners and operators can choose “acceptable” ads...
Sep 13, 2016 | Regulation
Many businesses seriously mishandle customer data and are at risk of falling foul of data protection regulators, according to new research. Despite Brexit, it is widely believed that UK companies will still need to comply with the GDPR if they are to trade across...
Sep 7, 2016 | Content marketing, Online advertising, Online video, Regulation
YouTube is vetting videos and warning creators when their content is not ad friendly in an attempt to keep brands safe from controversy- upsetting many video creators in the process. The move means that popular YouTube stars are being told that video are no longer...
Sep 7, 2016 | Regulation
Microsoft’s browser has the highest levels of ad fraud, followed by Google’s, according to a new study. The research, from FraudLogix, indicates that half of Internet Explorer’s impressions were from bots, compared to 20.5% of non-human impressions...
Sep 5, 2016 | Mobile, Online advertising, Regulation
The EU’s Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (Berec) is scuppering mobile network’s plans to block ads at a network level, under new net neutrality laws. The ruling is bad news for UK operator Three, which recently ran an ad blocking trial with...
Sep 5, 2016 | Regulation
Many people underestimate how many organisations currently hold sensitive information about them a new survey has found. The research, commissioned by sensitive data experts, Ground Labs, would suggest that the average UK consumer is actually far more giving than they...
Sep 1, 2016 | Regulation
The prospect of a two-speed internet, where some people pay for faster access to web services, looks less likely after the EU published strict new net neutrality rules. This week, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications published a 45-page report...
Aug 31, 2016 | Facebook marketing, Regulation, WhatsApp
The chair of Europe’s leading group of privacy regulators said that it will watch with “great vigilance” WhatsApp’s change in privacy code, as the chat app opens up to ads for the first time. Last week saw Facebook relax the privacy policy of WhatsApp, giving...
Aug 24, 2016 | Mobile, Regulation
Facebook has launched a new social media app aimed at school teenagers, but the move has sparked privacy concerns as all posts are public. Members of Lifestage, currently only available on Apple devices in the US, upload pictures and videos based around feelings,...
Aug 23, 2016 | Regulation, Social media
Microsoft teamed up with popular Dutch boy band B Brave this month to launch an elaborate stunt to warn the public abuot keeping their personal details safe online. The prank started when band member Dioni Jurado “accidentally” leaked the phone number of bandmate Kaj...
