News
IT for government and public sector
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June 29, 2017
29
Jun'17
London economy threatened by poor connectivity, says London Assembly report
The London Assembly Regeneration Committee describes the capital’s digital connectivity as “embarrassing” and calls on the new chief digital officer to solve the problem
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June 28, 2017
28
Jun'17
Cyber preparedness low among UK councils, survey shows
Confidence among UK local authorities about being prepared and well equipped to deal with a cyber attack is relatively low, a survey has revealed
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June 28, 2017
28
Jun'17
Half of highly skilled EU workers in UK are considering leaving
Retaining IT staff might be as much of a challenge as retaining them after Brexit as EU workers get itchy feet
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June 28, 2017
28
Jun'17
DVLA aims to slash IT costs by moving to public cloud and open standards
Agency’s IT strategy for 2019/20 will see a concerted move to deprecate legacy systems, deploy applications in the cloud and develop in-house IT
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June 28, 2017
28
Jun'17
Finnish government scraps paper and digitises archives
The government in Finland is digitising 94 shelf kilometres of documents to save millions of euros and make the information easier to access
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June 27, 2017
27
Jun'17
Met Police vulnerable to cyber attacks due to Windows XP use, GLA warned
The Greater London Authority fears the Metropolitan Police is vulnerable to cyber attacks after figures reveal more than 18,000 devices in the force still run on Windows XP
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June 27, 2017
27
Jun'17
Caroline Nokes takes on digital government responsibility post-election
Cabinet Office parliamentary under secretary will take on ministerial responsibility for GDS while Damian Green will “retain oversight”
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June 27, 2017
27
Jun'17
Co-op digital chief Mike Bracken quits to focus on digital government consultancy
The former GDS chief is leaving the Co-op to work on advising governments around the world on their digital strategy
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June 27, 2017
27
Jun'17
Government needs to build digital skills, says Civil Service Group director-general
Building digital capabilities and common services are key to the future of the civil service, according to Tracey Waltho, director-general of the Civil Service Group
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June 27, 2017
27
Jun'17
Hard to find positives for IT industry one year after Brexit vote
Business and tech experts give their verdict on prospects for the UK as Brexit negotiations finally get under way
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June 27, 2017
27
Jun'17
IT contractor-led campaign to crowdfund legal challenge to IR35 reforms goes live
Public sector contractors urged to back campaign to explore legal challenge to revamped IR35 tax avoidance rules
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June 26, 2017
26
Jun'17
Northern Ireland gets £150m for ultrafast broadband roll-out
Two-year broadband funding package is part of UK prime minister Theresa May’s deal with the DUP
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June 26, 2017
26
Jun'17
Business as usual at Parliament after cyber attack
Both Houses of Parliament are to meet as scheduled after a “sustained and determined cyber attack” at the weekend
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June 23, 2017
23
Jun'17
Russian hackers traded thousands of UK officials’ credentials
Login credentials of tens of thousands of UK officials were traded online after a 2012 data breach at LinkedIn, an investigation has revealed
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June 22, 2017
22
Jun'17
Some government departments lost up to 40% of IT contractors after IR35 changes
Differing approaches to IR35 tax reforms meant some Whitehall teams were harder hit than others by the changes introduced in April 2017
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June 22, 2017
22
Jun'17
Russian hackers targeted election systems in 21 US states
Russian hackers targeted voting systems in nearly 50% of states in the 2016 US presidential election, officials have revealed in testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee
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June 21, 2017
21
Jun'17
Queen’s Speech praised for certainty on data protection
The Queen’s Speech has been praised for removing any doubt about the UK’s commitment to data protection
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June 21, 2017
21
Jun'17
Queen’s Speech highlights digital charter and data protection
Government confirms plans to create a digital charter to ensure the UK is “the safest place to be online”, and a new law protecting personal data
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June 21, 2017
21
Jun'17
Digital government needs action plan and clear standards, says IfG
Institute for Government report calls on Whitehall to publish a digital government implementation plan and prioritise digital services vital to Brexit
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June 21, 2017
21
Jun'17
Dubai extends test run for flying taxis
Dubai transport authority RTA extends trials of autonomous flying cars
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June 21, 2017
21
Jun'17
The human apprentices behind robotic automation
IT apprentices are helping large businesses transform their back-office processes through software robots
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June 20, 2017
20
Jun'17
Testing was key to Rio Olympics cyber security success
Two years of testing in the run up to the Rio 2016 Olympics were vital to ensuring cyber defences were effective, according to the chief information security officer for the games
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June 20, 2017
20
Jun'17
Almost 10% of Londoners still unconnected, says report
On the second annual World Wi-Fi Day, a survey claims substantial numbers of people in the world’s largest cities are still languishing in the digital slow lane
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June 20, 2017
20
Jun'17
Republican contractor exposes personal data of nearly 200 million US voters
A misconfigured database containing the sensitive personal details of more than 198 million US voters was left exposed to the internet by a firm working on behalf of the Republican National Committee
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June 19, 2017
19
Jun'17
South African game reserve goes digital to save the rhino
Dimension Data and Cisco have teamed up to protect rhinos living on a private game reserve in South Africa with the latest networking and IoT sensor technology
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June 19, 2017
19
Jun'17
MEPs propose ban on encryption backdoors
A European parliamentary committee has proposed a ban on backdoors that allow governments to access encrypted communications
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June 16, 2017
16
Jun'17
Russia’s startups and corporations hook up at Startup Village
Annual IT event Startup Village in Russia saw blockchain take centre stage and support from the country’s government
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June 16, 2017
16
Jun'17
Three fined £1.9m over emergency communications failure
Telecoms regulator Ofcom has hit mobile operator Three with a £1.9m fine after a loss of service left customers unable to contact the emergency services
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June 15, 2017
15
Jun'17
International cyber crime crack-down leads to four UK arrests
Four people from across the UK have been arrested on suspicion of using systems testing malware to bypass antivirus software
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June 15, 2017
15
Jun'17
University College London hit by ransomware attack
University restricts access to several IT systems and file shares to halt spread of malware
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June 15, 2017
15
Jun'17
Finnish mobile operators opt-out from free EU roaming
Finnish mobile operators have been exempted from new European Union data roaming rules for now
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June 14, 2017
14
Jun'17
Cloud service maturity up in the Nordics
Nordic businesses are increasing their use of the cloud, but more work is needed to make investments support business strategies
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June 13, 2017
13
Jun'17
Dubai to replace passport control with biometric border check
System developed by UK startup which creates a digital passport for each individual will be used at Dubai’s main airport
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June 13, 2017
13
Jun'17
What next for digital government post-election?
With a new Cabinet Office minister in place and an ambitious transformation strategy to deliver, what does the future hold for digital government?
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June 13, 2017
13
Jun'17
IT company accused of threatening staff after urging them to vote Tory
Union accuses Storm Technologies MD of telling staff to vote Conservative and saying Labour voters “will be made redundant first”
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June 13, 2017
13
Jun'17
UAE telco Etisalat to pilot 5G
CTO says company is committed to trials and commercial launch of 5G in the UAE and the rest of the Middle East
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June 12, 2017
12
Jun'17
London Tech Week: Brexit won’t harm London tech sector, says city’s mayor
London mayor Sadiq Khan opens London Tech Week and says Brexit will not hold back the city's growing tech sector
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June 12, 2017
12
Jun'17
Theresa May appoints Damian Green as Cabinet Office minister in reshuffle
Green takes on responsibility for digital government after Ben Gummer lost his seat in last week’s general election
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June 09, 2017
09
Jun'17
Infosec17: Society needs to address encryption dilemma
There needs to be a discussion about how to balance the interests of privacy, security and the tech industry, says Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame inductee
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June 09, 2017
09
Jun'17
Non-EU IT professionals in the UK at an all-time high
Survey shows IT business analysts, architects and systems designers, web design and development specialists are the most common skills being brought in
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June 08, 2017
08
Jun'17
Watchdog fails to audit intelligence agencies’ sharing of surveillance data with industry
New privacy concerns raised after intelligence watchdog confirms it has never audited or inspected the way intelligence services share sensitive surveillance databases with industry partners
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June 08, 2017
08
Jun'17
BT introduces customer-facing CIO roles
As part of its overhaul in terms of how it serves its largest clients, BT has set up a team of internal CIOs to speak for enterprise and public sector customers within the wider group
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June 08, 2017
08
Jun'17
Islamic State supporters shun Tails and Tor encryption for Telegram
Confidential communications show terror group’s supporters are turning to simple mobile phone messaging apps to exchange messages and distribute propaganda
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June 08, 2017
08
Jun'17
Green Party wins the race for digital performance
Benchmark tests on the political parties’ websites shows the Green Party on top, with the Liberal Democrats bottom of the rankings for response times
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June 07, 2017
07
Jun'17
Infosec17: IoT security regulation coming, warns Bruce Schneier
A security expert urges the security industry to engage with government to ensure that regulation of IoT security is smart regulation
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June 07, 2017
07
Jun'17
Malaysia’s Cyberjaya to get smart city boost
Tipped as Malaysia's Silicon Valley, the Cyberjaya township will pilot a slew of smart city projects, including e-payments and mobile bus ticketing
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June 06, 2017
06
Jun'17
UK voters worried that election will be targeted by hackers
Online voting is being held back in the UK because of fears that cyber criminals could influence the results
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June 06, 2017
06
Jun'17
Infosec17: Recruit agile people for agile security teams
Organisations should enlist agile people to join agile security teams that are able to deal with the continually changing cyber threat landscape, say security team leaders
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June 06, 2017
06
Jun'17
Tieto and Verisec to develop eID for Sweden’s public sector services
Suppliers are reacting to the rapid adoption of digital government in Sweden with electronic ID technology that will replace passwords
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June 06, 2017
06
Jun'17
Digital economy to contribute 7% of Australia’s GDP
Besides improving living standards, digital technologies could also lead to a resurgence of manufacturing in Australia
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June 05, 2017
05
Jun'17
Mixed reactions to PM's calls to regulate cyber space to prevent terrorism
Prime minister Theresa May’s call for regulation of the internet to prevent terrorism planning has drawn support from some quarters but criticism from others
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June 05, 2017
05
Jun'17
Mass collection of data on population ‘illegal’, UK court told
Investigatory Powers Tribunal hearing challenges GCHQ over legality of mass surveillance, as government plans moves to control encryption
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June 05, 2017
05
Jun'17
Singapore, Australia forge cyber security ties
The two countries will conduct joint cyber security exercises, among a raft of measures to secure critical infrastructure and bolster cyber security knowhow
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June 04, 2017
04
Jun'17
ODI unimpressed with data commitments in party manifestos
The Open Data Institute said all the political parties failed to address how the use of open data can improve the delivery of public services
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June 01, 2017
01
Jun'17
IR35 reforms: HMRC denies claims that online tax status assessment tool returns unreliable results
HM Revenue & Customs hits back at research that suggests its IR35 online assessment tool is hindering public sector organisations in determining the tax status of off-payroll staff
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May 31, 2017
31
May'17
TfL likely to tender for 4G on the Tube
Transport for London is planning to undertake preliminary work on installing 4G mobile networking services on the London Underground in the near future
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May 31, 2017
31
May'17
Hundreds of sub-postmasters have applied to join IT-related legal action since March
The number of sub-postmasters who claim to have suffered as a result of a faulty Post Office IT system has reached 1,300
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May 31, 2017
31
May'17
IR35 reforms: NHS revises stance on contractor tax status assessments
National Health Service’s U-turn over IR35 assessments could prompt other public sector bodies to follow suit, say experts
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May 31, 2017
31
May'17
Singapore to pave the way for tech startup IPOs
The agreement between the Singapore government and the local bourse will lower barriers to capital markets and make the city-state a more attractive destination for startup fundraising
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May 26, 2017
26
May'17
Swedish government agencies join IT spending benchmarking service
Government agencies in Sweden are using a tool by Apptio to help them gain a better understanding of IT costs
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May 26, 2017
26
May'17
Estonian e-Residency programme partners Finnish tech startup
Government’s partnership with fintech firm Holvi aims to provide online business banking services to entrepreneurs who take up eResidency
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May 24, 2017
24
May'17
SAP aligns with Saudi Arabia’s IT transformation agenda
Global software giant SAP sees an opportunity for its wide portfolio in Saudi Arabia as the Middle Eastern country transforms
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May 24, 2017
24
May'17
Singapore government to spend S$2.4bn on technology initiatives
Funding will go towards building a national sensor platform, boosting the government’s cyber security capabilities and driving the use of robots
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May 23, 2017
23
May'17
Three-quarters of internet of things projects are at risk of failure
At Cisco’s IoT World Forum in London, the network supplier releases statistics suggesting that most IoT projects are at risk of, or doomed to, failure
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May 23, 2017
23
May'17
Audit Scotland shares lessons learned from failed IT projects
In a ‘lessons learned’ report, Scottish auditor sets out five principles that should be considered when managing government IT programmes
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May 22, 2017
22
May'17
Middle East largely unscathed after WannaCry cyber attack
The impact of WannaCry on the Middle East was reduced due to the attack falling on a weekend, but it is a stark warning
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May 21, 2017
21
May'17
Australian government ICT spending under fire
The opposition Labor party has called for a review of the government’s higher ICT spending and digital transformation programme
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May 19, 2017
19
May'17
Interview: Claude Moraes, MEP and EU Civil Liberties Committee chair
Claude Moraes, chair of the European Parliament's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee shares his views, concerns, reservations about EU-US data transfers, encryption and Brexit
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May 19, 2017
19
May'17
General election 2017: a quick guide to the parties’ digital pledges
We examine the digital promises in the three main national political parties’ manifestos and how they compare on broadband, skills, digital government, infrastructure and innovation
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May 18, 2017
18
May'17
Half of CIOs have no Brexit plan because of uncertainty
Uncertainty caused by the UK leaving the EU has caused a pause in activity for half of CIOs, while the others are accelerating their digital transformation
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May 18, 2017
18
May'17
Conservative Party manifesto promises to ‘face up to fast-changing technology’
Tories aim to create a digital charter, continuing a “digital by default” government and a dynamic digital economy
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May 18, 2017
18
May'17
Lib Dem manifesto pledges digital bill of rights and superfast broadband
The Liberal Democrats 2017 election manifesto promises 30Mbps broadband, a focus on innovation and a digital bill of rights
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May 18, 2017
18
May'17
WannaCry biggest incident to date for National Cyber Security Centre
The WannaCry ransomware attack that started on 12 May 2017 is the biggest single incident that the new UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has faced
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May 17, 2017
17
May'17
Smart Dubai works with United Nations on smart cities index
Dubai is becoming a world leader in smart city developments and international organisations want to tap its experience
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May 17, 2017
17
May'17
London digital sector continues to grow faster than rest of UK
The gap between the number of digital tech firms in London and the rest of the UK is growing
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May 17, 2017
17
May'17
TechUK manifesto calls on next government to put strong focus on digital
TechUK’s digital vision sees the government placing digital technology at the heart of the UK economy, refreshing Gov.uk Verify and prioritising tech in Brexit negotiations
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May 17, 2017
17
May'17
Startup aims to improve web access for disabled people
Essential Accessibility is on a mission to make online services more friendly to disabled people through a mix of assistive technology and consultancy
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May 16, 2017
16
May'17
Labour election manifesto commits to growing the digital economy
The Labour Party’s 2017 election manifesto highlights better use of technology, maintaining data protection, and a £250bn investment in infrastructure
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May 16, 2017
16
May'17
Financial services CISOs prioritise GDPR – but their service providers might not have
Survey shows 52% of CISOs working in the finance sector have made compliance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation an investment priority
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May 15, 2017
15
May'17
MPs and peers urged not to use personal email as WannaCry spreads
MPs and peers have been warned not to use personal emails on parliamentary Windows computers in the wake of WannaCry ransomware outbreak
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May 15, 2017
15
May'17
Businesses urged to apply Windows patch to avert WannaCry attacks
Security advisers are urging organisations to patch their Windows systems to avert a possible second wave of an unprecedented, indiscriminate ransomware attack
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May 12, 2017
12
May'17
CTS director Iain Patterson leaves GDS
Common Technology Services director Iain Patterson is the latest in a long line of senior leaders to leave the Government Digital Service
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May 12, 2017
12
May'17
Mixed reaction to Trump’s cyber security executive order
The latest US presidential executive order on cyber security has been met mainly with praise, but critics say there is nothing really new and takes no decisive action
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May 12, 2017
12
May'17
Why smart cities need to become smarter about technology
Cities are experimenting with smarter ways to use technologies to improve the life of citizens, but their projects are fragmented. Is there a better approach?
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May 11, 2017
11
May'17
Plans for superfast broadband and digital ambassador in leaked Labour manifesto
The leaked draft of the Labour Party’s election manifesto promises to deliver superfast broadband by 2022 and appoint a digital ambassador to fly the flag for Britain post-Brexit
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May 11, 2017
11
May'17
Australian government bolsters IT security in budget boost
The country’s Digital Transformation Agency has been given a shot in the arm to guard public sector IT systems against cyber attacks
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May 10, 2017
10
May'17
Trump’s ‘hire American’ rhetoric is stalling global IT services sector
The IT services sector is facing an important period as political decisions impact their business models
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May 10, 2017
10
May'17
Nordic region competes for datacentre dominance
The Nordic region is an attractive region for datacentres as demand for cloud services in the area grows
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May 10, 2017
10
May'17
Durham Police to use artificial intelligence to help decide if suspects should be held in custody
Durham Police are to use artificial intelligence to help them decide whether or not to keep suspects in custody
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May 10, 2017
10
May'17
Automation can turn tables on cyber attackers
Security defenders should use automation to turn the tables on attackers, according to the CTO of the US Department of Homeland Security
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May 09, 2017
09
May'17
Blockchain gains momentum in the Middle East
Blockchain is gathering pace in the Middle East, with the United Arab Emirates leading the way
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May 09, 2017
09
May'17
General election: ODI hopes to see data, skills and innovation pledges in party manifestos
The Open Data Institute wants the UK’s political parties to make room for data policy in their manifestos ahead of the general election
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May 09, 2017
09
May'17
Highly skilled professionals at risk of being replaced by computers
Highly skilled jobs will be replaced by artificial intelligence by 2022, says Gartner
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May 09, 2017
09
May'17
Large UK businesses increasingly want CEOs to have IT background
More large businesses in the UK want a CEO that has a good understanding of IT
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May 08, 2017
08
May'17
London councils look at potential for creating technology and innovation office
The Greater London Authority and a group of London boroughs are looking to create a London Office of Technology and Innovation to join up data, digital and technology innovation
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May 05, 2017
05
May'17
Crossrail uses cloud software to address challenge of on- and off-boarding contractors
Railway construction company moves to cloud-based IT service management software from ServiceNow as it scales down IT users ahead of project completion
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May 05, 2017
05
May'17
Ex-government privacy advisor calls for 'fundamental review' of Gov.uk Verify identity scheme
Former Cabinet Office privacy group co-chair says the Verify identity assurance programme needs 'honest and fundamental reset'
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May 05, 2017
05
May'17
Lib Dems decry surveillance plans exposed in leaked documents
After the election, the UK government plans to introduce extreme mass surveillance capabilities, according to documents leaked to the Open Rights Group
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May 05, 2017
05
May'17
Oracle outlines German cloud datacentre expansion plans
Database software giant claims investment in German datacentres is being fuelled by growing demand for its cloud services in Europe
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May 04, 2017
04
May'17
Child protection database project plagued by delays
NHS Digital’s child protection information sharing project is suffering from low and slow uptake both among NHS trusts and local authorities