News

IT legislation and regulation

• April 05, 2023 05 Apr'23

  Italy’s ChatGPT ban: Sober precaution or chilling overreaction?

  Italy’s data protection authority issued a temporary ban on ChatGPT citing data protection concerns and alleged breaches of the GDPR. Is this a reasonable precaution, or a chilling restriction on personal freedoms?

• April 05, 2023 05 Apr'23

  Scottish police tech piloted despite major data protection issues

  Scottish policing bodies are pressing ahead with a data sharing pilot despite data protection issues around the use of US cloud providers, placing sensitive personal data of tens of thousands of people at risk

• April 04, 2023 04 Apr'23

  TikTok fined in UK over unlawful use of children’s data

  The ICO has fined TikTok £12.7m for breaches of data protection law, including unlawfully collecting data on children under 13

• March 31, 2023 31 Mar'23

  Ukrainians bust cyber criminals who stole over £3m across Europe

  Ukrainian police have arrested members of a cyber crime gang who stole and embezzled millions of pounds from victims across Europe

• March 30, 2023 30 Mar'23

  UK government study reveals 50,000 people employed in AI sector

  Government publishes baseline analysis of UK artificial intelligence sector as it pins hopes on future growth

• March 29, 2023 29 Mar'23

  UK government publishes AI whitepaper

  Artificial intelligence whitepaper outlines UK government’s proposals to regulate the technology, which are based around creating an agile, “pro-innovation” framework

• March 29, 2023 29 Mar'23

  Generative AI presents opportunities and challenges to UK schools

  Generative AI and LLMs hold great potential for use in the classroom, but the privacy and security implications of its use must be carefully considered, says the Department for Education

• March 28, 2023 28 Mar'23

  Alan Turing Institute unveils strategy to support UK AI

  The strategy is built around helping the UK government realise its artificial intelligence ambitions, and focuses on areas where the UK can play a transformative role in shaping AI development

• March 28, 2023 28 Mar'23

  Ethical hackers urged to respond to Computer Misuse Act reform proposals

  The deadline for submissions to the government’s consultation on reform of the Computer Misuse Act is fast approaching, and ethical hackers and security experts need to make their voices heard, says Bugcrowd

• March 28, 2023 28 Mar'23

  Barclays makes further cut to branch network

  Barclays cuts another 14 branches from its network as it continues to see a migration to digital banking channels

• March 27, 2023 27 Mar'23

  Many of world’s biggest banks lack transparent policies for responsible AI

  It is unclear whether many of the world’s largest banks have adopted and are using ethical artificial intelligence development principles

• March 27, 2023 27 Mar'23

  Lords AI weapons committee holds first evidence session

  In first evidence session of Lords AI weapons committee, expert witnesses unpack claims that artificial intelligence in weapon systems will help military organisations to improve their compliance with international humanitarian law

• March 27, 2023 27 Mar'23

  France latest to ban TikTok on government devices

  Following bans in the UK and US, France has moved to enact restrictions on TikTok, and other social media apps, on government devices

• March 22, 2023 22 Mar'23

  Government launches seven-year NHS cyber strategy

  The new Cyber Security Strategy for Health and Adult Social Care lays out a plan for promoting cyber resilience in the sector by 2030 to protect services and patients alike

• March 20, 2023 20 Mar'23

  NatWest announces ID service for its customers

  The identities of NatWest customers engaging with businesses online can be confirmed by the bank's ID service in seconds

• March 20, 2023 20 Mar'23

  Ofcom extends time on BT wholesale broadband tariff probe

  UK comms regulator to take a further two months to assess whether a regulatory green light for new wholesale pricing from ultrafast broadband market leader threatens competitiveness of UK gigabit sector

• March 20, 2023 20 Mar'23

  Government should invest in maritime tech, say MPs

  Report from the Transport Committee calls for investment in technology for the maritime sector, and wants the government to make it easier to scale-up innovation

• March 20, 2023 20 Mar'23

  BBC cracks down on TikTok after review

  The BBC is asking staff not to install TikTok on corporate-owned devices without a justified business purpose, although its use will still be allowed to share media content with its audiences

• March 17, 2023 17 Mar'23

  CIO interview: Russ Thornton, chief technology officer, Shawbrook Bank

  Russ Thornton swapped life on the theatre podium for financial services IT, but thrives in an environment where orchestrating IT teams is a core skill

• March 17, 2023 17 Mar'23

  UK government to create code of practice for generative AI firms

  The code will look to strike a balance between copyright holders and generative AI firms so that both parties can benefit from the use of copyrighted material in training data

• March 16, 2023 16 Mar'23

  TikTok banned on UK government devices

  The UK government has followed in the footsteps of its US and European counterparts and banned the use of Chinese social media app TikTok on official devices

• March 16, 2023 16 Mar'23

  UK government announces open networks ecosystem competition

  Open Networks Ecosystem Competition to form next phase of UK government’s £250m 5G telecoms supply chain diversification strategy and develop products for enhanced development and adoption of open and interoperable technology

• March 14, 2023 14 Mar'23

  NatWest introduces limits on crypto trading to prevent fraud

  UK bank says its retail customers will benefit from daily and monthly limits on the amount they can pay into cryptocurrency exchanges

• March 14, 2023 14 Mar'23

  UK regulator gives green light to 5G mmWave development

  Amid concerns by potential service providers and technology firms that the UK is in danger of falling behind other countries in enabling next-gen mobile services, Ofcom opens up over 6GHz of mmWave radio spectrum for mobile technology

• March 14, 2023 14 Mar'23

  AI interview: Elke Schwarz, professor of political theory

  Elke Schwarz speaks with Computer Weekly about the ethics of military artificial intelligence and the dangers of allowing governments and corporations to push forward without oversight or scrutiny

• March 10, 2023 10 Mar'23

  Technology minister Michelle Donelan defends data reforms

  Secretary of state Michelle Donelan has defended the government’s new data reforms as providing certainty for businesses while simultaneously retaining high standards of data protection, but industry figures are having mixed reactions

• March 10, 2023 10 Mar'23

  Government departments need to better understand digital transformation or efforts will ‘peter out’

  National Audit Office report says that the people making digital transformation decisions in government don't properly understand the challenges

• March 09, 2023 09 Mar'23

  Millions in the Arab world use VPNs to overcome restrictions and bandwidth throttling

  Citizens in the Arab world are using VPNs to help them bypass internet restrictions and increase available bandwidth

• March 08, 2023 08 Mar'23

  UK National Audit Office slams mistakes as ESN bill soars to £2bn

  Financial watchdog bites UK government in report investigating £2bn Emergency Services Network project, which has been plagued by delays, budget overruns and rows over value for money

• March 08, 2023 08 Mar'23

  UK government introduces revised data reform bill to Parliament

  Designed in close collaboration with technology businesses, the UK government is re-introducing an updated version of its Data Protection and Digital Information Bill to Parliament, which civil society groups say upends key safeguards

• March 07, 2023 07 Mar'23

  Spring Budget 2023: Campaign calls on government to ‘fix or ditch’ IR35

  Ahead of next week’s Spring Budget, contracting authority ContractorCalculator is calling on freelance IT workers to join campaign centred on getting government to ‘fix or ditch’ IR35 tax rules

• March 06, 2023 06 Mar'23

  Fintech industry calls for regulatory change to help struggling consumers

  Fintech trade body calls for regulatory changes to allow fintechs to broaden services for people struggling in the cost-of-living crisis

• March 06, 2023 06 Mar'23

  Over 50s and IR35: How retired IT workers could help close the tech sector skills gap

  With the UK government wanting to get more people who took early retirement in the wake of the pandemic back to work, recruitment experts ponder if encouraging them to work on a freelance basis could close the IT sector’s skills gap

• March 06, 2023 06 Mar'23

  Lords Committee to investigate use of AI-powered weapons systems

  House of Lords to investigate the use of artificial intelligence in weapons systems, following UK government publication of AI defence strategy in June 2022

• March 03, 2023 03 Mar'23

  White House unveils National Cybersecurity Strategy

  The strategy will focus on ensuring closer collaboration on cyber security between government and industry, while giving software and other tech companies a bigger role in combatting threats due to their resources and expertise

• March 02, 2023 02 Mar'23

  AI interview: Michael Osborne, professor of machine learning

  Artificial intelligence researcher speaks with Computer Weekly about the implications of a market-driven AI arms race and the overwhelming dominance of the private sector over the technology

• March 02, 2023 02 Mar'23

  Uber introduces dynamic pricing algorithm in London

  The dynamic pricing algorithm will allow Uber to set variable pay and pricing levels, but drivers are concerned about how their personal data will be used and the impact the algorithm will have on their livelihoods

• March 02, 2023 02 Mar'23

  MWC 2023: Netflix pushes back against telcos in net neutrality row

  Net neutrality seems to be an itch the European comms industry cannot scratch, and hot on the heels of an intention to get content firms to contribute to the build-out of networks for tomorrow’s services, Netflix takes aim at telcos’ demands

• February 24, 2023 24 Feb'23

  UK police have ‘culture of retention’ around biometric data

  A culture of retention around biometric data in UK policing is damaging public trust, says UK biometrics commissioner, who is calling for clear regulation to govern police use of biometric technologies

• February 22, 2023 22 Feb'23

  UK HSE to launch regulatory sandbox for industrial safety tech

  The sandbox will see the regulator work with industry and tech startups to accelerate the development and adoption of a range of safety-related technologies, with a particular emphasis on data and analytics

• February 21, 2023 21 Feb'23

  Care provider’s IT capability expands to support wider sector and beyond

  Care Plus’s IT operation went from being under NHS control to an autonomous department selling its services

• February 21, 2023 21 Feb'23

  HMRC slammed for ‘needlessly’ pursuing CEST-assured outside-IR35 contractor

  HMRC stands accused of needlessly drawing out an IR35-related investigation into an engineering contractor’s tax affairs by ignoring the findings of its own Check Employment Status for Tax tool

• February 20, 2023 20 Feb'23

  Full-fibre internet to reach half of UK homes by March 2023

  Ofcom data shows full-fibre deployment in the UK has maintained pace over the past 12 months and is set to reach a major tipping point in the next few weeks

• February 17, 2023 17 Feb'23

  CIO interview: Hans van der Waal, director of global IT, Travelex

  Travelex has weathered a storm that saw it sink into administration, before emerging to solidify its digital foundations for the future

• February 16, 2023 16 Feb'23

  Mock crime prediction tool profiles MEPs as potential criminals

  Developed by Fair Trials, the example crime prediction tool uses the same information as police systems to assess the likelihood of someone committing a crime in the future

• February 14, 2023 14 Feb'23

  UK authorities clamp down on illegal crypto ATMs

  The Financial Conduct Authority and West Yorkshire Police have disrupted a number of illegal crypto ATMs

• February 14, 2023 14 Feb'23

  ‘Buy now, pay later’ crackdown in the making

  The finance regulator has proposed bringing ‘buy now, pay later’ providers within its regulatory remit

• February 14, 2023 14 Feb'23

  UAE central bank programme to accelerate digital transformation

  The United Arab Emirates government launches programme to accelerate the digital transformation of the country’s finance sector

• February 14, 2023 14 Feb'23

  Researcher exposes crypto scam network exploiting YouTube

  A massive network of fake YouTube videos promoted by automated sock puppet accounts is reeling in hundreds of cryptocurrency enthusiasts and persuading them to hand over their money, WithSecure researchers found

• February 13, 2023 13 Feb'23

  KPMG launches metaverse and digital twin hub in Saudi Arabia

  The Saudi Arabian government’s commitment to investing in metaverse technology has attracted a KPMG centre of excellence to its shores