News

IT legislation and regulation

April 01, 2019 01 Apr'19
CLA calls for government intervention on rural 4G coverage

Country Land and Business Association urges government to consider broadband-style interventions to improve 4G mobile network coverage in rural areas
April 01, 2019 01 Apr'19
Broadband compensation rules come into force

Regulations that guarantee consumers’ rights to automatic compensation from broadband providers when things go wrong have come into force, and many suppliers have a lot of work to do
April 01, 2019 01 Apr'19
Zuckerberg calls for new internet regulation

Facebook chief calls for new internet regulation in four key areas to define clear responsibilities for people, companies and governments, including more GDPR-aligned data protection rules
March 29, 2019 29 Mar'19
ICO kicks off sandbox beta to support innovation

The UK’s privacy watchdog has launched the first phase of an initiative aimed at enhancing data protection while supporting business innovation

March 28, 2019 28 Mar'19
Huawei making no progress on addressing security concerns

Huawei has made no material progress on addressing the issues identified last year by the NCSC, according to the latest highly critical report from its HSCEC Oversight Board
March 27, 2019 27 Mar'19
Mind the overlap between GDPR and ePD, warns privacy lawyer

Organisations need to be aware of the overlaps between European data protection and privacy rules, and which takes precedence, a privacy lawyer warns
March 26, 2019 26 Mar'19
Europe passes controversial Copyright Directive

The European Parliament has passed a new Copyright Directive, including a number of highly controversial articles
March 25, 2019 25 Mar'19
Mike Lynch heads to High Court to defend against HP allegations

The UK’s biggest fraud case commences, with the former CEO of Autonomy, Mike Lynch, attempting to clear his name
March 22, 2019 22 Mar'19
Facebook security policy and practices unfit, say infosec pros

Confidence in Facebook’s ability to keep users’ data safe has once again been shaken by revelations of poor password protection practices, prompting calls for a security review
March 21, 2019 21 Mar'19
Towards a full-fibre Britain: the view from inside Openreach

Openreach chairman Mike McTighe discusses progress on the national full-fibre broadband roll-out, the impact of Brexit, how to better engage with the CSP community, and why dark fibre isn’t the cure-all they might want it to be

March 20, 2019 20 Mar'19
EC fines Google €1.49bn for abusing ad market dominance

The European Commission has fined Google for abusive practices in online advertising dating back to 2006
March 15, 2019 15 Mar'19
Brexit complicating already complex data protection

GDPR impact is yet to be felt and data protection is set to become increasingly complex, with Brexit adding even more complexity that could be overwhelming, warns head of international privacy association
March 14, 2019 14 Mar'19
Avoid infosec mistakes of the past, urges Robert Hannigan

Technology innovators need to avoid security mistakes of the past by building in integrity so that products and services can be used with trust and confidence, says former GCHQ director
March 14, 2019 14 Mar'19
Met Police collaborated with US prosecutors in WikiLeaks investigation

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it exchanged information on WikiLeaks staff in the UK with the US Department of Justice, which is conducting criminal investigations into the organisation
March 13, 2019 13 Mar'19
ICO pledges to support innovation

UK data privacy watchdog is increasingly gearing up to support innovation to ensure developers of tech and digital services do not lose society’s trust
March 13, 2019 13 Mar'19
Bank of England’s large IT spend partly due to use of manual processes and legacy systems

The Bank of England admits there is room for improvement when it comes to IT efficiency
March 12, 2019 12 Mar'19
Openreach exploring options for copper network shutdown

Openreach has begun to assess how and when it might be able to shut down its copper broadband network
March 09, 2019 09 Mar'19
Malaysia takes broad base approach to 5G security

The country’s telco regulator is taking a industry-wide look at security implications of 5G, preferring not to target any particular supplier
March 09, 2019 09 Mar'19
ICO data raises doubts over UK firms’ ability to manage breaches

Most ICO data breach reports late and incomplete prior to full GDPR implementation, FoI request data reveals, raising doubts about breach prevention, detection and response capabilities
March 08, 2019 08 Mar'19
House of Lords committee calls for creation of a digital authority to oversee regulation

The proposed regulatory framework would coordinate regulators, assess rules and make recommendations to respond to developments in digital services
March 07, 2019 07 Mar'19
Vodafone defends its use of Huawei as 5G trials go live

As Vodafone begins trials of a live 5G service in Bristol, Cardiff and Liverpool, the operator’s CTO and general counsel have defended their use of Huawei equipment in Vodafone’s network and challenged its detractors to produce evidence of spying
March 07, 2019 07 Mar'19
ICO head still in top three of DataIQ data leader list

The UK’s information commissioner remains in the top three data leaders after claiming top spot in 2018 in the DataIQ 100 list of most influential data leaders, but GDPR is not the only focus in the industry
March 05, 2019 05 Mar'19
IR35 reforms: HMRC urges private sector to start prepping now for April 2020 roll-out

HM Revenue & Customs is canvassing views about how best to press ahead with the introduction of the IR35 reforms to the private sector, and is urging those likely to be affected by the move to start getting ready
March 05, 2019 05 Mar'19
US doubles down on Huawei fears as Chinese prepare to sue

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has reinforced his attacks on Huawei as the firm apparently prepares to sue the US government over its federal-level ban
March 04, 2019 04 Mar'19
Cyber awareness of UK boards found wanting

Boards of many of the UK’s biggest firms must do more to be cyber aware, according to a government report.
March 02, 2019 02 Mar'19
Facebook asked George Osborne to influence EU data protection law

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg invited one of the chancellor’s children to Facebook’s office as part of a intensive lobbying programme to influence European data protection legislation
March 01, 2019 01 Mar'19
Facebook facing 10 GDPR investigations in Ireland

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has revealed it has 10 active probes into Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, as well as Apple, LinkedIn and Twitter, on its books
March 01, 2019 01 Mar'19
New broadband speed regulations come into force

Internet service providers must now tell consumers how fast their broadband service will be before they sign a contract, under new Ofcom rules
February 22, 2019 22 Feb'19
Facebook planned to spy on Android phone users, internal emails reveal

Facebook planned to use its Android app to track the location of its customers and to allow advertisers to send political advertising and invites to dating sites to ‘single’ people, confidential documents show
February 22, 2019 22 Feb'19
US may cut off countries that use Huawei in 5G networks

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has said America may scale back or cut military and diplomatic ties with countries that use Huawei equipment in national 5G networks
February 19, 2019 19 Feb'19
Activist Lauri Love’s computer ‘contained hacked data’, says judge

Lauri Love, who has been accused of hacking into US government computer systems, has lost a legal action against the NCA for the return of his computers and storage device
February 19, 2019 19 Feb'19
IT Priorities 2019: Cyber security and risk management among top priorities for 2019

This year’s Computer Weekly/TechTarget IT Priorities research shows that cyber security and risk management are among the top investment priorities
February 18, 2019 18 Feb'19
DCMS Select Committee claims Facebook ‘deliberately frustrated’ fake news inquiry

Facebook’s UK public policy manager defends its participation in MPs' inquiry into the spread of fake news and disinformation online, which concludes by declaring an end to self-regulation by social media firms
February 12, 2019 12 Feb'19
IR35 reforms: Contractors lack confidence in private sector to manage April 2020 rule change

Research from IR35 consultancy Qdos suggests contractors lack confidence in the ability of private sector firms to adequately determine how they should be taxed after April 2020
February 11, 2019 11 Feb'19
Lauri Love takes legal action against NCA for return of seized computers

Lauri Love, a former engineering student who won a battle with the US Department of Justice against extradition to the US to face hacking charges, is suing the UK's intelligence agency, the NCA, for the return of his seized computers
February 07, 2019 07 Feb'19
Government legislates to bring back roaming charges in no-deal Brexit

All four UK operators have said they have no plans to reintroduce roaming charges, but EE, O2 and Vodafone have not committed themselves not to do so
February 06, 2019 06 Feb'19
Self-driving cars get updated guidelines for trial safety and transparency

The Department for Transport has issued guidance on trial safety and transparency for self-driving cars, and is sticking by its pledge to have self-driving cars on Britain’s roads in the next two years
February 06, 2019 06 Feb'19
Huawei: We are not spying on the UK

Huawei’s Ryan Ding tells the British government that the company has never, and will never, use its technology to assist the Chinese intelligence services
February 05, 2019 05 Feb'19
Civil liberties groups to challenge bulk surveillance and intelligence sharing in Strasbourg

Coalition of campaigning groups wins the right to challenge the UK’s use of bulk surveillance powers, which allows suspicionless surveillance of the population and sharing of intercepted data with overseas intelligence agencies, in European Court of...
February 01, 2019 01 Feb'19
Innocent people arrested following surveillance blunders, IPCO reveals

Interception of communications commissioner Adrian Fulford warns of “grave” repercussions for people wrongly identified as suspects due to errors made when government bodies access email, phone and telephone data
February 01, 2019 01 Feb'19
ICO to audit Leave.EU and Eldon Insurance

UK privacy watchdog will audit the data protection practices at Leave.EU and Eldon Insurance and has confirmed fines for both companies for unlawful marketing messages
January 31, 2019 31 Jan'19
Airbus investigates personnel data breach

Intruders were detected in the information systems of manufacturer’s commercial aircraft business, highlighting the need for a new approach to data protection
January 31, 2019 31 Jan'19
Facebook profit up despite privacy failings

Social media giant reports profit gains for the last quarter and the past year, despite a string of privacy blunders that came to light in 2018
January 30, 2019 30 Jan'19
Increased protectionism could curb digital M&As

Businesses may link up with a digital-native business to accelerate their digitisation strategy – but anti-competition authorities are watching
January 29, 2019 29 Jan'19
No-deal Brexit would undermine digital economy, BCS warns

Skills, funding and the free flow of data are all at risk, says the chartered institute for IT
January 28, 2019 28 Jan'19
Personal records of HIV-positive individuals in Singapore leaked online

The personal information of 14,200 people with the human immunodeficiency virus was leaked by an American who lived in Singapore
January 28, 2019 28 Jan'19
Data protection practices still poor, survey shows

Despite concerns over privacy and data protection and a greater understanding of best security practices, individuals and businesses are still falling short, a survey reveals
January 28, 2019 28 Jan'19
Minister urges UK firms to prepare for no-deal Brexit

On International Data Protection Day, the UK’s digital minister has added her voice to calls by the data protection watchdog for UK firms to prepare for a no-deal Brexit
January 25, 2019 25 Jan'19
Vodafone suspends use of Huawei hardware

Vodafone’s UK CEO has said the operator will ‘pause’ its use of Huawei hardware for the foreseeable future
January 25, 2019 25 Jan'19
ICO adds to guidance on ‘no-deal’ Brexit

The UK’s privacy watchdog has been advising UK firms to prepare for a no-deal Brexit and has added some guidance for SMEs