News

IT legislation and regulation

October 15, 2018 15 Oct'18
Good data governance is good business

Organisations are failing to understand the importance of getting their data relationship with customers right and seeing the business opportunities that it enables, an industry analyst warns
October 15, 2018 15 Oct'18
Apple challenges Australia’s proposed decryption law

Tech giant Apple argued that the lack of judicial oversight could reduce customer trust and security, among other reservations over Australia’s draft decryption legislation
October 12, 2018 12 Oct'18
Watchdog calls for clarity on Schedule 7 terrorism powers

The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation has called for greater clarity over police Schedule 7 powers to seize mobile phones and computers and question people without grounds for suspicion at ports and airports
October 11, 2018 11 Oct'18
Robots in the workplace supported by 81% of business chiefs

Robotic process automation continues to be taken up by more organisations – but despite proven benefits, those that already use it are struggling to scale it up

October 08, 2018 08 Oct'18
High Court blocks Google iPhone privacy lawsuit

The UK High Court has thrown out a group action lawsuit against Google for tracking iPhone browsing data, but campaign group Google You Owe Us, which brought the litigation, will appeal the decision
October 08, 2018 08 Oct'18
Geospatial Commission pumps £5m into unlocking value of location data

Commission wants to unlock the value of location data held by its partners through the use of emerging technologies
October 05, 2018 05 Oct'18
GDPR case work swamps Denmark’s data protection agency

The agency investigating alleged breaches of GDPR in Denmark is recruiting additional resources to cope with the increase in work
October 05, 2018 05 Oct'18
Business secretary awards regulators £10m to drive innovation

Regulators will be given funding to drive innovation and strengthen regulations in areas such as automation, data and artificial intelligence
October 02, 2018 02 Oct'18
Filling the blockchain chasm

Blockchain as a term is becoming common language, but there is a long way to go before it will mean anything to the performance of most organisations
October 01, 2018 01 Oct'18
UK will unilaterally tax web giants, says Hammond

Chancellor threatens to go it alone on tax reform for digital services businesses if an international agreement cannot be reached

October 01, 2018 01 Oct'18
Facebook could face up to $1.6bn fine for data breach

Facebook is under increased pressure to demonstrate that users’ personal data is protected as it faces a potential fine of more than a billion dollars for a data breach affecting millions of users
September 30, 2018 30 Sep'18
Openreach completes largest Tupe transfer in history

More than 30,000 BT employees have transferred across to the quasi-independent Openreach, completing what is thought to be the largest one-off Tupe transfer in history
September 28, 2018 28 Sep'18
EU sees eIDAS regulation come into full force

A regulation aimed at cutting red tape to enable a digital single market in Europe will soon be in full force, but it could present some challenges to the UK after Brexit
September 28, 2018 28 Sep'18
Citizens Advice makes super-complaint over rip-off phone charges

Citizens Advice is calling for a fair deal for consumers that it claims are being ripped off by out-of-contract charges by communications services providers and the financial services industry
September 27, 2018 27 Sep'18
CIO interview: Fraser Ingram, Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank

Fraser Ingram joined the Clydesdale and Yorkshire banking group as CIO just at the right time – as it was embarking on its digital journey
September 26, 2018 26 Sep'18
ICO threatens fines for outstanding fees

The UK’s privacy watchdog has issued warning letters to organisations, including some NHS trusts and government organisations, for failing to pay a new data protection fee
September 26, 2018 26 Sep'18
Rural business bodies seal new broadband agreement

The Country Land and Business Association and the National Farmers’ Union have reached an agreement with Openreach to put new wayleave arrangements in place for broadband network builds
September 25, 2018 25 Sep'18
MI5 admits to ‘unlawful’ spying on Privacy International

The UK's intelligence agencies acted unlawfully by intercepting communications data on NGO, Privacy International, the UK's most secret court ruled.
September 21, 2018 21 Sep'18
Pharmacy2U signs up to digital communications platform

Online pharmacy aims to make it easier for people to contact them, using an omnichannel system from RingCentral allowing arrange of services, including voice, chat, text and email
September 20, 2018 20 Sep'18
Digital economy competition panel meets to discuss regulations

Experts on a new panel put together to review competition in the digital economy have met for the first time to discuss how to ensure the country has the right regulations in place
September 19, 2018 19 Sep'18
IT sector advises Swedish government on elections and voting system

Swedish IT secure is helping the government make election systems more secure and reduce external influence
September 18, 2018 18 Sep'18
EU needs clear 5G regulation to guarantee mobile success

The mobile ecosystem could be worth more than 4% of European GDP by 2022, if the right regulatory actions are taken by the European Union government
September 17, 2018 17 Sep'18
Danske Bank invests in anti-money laundering systems following Estonian problems

Danske bank improves its anti money laundering software, utilising artificial intelligence and machine learning
September 13, 2018 13 Sep'18
No Deal Brexit could mean changes for telecoms industry and mobile roaming

No Deal Brexit planning guidance documents say there could be changes to the UK electronic communications regulatory framework, and sets EU mobile roaming cap at £45 per month
September 13, 2018 13 Sep'18
GCHQ mass surveillance regime was in breach of human rights law, European court rules

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has ruled that the UK’s collection of bulk interception of communications data lacked adequate oversight and safeguards and was in breach of human rights law
September 13, 2018 13 Sep'18
TechUK blasts European Parliament-backed revamp of EU-wide copyright laws

Tech industry trade body claims the changes spell bad news for web users, after European Parliament MEPs vote in favour of plans to modernise the copyright laws for the digital age
September 13, 2018 13 Sep'18
Tech Nation startup programme demonstrates richness of UK fintech

A Tech Nation programme to support the UK's financial technology startups demonstrates the increasingly diverse range of business-to-business products and services available through the country's fintech community
September 12, 2018 12 Sep'18
FCA warns it cannot manage financial crime risks without sharing data with EU

FCA admits it will be unable to manage financial crime effectively if it cannot share data with EU authorities.
September 10, 2018 10 Sep'18
Government positive to Science and Technology Committee’s report on algorithms

The government has issued its overwhelmingly positive response to the Science and Technology Committee’s report on the use of algorithms in decision making, published earlier this year
September 07, 2018 07 Sep'18
BA praised for swift GDPR-aligned action on data breach

British Airways has been praised for its swift response to a customer data breach, which could be the first test case under the EU’s GDPR and new UK GDPR-aligned data protection laws
August 30, 2018 30 Aug'18
US and UK days away from European Parliament ultimatum to suspend data transfers to the US

Threat to Privacy Shield as the European Union and US approach a critical European Parliament deadline to suspend data transfers from the EU to the US
August 29, 2018 29 Aug'18
Improving security is top driver for ISO 27001

Organisations are implementing the ISO 27001 standard in recognition of the fact that cyber attacks are increasingly inevitable and that it is best to be well-prepared to fend off attacks and mitigate their effect
August 28, 2018 28 Aug'18
Challenge to anti-GDPR immigration exemption in DPA to go ahead

Two human rights groups are challenging a controversial clause in new UK data protection legislation that they say is in conflict with the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and undermines the General Data Protection Regulation
August 28, 2018 28 Aug'18
Finland government to review public procurement laws

Finland's government is putting its procurement laws under the spotlight after a major IT fraud
August 24, 2018 24 Aug'18
Corbyn suggests tech tax to fund BBC

Labour leader says big technology companies and ISPs should contribute to a fund for public interest journalism
August 23, 2018 23 Aug'18
No Deal Brexit papers warn of stark future for UK tech

The government has published the first of its No Deal Brexit contingency planning notices, containing sobering messages for the UK technology industry
August 22, 2018 22 Aug'18
Nearly a third of organisations still not GDPR ready

As the UK and other states implement the EU’s GDPR, many organisations admit they are still not fully compliant, but most claim to be able to respond to data subject access requests
August 21, 2018 21 Aug'18
UK cryptocurrency exchange enlists Rackspace for Microsoft Azure cloud move

London Block Exchange taps up Rackspace to assist with two-month Microsoft Azure migration as it sets about shoring up its platform against demand spikes
August 20, 2018 20 Aug'18
Planned Australian law raises tech firms’ security concerns

A digital industry group representing some of the world’s largest tech firms is opposed to proposed Australian laws aimed at compelling them to help security agencies and police
August 16, 2018 16 Aug'18
Trump sparks speculation after repealing cyber attack restraints

The US president has sparked speculation about US policy on launching cyber attacks by repealing Obama-era restraints, underlining the need for international rules on cyber warfare
August 15, 2018 15 Aug'18
IR35 tech compliance will take private sector 'over a year' to achieve, warns accounting trade body

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) cautions HM Revenue & Customs against rushing out IR35 reforms to the private sector, claiming it will take most businesses at least one tax year to ready their software systems for the move
August 14, 2018 14 Aug'18
Driverless cars heading for Bromley and Croydon

A 10-month data-gathering exercise will pave the way for an autonomous vehicle ride-sharing service to start operation in 2019
August 13, 2018 13 Aug'18
ICO strengthens commitment to technology and innovation

Information Commissioner’s Office has demonstrated its commitment to technology and innovation by appointing a new executive director to focus on this area
August 10, 2018 10 Aug'18
Butlin’s warns of potential personal data breach

Holiday camp chain blames cyber breach on a phishing attack, implying that attackers were able to steal user credentials to access customer data – and underlining the need for security awareness training
August 09, 2018 09 Aug'18
Ex-HMRC tax inspector sounds alarm over suitability of IR35 online status checker tool

As the private sector consultation on IR35 draws to a close, a former HM Revenue & Customs inspector calls into further question the suitability of the government's online tool for assessing contractors’ tax status
August 06, 2018 06 Aug'18
Starling raises the fintech stakes with banking-as-a-service

Challenger bank enables companies outside the financial sector to offer their customers savings and current accounts via the bank’s APIs
August 06, 2018 06 Aug'18
Half of UK consumers to exercise GDPR rights within a year

More than half of UK consumers will exercise their General Data Protection Regulation rights within a year and almost two-thirds will retract or review data use because of the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal, a study shows
August 03, 2018 03 Aug'18
Advertised broadband speeds dropping across UK

Since new advertising standards around broadband were introduced in May 2018, most providers have cut the speeds they advertise, or stopped making speed claims altogether
August 02, 2018 02 Aug'18
Government launches digital economy competition review

Obama’s former chief economic advisor will lead panel on competition in the digital economy to ensure regulations are fit for purpose
July 31, 2018 31 Jul'18
UK business overestimating level of consumer trust, study shows

UK consumer trust is low, with the majority of UK businesses admitting to selling customer data, a report reveals