IT legislation and regulation
Understanding the law as it applies to IT management can be one of the hardest task for IT leaders, but the growing burden of regulatory compliance makes it essential. Legislation and regulation affects enterprise IT in many ways, not just in long-standing tasks such as contracts and software licensing. We examine the latest legal development and how they affect IT managers, and talk to the experts in IT legislation and regulation to explain what it means to your organisation.
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E-Zine
24 Apr 2024
CW EMEA: The blueprint for safe GenAI
The Netherlands recognises the benefits GenAI can bring, but as with any powerful disruptive technology, there are increased risks of discrimination and insecurity. The Dutch government has formulated a vision document to guide its citizens and businesses on its safe and responsible use. Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2024
Education will be key to good AI regulation: A view from the USA
Computer Weekly sat down with Salesforce’s vice-president of federal government affairs, Hugh Gamble, to find out how the US is forging a path towards AI regulation, and how things look from Capitol Hill Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2022
EU issues draft data adequacy decision in favour of US
The European Commission has concluded that the United States does ensure an adequate level of protection for personal data transferred from the European Union and will now launch the process towards the adoption of an adequacy decision Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Dec 2022
AI experts question tech industry’s ethical commitments
In this week’s Computer Weekly, the proliferation of ethical frameworks has done little to change how artificial intelligence is developed – we look at the challenges. We examine the future of the UK semiconductor sector as the government launches a review. And we hear how NatWest has put data at the heart of customer strategy. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
12 Dec 2022
Cloud-based fingerprint system for UK police nears completion
Police Digital Service announces that a new cloud-based fingerprint system developed under its Transforming Forensics programme is nearly complete, but data protection concerns around the use of US-based cloud providers remain Continue Reading
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News
09 Dec 2022
Online Safety Bill returns to Parliament
MPs and online safety experts have expressed concern about encryption-breaking measures contained in the Online Safety Bill as it returns to Parliament for the first time since its passage was paused in July Continue Reading
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News
08 Dec 2022
Consumers to get new protections against dodgy apps
Government’s new code of practice will impose new privacy and security measures on app store operators and developers Continue Reading
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News
06 Dec 2022
Legacy IT magnifies cyber risk for Defra, says NAO
Some 30% of Defra’s applications are currently unsupported, magnifying cyber risk as the government department struggles to make progress on a digital transformation programme Continue Reading
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News
06 Dec 2022
EU fails to protect human rights in surveillance tech transfers
Transfers of surveillance technology from the European Union to African governments are carried out without due regard for the human rights impacts, the European Ombudsman has found after a year-long investigation into the European Commission’s management of an aid fund Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2022
Fake investment ads persist on Meta’s social networks
Online adverts for investment scams relating to property and crypto assets are still getting past measures designed to stop them Continue Reading
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News
02 Dec 2022
Post Office boosted its ‘coffers’ as Horizon system threw up unexplained shortfalls, inquiry told
The Post Office was ‘keen’ to make subpostmasters cover unexplained accounting shortfall as its business struggled, public inquiry hears Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Dec 2022
Electronic Trade Documents Bill: Why we need to seize the day with distributed ledger technologies
Lord Chris Holmes pens his views for Computer Weekly on how the Electronic Trade Documents Bill, which he calls ‘the most important law you’ve never heard of’, could be a game-changer for the potential of distributed ledger technologies such as blockchain Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2022
Microsoft 365 banned in German schools over privacy concerns
German schools cannot legally use Microsoft Office 365 over lack of clarity about how data is collected, shared and used, as well as the potential for unlawful transfer of European citizens’ personal data to the US Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2022
South Staffs Water customer data leaked after ransomware attack
Personal data of water utility’s direct debit customers exposed on the dark web following a Clop ransomware attack Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2022
NIS regulations to be extended to cover MSPs
The UK government is moving ahead with plans to update the Network and Information Systems regulations to bring outsourcers and MSPs into scope Continue Reading
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Opinion
29 Nov 2022
Chartered status and aligned standards are crucial for the UK's cyber sector
As the UK moves closer to ushering in the world’s first chartered cyber professionals, the UK Cyber Security Council’s Simon Hepburn outlines the sector’s defining moment Continue Reading
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News
29 Nov 2022
‘Legal but harmful’ clause dropped from Online Safety Bill
Online Safety Bill’s ‘legal but harmful’ provision will be dropped by the UK government in favour of public risk assessments, tools to help users control the content they consume, and new criminal offences around self-harm Continue Reading
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News
29 Nov 2022
Government needs to do more for UK semiconductor industry, say MPs
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee report says the government is putting the UK chip industry at ‘significant risk’ by failing to support it sufficiently, and calls on Whitehall to publish its semiconductor strategy immediately Continue Reading
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News
24 Nov 2022
Meta faces UK lawsuit over surveillance business model
The High Court case against Meta could set a precedent for millions of UK users to object to their personal data being collected and processed for advertising purposes Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2022
UK police arrest 120 in largest-ever cyber fraud crackdown
The administrator and more than 100 users of the iSpoof.cc cyber fraud website have been arrested in a major counter-fraud operation led by the Metropolitan Police Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2022
South Korea data adequacy pact brings £15m Brexit bonus
UK government finalises a data adequacy agreement with South Korea, saying it will unlock a post-Brexit business bonus of just under £15m Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2022
Red team tool developer slams ‘irresponsible’ disclosure
UK security firm MDSec defends its Nighthawk command and control penetration testing framework after suggestions were made that it could be appropriated by threat actors Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2022
Netherlands wants watchdog to reduce bias in artificial intelligence
Dutch government will take swift action to prevent citizens getting into trouble due to the misuse of algorithms Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2022
Hidden energy cost of on-premise data stores
Data is said to be the new oil, but organisations may be storing far more than they need – and now there is an energy crisis Continue Reading
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E-Zine
21 Nov 2022
CW APAC: Trend Watch: Artificial intelligence in APAC
Artificial intelligence is becoming more commonplace across business. In this handbook, focused on the adoption of the technology in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at what still stands in its way, Dell’s deep learning model, how AI can realise its potential in healthcare, and the pros and cons of using AI and ML applications in the cloud. Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2022
AI adopted without due consideration for workers, MPs told
MPs have been warned that the rapid roll-out of artificial intelligence in workplaces has changed UK enterprises’ management practices so much that current employment law is no longer fit for purpose Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2022
NHS trust that deleted up to 90,000 emails cleared of deliberately concealing evidence
A tribunal found in a high-profile case brought by whistleblower Chris Day that an NHS trust had not deliberately concealed evidence when a director deleted up to 90,000 emails before he was due to testify Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Nov 2022
Redundancies – are tech companies getting it right?
With recession now a reality, big tech companies have started slimming down their workforces, but they have legal responsibilities Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2022
Is Elon Musk’s Twitter safe, and should you stop using it?
With a litany of security and compliance issues exposed and in many cases caused by Elon Musk’s takeover of social media platform Twitter, some may be asking if it’s still safe or appropriate to use Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2022
Post Office scandal inquiry’s expert IT witness ‘troubled’ by his findings
Controversial Post Office Horizon system lacked the integrity required to trust accounting data and contained ‘joke’ coding akin to an ‘overly engineered mousetrap’, inquiry told Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2022
CyberPeace Institute helps NGOs improve their security resilience
Adrien Ogée of the CyberPeace Institute talks about his work supporting NGOs and humanitarian organisations, and how the security community at large can help protect the world’s most vulnerable people Continue Reading
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News
17 Nov 2022
Brexit deregulation will make UK next Silicon Valley, vows Hunt
Chancellor vows to revolutionise how the IT industry is regulated to spur competition, investment and innovation in a technological ‘Big Bang’ Continue Reading
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News
17 Nov 2022
NHS Digital confirms final settlement of £3.95m with HMRC following conclusion of IR35 investigation
The health service’s digital arm has paid HMRC £3.95m in unpaid tax to cover the cost of its IR35 compliance errors Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2022
Global network fragmentation a source of increasing risk
Risk consultancy’s report says the weaponisation of cyber space and geopolitical clashes herald a breakdown of global networks into distinct regional or national architectures Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2022
APP fraud volumes expected to double by 2026, says report
Losses to authorised push payment fraud in the UK are expected to climb to over $1.5bn in the next four years. Meanwhile, the NAO accuses the Home Office of lagging on progress to tackle the issue Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2022
Met Police removes nearly two-thirds of people from gangs matrix
Legal action by human rights group Liberty forces Met Police to overhaul its gangs violence matrix database Continue Reading
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News
11 Nov 2022
Volume of self-reported breaches to ICO jumps 30%
The number of self-reported breaches to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office soared by nearly 30% in the 12 months to 30 June 2022 Continue Reading
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News
11 Nov 2022
Defra confirms final settlement of £86.5m with HMRC over ‘historic’ IR35 status assessment errors
The conclusion of HMRC’s long-running enquiry into errors made by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when assessing the IR35 status of its contractors has seen it pay a final settlement of £86.5m to the tax collection agency Continue Reading
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News
10 Nov 2022
Scrutinising AI requires holistic, end-to-end system audits
Understanding the full impacts of artificial intelligence requires organisations to conduct end-to-end social and technical audits of their systems, but the process comes with a number of challenges Continue Reading
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News
10 Nov 2022
Loan charge contractors hit with fresh loan repayment request from new firm
IT contractors who participated in loan-based remuneration schemes and were previously pursued to repay loans issued to them by a company called Felicitas Solutions are now being chased for payment by a new entity Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Nov 2022
The world's oldest cryptocurrency exchange prefers doing business in Luxembourg
One of the newest niches in fintech, cryptocurrency exchanges may fare very well in Luxembourg Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2022
UK’s National Cyber Advisory Board convenes for first time
Government convenes National Cyber Advisory Board to further its goals of making the UK one of the safest places to live and work online Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2022
Department for Education escapes £10m fine over data misuse
Department entrusted data on 28 million children to a company called Trustopia, which turned out to be anything but trustworthy, but has escaped a £10m fine under new rules Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2022
UK government approach to space industry lacks coherence and investment
As satellite broadband industry rockets, report from Commons Science and Technology Committee criticises government’s failures in key technical areas and continues to question value to taxpayer of OneWeb joint venture Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2022
Global coalition reaffirms commitment to fight ransomware
Representatives of 36 countries, as well as the EU, attended the second International Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit in Washington DC Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2022
Shadow digital secretary outlines Labour’s tech priorities
Labour’s digital and technology plans focus on reining in the power of the tech giants, boosting connectivity across the UK, and improving online safety Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Nov 2022
Can crypto recover from the crash of 2022?
What does the crypto wipeout of 2022 mean for an increasingly turbulent economy and can crypto bounce back in the months and years ahead? Crucially, how will regulators react? Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2022
Report reveals ‘clear gaps’ in UK’s broadband safety net
Latest update on progress of broadband roll-out guarantees from April to September 2022 shows worrying signs that as the cost-of-living crisis rolls on, swathes of the UK population could be priced out of gaining acceptable broadband Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2022
NCSC looks back on year of ‘profound change’ for cyber
The NCSC ramped up its support for UK plc in the past 12 months, but it was events beyond the UK’s borders that proved the most impactful Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Nov 2022
The rise and risks of sovereign data strategies
Data and analytics leaders need to understand what is happening now to mitigate risk and exploit data-driven opportunities Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Oct 2022
How to build consumer trust with a privacy-by-design approach
Undertaken with the right mindset and technology, privacy by design delivers value to consumers and builds trust for the long term Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Oct 2022
The risk of losing our EU data adequacy agreement is real
While some may welcome the government’s ambition to shake up the UK’s data protection regime, Westminster should be wary of drifting too far from the path charted by our US and European partners Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Oct 2022
AI experts question tech industry’s ethical commitments
The massive proliferation of ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence has done little to change how the technology is developed and deployed, with experts questioning the tech industry’s commitment to making it a positive social force Continue Reading
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Podcast
28 Oct 2022
Top 50 women in UK tech, IR35 Truss fiasco – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast
The team reflects on the announcement of the Most Influential Women in UK Technology 2022, the IR35 reforms being scrapped, then not, and Dreamforce & Oracle Cloud World in the US Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
NHS to get new national CISO
The Department for Health and Social Care is seeking a new national CISO, who will be tasked with providing strategic cyber leadership, direction and expertise across DHSC and the wider NHS Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
Santander calls for cooperation to tackle APP fraud
New report puts forward key recommendations that the banking sector, government and other industries could take to tackle authorised push payment fraud Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2022
ICO warns against using biometrics for ‘emotional analysis’
ICO warning highlights risk of ‘systemic bias’ and discrimination associated with organisations using biometric data and technologies for emotion analysis Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2022
Reported Horizon errors should have been ‘show-stopper’, public inquiry told
Subpostmasters should have been given the benefit of the doubt over unexplained losses, but were hounded to pay money back, with lives ruined and innocent people prosecuted Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Oct 2022
The Conservatives are laughing at cyber security pros
If causing a security breach is a resigning matter, then you shouldn’t expect to get your old job back a week later. Unless you’re a Conservative home secretary, apparently Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2022
Australia budget closes in on digital divide, cyber resilience
Australia’s latest budget is geared towards providing better broadband connectivity in regional and rural areas, shoring up the cyber security posture of its businesses and plugging tech talent shortages, among other areas Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
One in five tech workers subject to workplace surveillance
Digital surveillance is now a common feature of the UK’s post-pandemic economy, says Prospect Union, adding to growing calls for workers to be given a greater say over how technologies are deployed in the workplace Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
US authorities charge two Chinese spies over telco security probe
Two Chinese nationals have been charged with attempting to obstruct the criminal prosecution of a prominent Chinese telecoms firm Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
UK finance regulator investigates big tech finance threats and benefits
The UK financial services regulator is gathering information about the benefits and targets of big tech firms offering financial services Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Germany: European Court of Justice asked to rule on legality of hacked EncroChat phone evidence
Berlin’s Regional Court has asked the European Court of Justice to answer questions about whether the use of hacked EncroChat phone evidence complies with European law Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
Digital-first businesses more willing to accept some fraud
Companies founded in the past 20 years appear more willing to accept higher levels of fraudulent activity during the customer onboarding process, according to a report Continue Reading
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News
24 Oct 2022
Complacency biggest cyber risk to UK plc, says ICO
Information commissioner John Edwards warns against complacency as his office issues a multimillion-pound fine to a building company that failed to prevent a ransomware attack Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
Broadband majors, altnets respond to cost-of-living crisis
With latest UK inflation figures set to see comms contracts rise, industry reacts to mitigate against worst effects of price rises for customers and staff Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Oct 2022
What do the US’s new software security rules mean for UK organisations?
The White House announced recently that all software supplied to the US government and its agencies needs to be secure, so what does this mean for the UK and EU security sectors? Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
Parliamentary committee launches inquiry into AI governance
MPs will examine the impacts of artificial intelligence throughout the UK economy and how governance of the technology can be improved ahead of the government publishing its formal regulatory proposals Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
NatWest data breach whistleblower demands bank pay data controller fee to ICO
Whistleblower calls for NatWest to pay the Information Commissioner’s Office annual data controller fee, as the personal details of 1,600 current and former NatWest customers remain under her bed Continue Reading
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E-Zine
18 Oct 2022
How Russia hacked a former MI6 spy chief
In this week’s Computer Weekly, Russian hackers leaked emails and documents from British government, military, and intelligence officials – we examine the implications. New EU laws will govern online safety and the use of AI, but what do they mean for organisations? And we look at the growth in checkout-free shopping. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2022
IR35 reforms repeal scrapped: Government labelled ‘spineless’ over u-turn
The contracting community has not taken kindly to the news that the government is rowing back its plans to repeal the IR35 reforms in the private and public sectors Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2022
Government u-turns on plans to scrap IR35 reforms in public and private sector from April 2023
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirms that the planned repeal of the IR35 reforms in the public and private sector is cancelled Continue Reading
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News
12 Oct 2022
Finance regulator cracks down on use of messaging apps
The Financial Conduct Authority is taking a closer look at how staff at banks are using WhatsApp in work Continue Reading
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News
12 Oct 2022
ICO selectively discloses reprimands for data protection breaches
Data protection experts question ICO’s selective approach to publishing formal reprimands for contravening the law, after FoI request reveals the Cabinet Office was among the organisations reprimanded Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 Oct 2022
Government bins IR35 reforms – what you need to know
In this week’s Computer Weekly, after the government scrapped its IR35 reforms, we examine what IT contractors need to know. With hybrid working, employee experience is a priority – we look at how it meshes with customer experience initiatives. And we assess the options for unstructured data storage in the cloud and on-premise. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 Oct 2022
IT Sustainability Think Tank: What IT leaders need to know about greenwashing
How can IT leaders separate fact from fiction when weighing up a tech supplier’s sustainability claims? And, crucially, what are the dangers or risks that enterprises face if they do not do their due diligence on the green claims of their providers? Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2022
Ukraine and EU explore deeper cyber collaboration
A Ukrainian delegation has met with officials from the EU’s ENISA cyber agency to explore deeper cooperation on cyber security issues Continue Reading
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07 Oct 2022
IR35 reforms to be scrapped: What IT contractors need to know
News of the government’s plans to scrap the IR35 reforms took the contracting world by surprise, but IT contractors are being warned against making hasty changes to the way they work just yet. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
EU rolling out measures for online safety and AI liability
The European Council has approved the passage of the Digital Services Act to protect people’s rights online, while the European Commission has announced proposals to help those negatively affected by artificial intelligence to claim compensation Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2022
Italian Supreme Court calls for prosecutors to disclose information on Sky ECC hacking operation
Italy’s Supreme Court says Italian prosecutors and police should disclose information on how they obtained intercepted messages from the Sky ECC cryptophone network Continue Reading
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Opinion
05 Oct 2022
Everything you wanted to know about the metaverse
Possession may be nine-tenths of the law, but the unique qualities of digital assets mean they do not easily fit into the age-old legal concept of ownership Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2022
IR35 reforms to be scrapped: What IT contractors need to know
News of the government’s plans to scrap the IR35 reforms took the contracting world by surprise, but IT contractors are being warned off making hasty changes to the way they work just yet Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2022
Tories to replace GDPR
IT industry reacts to the government’s plan to replace the pan-European data protection regulation Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2022
Next phase of open banking already gathering pace
Open banking has had a major impact on the banking industry as finance forms harness data to provide better services, but the next phase of open finance promises even more Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2022
Vodafone confirms Three UK merger talks
UK’s mid-sized operators begin negotiations on consolidation to gain the scale to accelerate roll-out of 5G in the UK, expand broadband connectivity to rural communities and small businesses, and offer stronger competition Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Oct 2022
IR35 reforms repeal: How it stands to benefit the tech sector’s SMEs and contractors
Government’s planned repeal of IR35 reforms could help alleviate a lot of the uncertainty and pressure on the tech sector’s SMEs Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2022
Surveillance tech firms complicit in MENA human rights abuses
Research finds companies are profiting from surveillance technologies that facilitate human rights abuses against migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the Middle East and North Africa, with little to no oversight Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2022
Online Safety Bill needs complete overhaul, say rights groups
Civil society groups write to new digital minister to challenge various aspects of the upcoming Online Safety Bill, which they say threatens rights to privacy and freedom of expression Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2022
How Russian intelligence hacked the encrypted emails of former MI6 boss Richard Dearlove
Hack by Russian-linked ColdRiver group exposed former MI6 chief Richard Dearlove’s contacts and email communications with government, military, intelligence and political officials Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2022
Data analysis and artificial intelligence key industrial strategy missions for Labour
Shadow business secretary announces Labour’s proposed industrial strategy, in which data would take a central role Continue Reading
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News
23 Sep 2022
Mini-Budget 2022: HMRC tells firms to update payroll software ahead of November NI tax cut
HMRC is urging employers to ensure their payroll software systems are updated now, before the reversal of the previous government’s National Insurance tax hike kicks in Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2022
Ofcom turns its attention to the hyperscalers
The regulator sees its role expanding into emerging areas of communications technologies and public cloud services Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2022
Privacy Pledge signatories dream of alternative internet
A group of privacy-focused organisations have come together to establish a set of principles for taking the internet back from big tech and surveillance capitalism Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2022
Contractors call for IR35 review and tax cuts in Chancellor’s mini-Budget
The contractor community is patiently awaiting the outcome of this Friday’s mini-Budget, with hopes for some concrete details on the Prime Minister’s proposed IR35 review and news of a corporation tax cut Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2022
European Central Bank working on prototypes of digital Euro interfaces
European Central Bank’s digital Euro investigation phase is at the point of developing and testing systems that might interface with consumers Continue Reading
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News
15 Sep 2022
EU Cyber Resilience Act sets global standard for connected products
European Commission lays out proposed security regulations on device and software security to better protect consumers and drive global standards Continue Reading
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News
15 Sep 2022
New player pioneers ‘active cyber insurance’ for UK market
Arrival of US-based insurer Coalition in London will supposedly offer SMEs more options when it comes to cyber security insurance Continue Reading
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News
15 Sep 2022
Organisations failing to account for digital trust
The vast majority of businesses are well aware of the importance of digital trust, yet very few have a dedicated staff role responsible for it, report finds Continue Reading
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News
15 Sep 2022
US charges three Iranians over CNI cyber attacks
Three Iranian nationals have been indicted over a spate of ransomware attacks against organisations in the US, UK, Israel and Iran Continue Reading
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News
14 Sep 2022
Ex-CISA head Krebs: Disrupt ransomware support networks to win the war
Speaking at an event hosted by data protection specialist Rubrik, former CISA director Chris Krebs calls for the security community to work collectively to kick out the supports from under ransomware gangs Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2022
Contractors lack confidence in prime minister to follow through with promised IR35 review
Contractor poll suggests lack of faith among freelancers about new prime minister Liz Truss honouring her pledge to review the IR35 rules Continue Reading