Social media technology
Social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have proved enormously popular, and while they are consumer focused, the principles of collaboration and information sharing that they embody are highly relevant for corporate IT. We analyse the latest trends in social media technology, social networking and explain how they can be applied to enterprise IT strategy.
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Feature
28 Sep 2023
Retailers and customers alike open to AI, but calls for caution
Retail-related studies into AI’s influence suggest its capabilities are welcome by the sector and shoppers alike – but tech leaders advise treading cautiously Continue Reading
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News
20 Sep 2023
Parliament passes sweeping Online Safety Bill but tech companies still concerned over encryption
Ofcom will consult on standards to enforce new powers, but tech companies remain concerned about the impact of the bill’s ‘spy clause’, which could require them to scan encrypted messages Continue Reading
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News
14 Jan 2021
All EU states can take data protection cases against Facebook, says EU court
An opinion from the European Court of Justice has the potential to lead to a flood of privacy complaints against Facebook if upheld Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jan 2021
Big Tech's uneasy balance of capitalism, censorship
Big tech companies' enforcement of acceptable use policies following Capitol riots is questioned, as some say First Amendment rights to free speech should extend to social networks. Continue Reading
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News
13 Jan 2021
Court to rule on Facebook data sharing after Schrems drops legal challenge against Irish regulator
Irish High Court says it will issue a judgment as soon as possible over a draft decision by Ireland’s data protection commissioner to order Facebook to stop the transfer of data about EU citizens to datacentres in the US Continue Reading
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Opinion
13 Jan 2021
What does Brexit mean for the future of UK digital policy? A view from Europe
Any decisions by the UK government to diverge from EU policies and values over digital policy and regulation could cause real economic problems for UK businesses Continue Reading
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News
12 Jan 2021
Parler collapse opens door to phishing attacks
The shutdown of controversial social media site Parler, and the publication of huge amounts of user data scraped by ethical hackers, is giving cyber crime experts cause for concern Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2021
Tech sector reacts to Trump social media bans
Facebook, Instagram and others moved to limit US president’s social media access after the violence in Washington DC, but experts have condemned them for acting too slowly, while disinformation about the riots persists Continue Reading
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Blog Post
06 Jan 2021
Talk that talk
Brian Clough once said that if he was given a magic wand and wanted to improve the standard of UK life overnight, he would have Rupert Murdoch removed from this planet. For 12 hours on Tuesday 5 ... Continue Reading
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News
29 Dec 2020
Top 10 financial services stories of 2020
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 financial services IT stories of 2020 Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Dec 2020
It’s time to accept that disinformation is a cyber security issue
Tackling the manipulation of truth and facts is no easy task, and it’s time for the cyber security sector to take up the challenge Continue Reading
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News
22 Dec 2020
Top 10 retail technology stories of 2020
Computer Weekly looks at what 2020 had in store for the retail industry – just how did technology help retailers adapt to changing customer behaviour during the pandemic? Continue Reading
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News
17 Dec 2020
Dodgy browser extensions put social media users at risk
More than three million users of third-party browser extensions for Instagram, Facebook, Vimeo and others have been infected with malware, according to Avast Continue Reading
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Opinion
16 Dec 2020
Why our online harms laws will be good for tech
The UK's minister for digital infrastructure explains the government's thinking behind its proposals to regulate internet companies such as Facebook, Google and others Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2020
UK government unveils details of upcoming online harms rules
Online Harms Bill due early 2021 will introduce GDPR-style fines for technology companies that breach online duty of care rules Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2020
French regulators fine Google and Amazon over cookie policies
Google and Amazon rapped over their use of advertising cookies by the French data protection authorities Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2020
Cyber Helpline awarded lottery funding to support victims
The Cyber Helpline, a UK charity that provides emergency support to victims of cyber crime and online stalking, is to receive funding from the National Lottery Continue Reading
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News
09 Dec 2020
Calls for Facebook break up as US issues lawsuits for anti-competitive behaviour
Antitrust lawsuits issued by the US Federal Trade Commission and 48 attorneys general call for the breakup of Facebook following 10 years of anti-competitive behaviour Continue Reading
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News
08 Dec 2020
CMA sets out plan to regulate technology giants
With its new Digital Markets Unit, the CMA is hoping to curb the excesses of the internet, improve competition and give more choice to consumers Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2020
Grindr and others patch critical Android bug
Fixes for CVE-2020-8913 deployed as app developers shore up their defences against a disclosed Google Play vulnerability Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Dec 2020
Digital donations: retailers using technology to offer something back
Some charities require corporate support like never before, and retailers are finding new ways to use technology to facilitate donations Continue Reading
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News
04 Dec 2020
What next for the now-profitable app-based Starling Bank?
Starling bank is the first of the new breed of UK digital banks to make a profit, so where next? Continue Reading
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News
03 Dec 2020
Allied Irish Bank prioritises digital services as it cuts workforce
Bank is cutting its operating costs by 10% with job cuts and facility closures, but will continue to invest heavily in technology Continue Reading
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News
03 Dec 2020
Lax Android app developers putting millions of users at risk
Eight months after Google patched a critical vulnerability, developers have failed to update their apps, putting millions of users of apps such as dating services Bumble and Grindr at risk Continue Reading
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News
02 Dec 2020
Covid-19: Cyber criminals will target vaccine programmes
Interpol issues a global alert to law enforcement as the UK becomes one of the first countries to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for use Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Nov 2020
How retailers are using tech to cope with changing footfall
Customer behaviour was shifting long before the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the online shopping boom, so what technology are retailers using to keep stores relevant? Continue Reading
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News
27 Nov 2020
Lords propose making tech giants pay for using news
Digital platforms such as Google and Facebook profit from running adverts alongside publishers’ content, but no financial compensation is given for carrying that content, says Lords committee Continue Reading
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News
27 Nov 2020
UK government ramps up efforts to regulate tech giants
The Digital Markets Unit of the Competitions and Markets Authority aims to protect consumer privacy and lower barriers to entry for businesses Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Nov 2020
How retailers are using digital to engage with Covid Christmas shoppers
Christmas is likely to be different this year because of the pandemic, and there is likely to be an altered shopping experience. So how are retailers using digital to cope with this shift in festive shopping? Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2020
Amazon Swedish language site will expand reach of local retailers
Amazon launches Swedish language website and promises to make more products available in the Nordic region Continue Reading
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Blog Post
18 Nov 2020
Vax doesn’t have to be vexing
The Labour Party has called for emergency laws to prevent social media companies from playing host to anti-vaccine content. You’d’ve thought the ruling elite would have already got the memo to ... Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Nov 2020
Covid-19: How retailers are using technology to respond to changing shopping habits
As the coronavirus outbreak accelerates the shift in consumer behaviour, how are retailers using technology to keep customers engaged? Continue Reading
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News
12 Nov 2020
Online kids’ game Animal Jam confirms large breach
Cyber criminals have stolen data on 46 million Animal Jam player accounts via a third-party attack Continue Reading
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News
11 Nov 2020
EU aid funds used to train ‘unaccountable intelligence agencies’ in high-tech surveillance
Hundreds of documents obtained by campaign group Privacy International show how the EU is supporting surveillance programmes in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa Continue Reading
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News
10 Nov 2020
Better data sharing needed to help children during pandemic
Closing gaps in data infrastructure will help the education sector respond better to children’s needs during the Covid-19 pandemic, says Open Data Institute Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2020
EU moves closer to encryption ban after Austria, France attacks
Draft resolution document setting up an EU-wide ban on end-to-end encryption is set to be waved through this week Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2020
GDPR lawsuit against Oracle and Salesforce moves forward
Class action suit seeks claims worth more than £10bn over the processing of personal information Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Oct 2020
The Google antitrust case is more about politics than economics
It’s not entirely clear what economic reasons led the US government to try to tackle Google’s search monopoly, which suggests it is mostly about politics Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2020
Privacy and online safety are focus of new UKRI research funding
Online safety research centre of excellence will look into technology to boost privacy and tackle disinformation, fake news, conspiracies and other online harms Continue Reading
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Blog Post
22 Oct 2020
Chatting Schmidt
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt spends his webcam chat for the Wall Street Journal Tech Live event insisting we should all be grateful to the tech giants, despite the fact they’ve become, by his own ... Continue Reading
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News
15 Oct 2020
UK regulators lack the skills and expertise to cope with increasing use of algorithms
MPs told that multiple regulators will be needed to govern the ever-growing use of algorithmic systems in all areas of the economy and public sector Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2020
US Elections: Malicious internet domains spike as campaigns heat up
Internet domains related to the US presidential election are 56% more likely to be malicious than regular ones Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2020
Public data should not be held by US tech giants
One-off evidence sessions to follow up on the recommendations of the House of Lords AI Committee revisit the data and ethics debate Continue Reading
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News
12 Oct 2020
Five Eyes spy group again demands access to private messages
Spooks are once again calling for the tech industry to break end-to-end encryption in messaging platforms Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2020
Facebook critics’ webpage removed over false phishing allegations
Real Facebook Oversight Board alleges Facebook is trying to censor it for speaking out against the social media company’s behaviour Continue Reading
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News
07 Oct 2020
US lawmakers release big tech antitrust report
House Democrats have published a report on the monopoly power wielded by big tech companies and how to restore competition in digital markets Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2020
Facebook critics launch ‘Real Facebook Oversight Board’
Organisation formed as an ‘emergency response’ to address the ‘immediate risk’ posed by Facebook’s role in the US election Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2020
Fake news tops list of online concerns worldwide
Receiving false information is a greater worry than other online risks such as cyber bullying and fraud, says the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2020
TikTok ban stayed after last-minute court case
TikTok’s lawyers have staved off an imminent ban for the time being, after successfully arguing that it infringed rights guaranteed under the Constitution of the United States Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2020
Third-party code bug left Instagram users at risk of account takeover
A critical vulnerability in Instagram’s image processing could have allowed attackers to take over not just their victim’s account, but their entire device Continue Reading
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News
23 Sep 2020
Latest Tech Nation fintech cohort reflects diversifying sector
The latest group of fintechs accepted into Tech Nation’s growth programme reflects the diversification of a maturing sector Continue Reading
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News
23 Sep 2020
Major tech firms urged to end targeted ads to under-18s
An open letter to Google, Facebook and others is calling on the tech firms to take responsibility for protecting users of their services by ending behavioural advertising to children Continue Reading
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News
23 Sep 2020
Video gamers barraged with cyber attacks
From credential stuffing to SQL injection and DDoS, video game producers and players are seeing massive volumes of cyber attacks Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2020
Twitter investigates image cropping algorithm for racial bias
The algorithm’s consistent favouring of white faces in image previews has forced the company to investigate it for racial bias Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2020
Activision shoots down data breach claims
Gaming company denies there has been any data breach after up to 500,000 accounts appeared to have been compromised, but evidence mounts that credential stuffing attacks are to blame Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2020
Scam mobile apps spreading via rogue TikTok accounts
Malicious TikTok accounts are promoting a number of adware scam mobile apps Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2020
Royal Mint coin production freeze points to digital future for small payments
Royal Mint freezes production of certain coins as demand dries up amid changing consumer habits Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2020
Big questions to be answered over TikTok and WeChat reprieve
TikTok and WeChat seem to have received a stay of execution, but big questions and contradictions remain Continue Reading
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News
18 Sep 2020
US government deplatforms TikTok and WeChat
The Commerce Department of the US government has banned new downloads of TikTok and WeChat in the US, and announced new prohibitions on doing business with them Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2020
Swedish bank cuts branches and jobs, increases IT spend
Swedish bank is increasing investment IT to improve digital banking as it reduces its branch network Continue Reading
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Opinion
15 Sep 2020
The harsh reality for newspapers in the fight against Facebook, is that people won’t pay for news
The Australian media is the latest to try to get Facebook and Google to pay for using their news stories. That only exposes the fact that not enough readers want to do so Continue Reading
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News
15 Sep 2020
TikTok-Oracle partnership moves forward for consideration
Joint venture proposal could create thousands of jobs and secure TikTok’s future outside China Continue Reading
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News
14 Sep 2020
Microsoft drops out of TikTok talks, paves way for Oracle partnership
Microsoft confirms it is dropping out of the running to acquire the US operations of TikTok, leaving the way clear for an imminent partnership deal with Oracle Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2020
Facebook takes legal action against Irish privacy watchdog
Facebook’s legal action against the Data Protection Commission will attempt to preserve the company’s ability to transfer European citizens’ data to the US despite its lower privacy protections Continue Reading
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News
10 Sep 2020
Irish privacy watchdog orders Facebook to stop sending user data to the US
Irish privacy watchdog orders Facebook to suspend transfers of European citizens’ data to the US after Schrems II ruling that Europeans have no effective way to challenge American government surveillance Continue Reading
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News
03 Sep 2020
M&S and Ocado enter first week of online delivery partnership
Customers can now order M&S food through online supermarket Ocado’s website as part of an ongoing partnership between the two retailers Continue Reading
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News
02 Sep 2020
Asos launches TikTok brand campaign
Fashion brand Asos has launched a campaign on TikTok to bring awareness of its products to a wider audience Continue Reading
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News
27 Aug 2020
Tour de France 2020 fans to get virtual experience delivered by NTT
This year’s Tour de France was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. IT services company NTT has teamed up with event organiser ASO to offer a virtual experience to fans who cannot be at the roadside Continue Reading
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News
27 Aug 2020
TikTok CEO clocks off
TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer has resigned from the firm after just three months Continue Reading
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News
27 Aug 2020
Tech and telecoms advisory group set up to help trade negotiations
Department of International Trade launches new Trade Advisory Groups to guide trade negotiations with other countries Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2020
TikTok takes Trump to court
Under-fire video app TikTok files a formal complaint in the federal courts challenging the Trump administration’s attempt to ban it in the US Continue Reading
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News
21 Aug 2020
TikTok’s GDPR compliance probed amid accusations of data misuse
Dutch privacy organisation SOMI claims TikTok falls short in protecting young users, and that it is likely violating GDPR Continue Reading
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News
20 Aug 2020
Social media data leak highlights murky world of data scraping
A data brokerage left its database of 235 million Instagram, TikTok and YouTube profiles exposed to anybody who cared to access it Continue Reading
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News
20 Aug 2020
Pandemic behaviour shift will continue for many consumers, research finds
A large number of customers say the way they have been forced to shop during the pandemic will have a lasting impact on their shopping behaviours Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Aug 2020
Hangar 51 supports startups taking off in travel tech
International Airlines Group’s accelerator programme aims to give travel technology companies a flying start in the sector Continue Reading
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Podcast
18 Aug 2020
TikTok in peril, A-level and Scottish Highers algo fiascos – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast
In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna discuss the fortunes of TikTok, the A-level results, and the algorithm controversies in which they and Scottish Highers have been mired Continue Reading
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News
18 Aug 2020
Reports Oracle to enter TikTok bidding war
Oracle may be about to make a bid to acquire the US operations of TikTok from its Chinese parent ByteDance, according to the FT Continue Reading
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News
14 Aug 2020
US decision to file new charges against Julian Assange ‘astonishing and potentially abusive’
Lawyer for WikiLeaks founder slams US decision to serve a second indictment at the 11th hour alleging that Assange conspired with hackers, as a potential abuse of process Continue Reading
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Blog Post
13 Aug 2020
Niall Ferguson is inane
Historian Niall Ferguson’s article about TikTok claims the app plays a pivotal role in China’s imperial ambitions, an argument rendered instantly moot by his declaration that he, like us, doesn’t ... Continue Reading
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News
11 Aug 2020
French data protection authorities to probe TikTok as suitors circle
France’s CNIL has confirmed a new investigation into TikTok’s data protection practices Continue Reading
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News
07 Aug 2020
Virgin Media customers targeted in Twitter phish
Customers seeking help from the ISP are being targeted by a scam Twitter account Continue Reading
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News
07 Aug 2020
TikTok to be banned in US in 45 days
Trump says his Executive Orders against Chinese mobile apps are in the interests of dealing with a national emergency Continue Reading
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News
06 Aug 2020
TikTok to open first European datacentre in Ireland during early 2022
The CISO of TikTok has confirmed the social video company's plans to open its first European datacentre in early 2022, as its data security processes come under increased scrutiny from the US government Continue Reading
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News
06 Aug 2020
GCHQ seeks researchers to tackle deep fakes and misinformation
A GCHQ research fellowship based at its Manchester office will explore various national security priorities such as deep fakes, fake news and the impact of AI Continue Reading
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Blog Post
05 Aug 2020
Like a chief in broad daylight
The CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google have all spoken to US Congress in a joint video call to face some stern questions, one of which being: “Do you believe that the Chinese government ... Continue Reading
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News
03 Aug 2020
Microsoft offers way out of TikTok impasse
Microsoft offers to buy TikTok from its Chinese parent to ease security fears in the US Continue Reading
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News
31 Jul 2020
US lawmakers grill big tech chiefs over market power
Sixth antitrust hearing sees CEOs of major technology companies face combative questioning from members of Congress over their market power and dominance Continue Reading
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News
31 Jul 2020
Twitter confirms it was hit by targeted spearphishing attack
Investigation into 15 July 2020 hack of a number of high-profile accounts by cryptocurrency scammers has found evidence of a targeted spearphishing incident Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2020
Twitter announces crackdown on QAnon accounts
In a bid to stem the spread of disinformation and prevent real-world harm, Twitter is taking action against QAnon conspiracists Continue Reading
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News
21 Jul 2020
Why now could be the right time to launch a digital bank
Launching a bank during a global crisis is fraught with risk, but an established customer base, experience, agility and diversification could help Zopa do just that Continue Reading
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News
21 Jul 2020
Coronavirus: Government drags its feet on online misinformation
Online misinformation about Covid-19 continues to spread unchecked, according to a DCMS committee report which has accused the government of dragging its feet over online harms Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2020
Twitter hack fallout: Investigators on trail of cyber criminals
Investigators are hunting the cyber criminals who broke into Twitter’s systems to hijack prominent accounts, amid concerns that more attacks may come Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2020
Schrems v Facebook: European court strikes down EU-US Privacy Shield agreement
The European Court of Justice has struck down Privacy Shield, the EU-US data-sharing agreement, creating uncertainty for European countries that share data with the US and pressuring the US to reform surveillance laws Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2020
Room for improvement in Dutch digital skills
The Netherlands has good telecommunications and IT networks that can be used safely and reliably, but there is room for improvement in digital skills among the Dutch Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2020
Cryptocurrency scammers attack Twitter in insider breach
Apparent insider breach at Twitter saw so-called “blue tick” accounts of business people, politicians and celebrities hijacked to promote a Bitcoin scam Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2020
Video providers slammed by credential stuffing attacks
Attacks on the media sector are spiking as cyber criminals try to gain access to valuable consumer accounts Continue Reading
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Opinion
15 Jul 2020
11 obscure questions, Facebook, Max Schrems and the European Court of Justice
Eleven obscure questions will be the first step towards explaining why we in the UK and Europe have experienced 13 years of what has been described as ‘mass and indiscriminate surveillance’ by the US Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2020
European court to decide legality of EU-US data sharing in dispute between Schrems and Facebook
A ruling by the European Court of Justice will have ramifications for hundreds of thousands of companies that share data with the US. The case aims to balance US surveillance laws with the rights of EU citizens to keep their data private Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2020
Use of spyware apps linked to domestic abuse soars in lockdown
The rise in domestic violence during the pandemic has been linked to increase use of stalkerware apps by abusers Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2020
Over 15 billion credentials for sale on dark web
Research by Digital Shadows reveals the scale of the security threat facing consumers as it uncovers 15 billion usernames and passwords stolen in more than 100,000 different data breaches Continue Reading
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Blog Post
01 Jul 2020
Doubling down with Nick Clegg
As the Stop Hate for Profit campaign inspires over 150 major companies and counting to pull their advertising from Facebook, its appeaser-in-chief has slid open his webcam cover and got back to ... Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jul 2020
Black Lives Matter, but do bots know that?
The volume of content generated each day necessitates automated moderation to curate everything as it is published, ensuring offensive and objectionable material is blocked. But this only works if systems are adequately configured and reviewed Continue Reading