A new privacy doctrine after GDPR must make the UK a pro-data economy September 1, 2021 The General Data Protection Regulation, better known as GDPR, had many repercussions for UK businesses when it came into force a little over three years ago, and is the reason every website you visit asks you to accept cookies. It was a pan-European scheme Britain accepted even as it was preparing to leave the European Union. [...]
Western allies cannot allow China to fraternise with the Taliban August 31, 2021 The swift demise of Afghanistan has dominated every headline. Twenty years of aid, support and work towards political stability wiped out in a mere nine days. This will only spell the start of the atrocities — the return of female oppression and a crack down on all who aided Western countries are already reemerging. As [...]
What does Extinction Rebellion actually want? August 31, 2021 Last week was a busy one for climate activists Extinction Rebellion. A series of non-violent but obstructionist protests saw them block first Seven Dials then Oxford Circus with a giant table representing an offer to “come to the table” to discuss fossil fuels. They also had chairs, as if the symbology were not heavy-handed enough, [...]
Haiti needs our help after another devastating earthquake August 31, 2021 The City of London Corporation will be donating £25,000 donation to the British Red Cross for its Haiti Earthquake Appeal – and we’re urging other City organisations to also show their support. While the ongoing situation in Afghanistan has captivated the world’s attention, there has been less awareness around the humanitarian crisis on the other [...]
Weekend read: A hybrid high street August 30, 2021 In March 2020 as physical stores were closed, brands with existing e-commerce channels were able to quickly adapt and many enjoyed a boom in online sales led by an increase in mobile shopping. More customers than ever relied on their phones to shop, with global mobile app audiences growing by 31 per cent — nearly twice the [...]
Crypto currencies have always shunned institutions, but to gain legitimacy they must learn from banks August 28, 2021 Crypto has had a whirlwind of a year. Bitcoin bounced between dizzying peaks and rock bottom troughs, financial institutions bought and sold crypto assets in droves, mainstream consumer payment providers started offering digital assets to customers, and scores of crypto exchanges and custodians were hit by expensive cyberattacks. Crypto’s greatest challenge is simply lack of [...]
We have a moral duty to share our data August 27, 2021 The majority of consumers would be happy to share their data with companies if it improved their experience, according to a recent survey. However, reality seems to suggest otherwise. The health service launched a data sharing initiative, NHS Digital, in June this year. It would allow personal, but anonymised data, from doctors’ patient records to [...]
A viral discussion on bin collections proves the case for digital democracy August 27, 2021 Around midnight on Wednesday night, British Twitter erupted, united over a single issue: bin collections. It all started with a “Twitter Space” – a public audio forum where anyone can join as a listener and up to 13 people can speak at once. What started out as an ironic experiment culminated in around 1,600 people joining in [...]
Afghanistan evacuation: Campaigns for Pen Farthing’s dogs expose a complete misalignment of priorities August 26, 2021 “Music is forbidden in Islam,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the New York Times, “but we’re hoping that we can persuade people not to do such things, instead of pressuring them.” Under Taliban rule, women have been beaten for showing their ankles in public. A light punishment, in the context. Where the Taliban draws the [...]
City Pages Review: Twitter fame, the meaning of life and abortion rights August 26, 2021 Since the curtains came down on 2019, many of us have spent more time inside our homes than we had ever imagined. The pandemic has thrown up political and social change rarely seen in peacetime, but living through and talking about Covid has consumed incredible amounts of oxygen, often to the exclusion of other worthy [...]