Apple’s China dilemma: as the tech giant cracks down on privacy, Beijing finds a workaround April 9, 2021 China’s tech companies have long lived in a parallel universe to their western rivals. But the news that a number of them are testing a tool to bypass Apple’s new privacy rules raises a number of questions about the future of privacy – and perhaps the internet in general. In short, app developers have long [...]
Fighting Russian and Chinese disinformation requires a cohesive strategy from Western governments April 8, 2021 Given the world of the internet and multiple platforms, there is undoubtedly more content out there than at any other time in the history of man. Unfortunately, and predictably, along with this news explosion, the very unhealthy scourge of state-sponsored disinformation–with the West’s authoritarian foes trying to take advantage of this editorially unregulated Wild West [...]
DEBATE: Are NFTs going to change the art world? April 8, 2021 Ezra Konvitz, Director at Founders Intelligence says No NFTs are immutable receipts, not artworks per se. Right now, they’re speculative assets without intrinsic value; unlike Dogecoin, however, the number of interested buyers for any single NFT will be highly constrained, defeating that purpose. Their prime use is either to launder money or to somehow show [...]
It’s a myth to say sustainable and ethical clothing can’t be affordable April 8, 2021 Forced labour. Environmental hazard. A race to the bottom. It is no secret that the fashion industry is broken. Clothes are the second highest products at risk of slavery and produce around 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions – that’s more than planes. With labour supply across the global supply chain exceeding demand, fashion [...]
How many more pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong need to be arrested for Britain to step up? April 8, 2021 Last week, Hong Kong authorities sunk to a new low as they charged seven pro-democracy leaders for unlawful assembly. The time has come for Britain to stop standing idly by and demonstrate moral courage by standing unequivocally with Hong Kongers. The charges, relating to a demonstration two years ago before tough new national security laws were brought in, are the latest [...]
Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan – the best of enemies April 7, 2021 Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan are never happier than when they are publicly flogging each other. The mayor of London and his Tory predecessor have gotten into countless scraps over the past year, this week’s row over Transport for London’s (TfL) funding situation is just the latest. Johnson’s claims that he left TfL’s finances in [...]
DEBATE: Should London have rent controls? April 7, 2021 Dr Kristian Niemietz, head of political economy at the Institute of Economic Affair says No Rent controls are a lot like socialism. Both have been tried dozens of times. Both have ended in failure every single time. And both remain insanely popular nonetheless. In both cases, supporters will insist that, far from having failed, the [...]
Sky News boss: Covid has taught us to tell stories with data, we must do the same with climate change April 7, 2021 Reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic has been a wake-up call for those who argue the public do not crave the data behind a story. To stay informed, we have had no choice but to learn a new language of data and numbers. Projections from scientists now shape household conversations, people on the street can quote [...]
Enterprise Investment Scheme funds need to be green to cater to younger investors April 7, 2021 This year is exciting for many reasons, and not just because it is not 2020. 2021 marks the first year of a decade that will need to deliver significant social and environmental changes if the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are to be achieved. People are starting to think meaningfully about returns on investment in [...]
Keir Starmer still has time to shine as Labour leader April 7, 2021 Since last summer, Starmers have been the stock to short. In June, the Leader of the Opposition enjoyed a net approval rating of plus 31 per cent. The latest polls show this has fallen into negative territory. But as with all stocks, past performance is not necessarily a guide to the future. In terms of [...]