Technology has changed our minds — now it’s time for brands to catch up October 12, 2020 Let’s begin with the pretty bold claim: that digital technology has altered us forever. Over the past decade, an enormous amount of research and literature has been produced on the subject — from the American writer Nicholas Carr, to MIT professor of social psychology Sherry Turkle, to the eminent British neuroscientist Susan Greenfield. Each in [...]
EU regulators draw up ‘hit list’ of tech giants to share data with smaller rivals October 12, 2020 European Union regulators have reportedly drawn up a “hit list” of around 20 tech giants, potentially including Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Google, to reduce their market power. The internet platforms will be hit with tougher regulations than their smaller rivals under the new rules. They will be forced to share data with competitors and be [...]
Exclusive: Lord Mandelson urges UK to block ‘short-sighted’ Arm takeover October 9, 2020 Lord Peter Mandelson has called on the UK to block the planned $40bn takeover of British chipmaker Arm by Nvidia, describing the deal as “short-sighted” and “completely anti-competitive”. The former business secretary told City A.M. that the acquisition was a “direct threat to our security of supply and sovereignty in the UK and Europe”. US [...]
Silver linings: How IBM’s reinvention highlights the rise of the cloud October 9, 2020 International Business Machines (IBM) shares rose almost six per cent yesterday after the tech firm announced plans to split its business into two public companies. IBM, which is one of the world’s oldest computer companies, will spin off its legacy IT infrastructure business by the end of next year and double down its efforts on [...]
Netflix to triple London office space as it cashes in on British success stories October 9, 2020 Netflix is set to massively expand its London office space as the US streaming giant doubles down on its commitment to the UK. The streamer will triple its footprint to 100,000 square feet when it moves into the Copyright Building in the West End. Netflix is taking over the lease from outsourcing giant Capita, which [...]
London investment firm Centricus makes surprise entry into Tiktok takeover race October 9, 2020 A little-known British investment firm has reportedly emerged as a shock bidder for Tiktok as it looks to derail Oracle’s tie-up with the Chinese viral video app. London-based Centricus Asset Management has been in negotiations with the chief executive of Tiktok’s parent company Bytedance for weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported. The firm is said [...]
Facebook issues temporary ban on political ads after US election October 8, 2020 Facebook will stop running political ads in the US after polls close on 3 November in a bid to prevent “confusion or abuse” in the aftermath of the presidential election. The social media giant said the temporary ban marked its efforts to “protect the integrity of the election by fighting foreign interference, misinformation and voter [...]
Huawei: ‘Clear evidence’ of collusion with Beijing, MPs warn October 8, 2020 There is “clear evidence of collusion” between Chinese tech giant Huawei and authorities in Beijing, top MPs have warned. In a report published today parliament’s defence committee claimed Huawei was “closely linked” to the Chinese state and the Communist Party. It also cited concerns about Huawei’s receipt of state subsidies and Chinese intelligence laws that [...]
Cambridge Analytica did not misuse data to influence Brexit, watchdog rules October 7, 2020 Disgraced political consultancy Cambridge Analytica did not misuse data to try and influence the outcome of the 2016 Brexit referendum, a major probe has concluded. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has spent three years investigating the use of personal data in political campaigning by the now defunct SCL Elections — the parent company of Cambridge [...]
Beyond Imagination: What’s next for the scandal-hit British chipmaker? October 7, 2020 Imagination Technologies this week confirmed the appointment of telecoms veteran Simon Beresford-Wylie as its next chief executive, marking a new chapter for the British chipmaker. The Hertfordshire-based tech firm has been no stranger to scandal in recent months, with MPs lashing out at the company’s ties to a major investor linked to the Chinese state. [...]