Access to Facebook Live to be restricted in wake of Christchurch massacre March 30, 2019 Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said Facebook is exploring plans to restrict access to Facebook Live after an attack on two mosques in Christchurch that killed 50 people was live streamed on the platform. In an open letter on the New Zealand Herald, Sandberg said: “We have heard feedback that we must do more [...]
It’s not about copyright – the EU is trying to destroy the internet March 29, 2019 One of the feistiest debates in the classically liberal community revolves around the concept of property rights, especially in the digital age. I realise that, for many, this may not seem the sexiest topic, but at least this column isn’t about Brexit, so stay with me. Those who broadly share a similar, free-market worldview can take [...]
Watch out high street banks – Apple has a credit card and is out to steal your supper March 29, 2019 Every day, new competitors are coming out of the woodwork and vying for a piece of the high street banks’ pie. This has forced the big banks – some kicking and screaming – to evolve, and at a pace that they’ve never before experienced. Change is not a new concept for consumers when it comes [...]
Lyft valued at $24bn as it prices shares at $72 ahead of New York float March 28, 2019 Ride-hailing app Lyft has priced its initial public offering (IPO) at $72 per share ahead of its float on the Nasdaq tomorrow, giving it a valuation of more than $24bn (£18.4bn). The pricing is at the top end of the firm’s target range, which Lyft increased earlier this week in a sign of strong investor [...]
Ex-Autonomy finance chief Sushovan Hussain ‘did not have tech knowledge’ for alleged fraud, court hears March 28, 2019 Former Autonomy finance chief Sushovan Hussain was “a numbers guy” without the technological knowledge to carry out alleged fraud at the software firm, a court heard today. Hewlett-Packard is suing Hussain and Autonomy’s founder Mike Lynch for $5bn following its £8.4bn acquisition of the UK firm in 2011, alleging that the pair falsely inflated the [...]
Huawei criticised by UK for security flaws in its mobile network March 28, 2019 The UK has criticised Chinese tech giant Huawei for failing to fix security flaws in its mobile network equipment and has revealed new technical issues, as the company fights suspicions that it could be a Trojan horse for China’s spies. Read more: Trump: UK's 5G plans put national security at risk In its report, released [...]
Facebook set to snap up Debenhams HQ as embattled retailer surrenders lease March 28, 2019 Facebook has agreed to swoop up new office space left empty by troubled department store chain Debenhams, which is vacating its West End HQ to help pay off a mounting debt pile. Read more: Debenhams bondholders back £200m rescue loan in blow to Ashley bid The tech giant, which which has been ramping up its [...]
There’s a human cost to fetishising entrepreneurs like Elizabeth Holmes March 28, 2019 According to the documentary director Alex Gibney, the success of Elizabeth Holmes can be put down to Silicon Valley’s “fetishisation of the entrepreneur”. Holmes’ story is depicted in his latest film, The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, released last week. But her story has caught the imagination of just about everyone who has [...]
Digital wealth manager Nutmeg targets ‘seven figure sum’ in crowdfunding round March 27, 2019 Digital wealth manager Nutmeg has announced it will launch a crowdfunding round this year, targeting a seven figure sum. Nutmeg, which counts Goldman Sachs, Taipei Fubon Bank, Convoy and Balderton Capital among existing investors, is opening up company ownership to its customers in partnership with equity funding platform Crowdcube. Read more: £350 for your thoughts: [...]
Elon Musk uses Twitter wisely, new Tesla chair says March 27, 2019 The new chair of Tesla said that its chief executive Elon Musk uses Twitter “wisely”, in an interview today. “Twitter is part of everyday business for many executives today,” Robyn Denholm told Bloomberg, “From my perspective, he uses it wisely.” Musk faced heat from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after tweeting in August [...]