EU leaders split on plans for a European digital tax November 6, 2018 EU member states have failed to reach a consensus on imposing an EU-wide digital services tax, which affects firms such as Facebook and Alphabet, over fears of potential US retaliation. The plan, which requires approval from all 28 EU member states, is opposed by many. The levy would see a three per cent tax placed [...]
Facebook blocks 115 ‘inauthentic’ accounts over election interference fears as midterm elections start November 6, 2018 Facebook has blocked more than 100 accounts displaying suspicious activity on the eve of the US midterm elections, raising concerns of voting manipulation. The social network is investigating whether 30 Facebook accounts and 85 Instagram accounts might be connected to Russia’s Internet Research Agency, which was at the heart of attempts to use social media [...]
UK data watchdog fines Arron Banks’ insurance firm and Leave.EU campaign £135,000 November 6, 2018 An insurance firm owned by Arron Banks, as well as the Leave.EU campaign he founded, face fines totalling £135,000 from the UK's data watchdog. Banks's Leave.EU Brexit campaign and his company Eldon Insurance (trading as Go Skippy) were each given notice of fines of £60,000 by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for serious breaches of the Privacy [...]
Electric scooter company Bird launches trial at the Olympic Park in a bid to change regulations November 6, 2018 US electric scooter sharing company Bird has launched a trial of its service today at the Olympic Park in east London. The use of electric scooters has boomed in the US and has begun to take off in Europe with cities such as Paris allowing their introduction. However, they are currently not legally allowed to [...]
From artificial intelligence to quantum computing, Britain is a tech superpower November 6, 2018 Thousands of leaders from across the tech industry are descending on Lisbon this week for the annual international Web Summit. I’m excited to be here to champion the success of British tech to a global audience of investors and entrepreneurs. Britain is unmatched in Europe at producing tech-savvy, billion-dollar businesses. Last week, banking startup Monzo [...]
The UK remains ahead of the game in Europe’s tech sector November 6, 2018 The UK has continued to lead the way for funding activity in the European technology sector, both in terms of startups attracting investment and UK-based investors fuelling the continent’s exciting new talent. British startups secured almost a quarter of all early-stage tech investment in Europe in the last three years, according to new figures revealed [...]
Hammond spies end of UK’s deficit despite Budget spending increase November 5, 2018 Chancellor Philip Hammond has said he believes the government’s target of eliminating the UK’s deficit is “within touching distance”, despite ramping up public spending and tax cuts in the Budget. Appearing before the Treasury Select Committee this evening, Hammond denied his 2016 plans to reach a budget surplus by the mid-2020s had been abandoned. However, he [...]
Apple shares continue to slide as tech giant cancels iPhone XR production boost November 5, 2018 Apple has reportedly told two of its smartphone manufacturers to stand down on plans for additional production lines for the iPhone XR, just days after the firm said it would not meet analyst expectations for sales over the festive period. Sources on Apple's supply chain told Japanese newspaper the Nikkei that while one Apple supplier had [...]
Apple shares drop as tech titan loses $1 trillion valuation November 2, 2018 Apple shares dived over five per cent as US markets opened today, causing the Californian company to fall below its $1 trillion valuation as investors reacted to its prediction of a Christmas slump. The tech giant yesterday warned shareholders that festive sales could fall below expectations, even as it recorded double-digit growth for the fifth consecutive [...]
Behind the scenes of YouTube Space London, the co-working space with state of the art studios for video creators November 2, 2018 When Google’s gigantic new campus at King’s Cross is eventually completed, the building will be longer than the Shard is tall. At a planned 1,082 ft it’s been dubbed the world’s first “landscraper”, stretching from the station entrance at King’s Cross to the canalside by Granary Square. Along with the company’s existing premises at 6 [...]