MPs and peers launch ‘super committee’ to scrutinise online harms laws July 29, 2021 A joint committee of MPs and lords has been launched today to scrutinise controversial government plans to tackle online harms. The new super committee will be tasked with seeking views on the online safety bill, which was published in draft form in May. The bill is designed to hold tech giants such as Facebook and [...]
Big Tech earnings: What to expect this week as tech titans report July 27, 2021 Wall Street is gearing up for a slew of Big Tech earnings this week with Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft all set to deliver figures for their latest quarter. Twitter and Snap kicked off proceedings by smashing expectations last week, raising hopes that a post-pandemic advertising rebound will boost other platforms. Tesla also shrugged [...]
WPP pulls out of Facebook media agency review July 23, 2021 WPP, which currently handles Facebook’s lucrative media planning and buying account, has pulled out of the social media’s agency review. GroupM, WPP’s media investment management division, has opted not to compete to retain the account, leaving rivals Dentsu, Havas and Publicis Groupe vying for the contract. Facebook’s media buying account is highly sought-after, reportedly covering [...]
Online harms laws pose threat to free speech, Lords committee warns July 22, 2021 The government’s plans to crack down on harmful online content pose a threat to freedom of speech and would be ineffective, peers have warned. In a report published today, the House of Lords communications and digital committee slammed plans to address “legal but harmful” material, saying the issue should instead be addressed through tougher law [...]
Ireland holds position against global corporate tax deal July 16, 2021 Ireland said it is pushing to keep its lower tax rates, denying a report that the country would abandon its 12.5 per cent rate for the proposed global rate of 15 per cent. The country’s finance minister, Paschal Donohoe, told RTE yesterday he was “committed” to maintaining his country’s low tax rate as it has [...]
Screenshot: Will a streaming overhaul tidy up the UK’s messy music sector? July 16, 2021 This week: **Media Moment of the Week: ‘Oh fiddlesticks’ **Could a streaming crackdown tidy up Britain’s messy music sector? Media Moment of the Week: ‘Oh fiddlesticks’ In a situation you wouldn’t have thought possible in 2021, the BBC somehow found a man in Nottingham on Monday morning who still didn’t know the result of the [...]
Savills suspends manager over racist tweet as social media firms enter hot water July 14, 2021 Estate agent Savills has suspended a manager after he posted a racist tweet after England’s Euro final defeat on Sunday. The investigation is now being spearheaded by the Greater Manchester Police, as the manager claimed his Twitter account was hacked. People took to Twitter to share the employee’s LinkedIn page which showed where he worked [...]
Tech professionals urge social media to verify user IDs after Euro 2020 racist abuse July 13, 2021 Social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter should require users to verify their identities following the racist abuse of England players after their Euro 2020 final defeat, according to a group of tech professionals. Despite boycotts and some technical changes from big tech companies, many people still see social media as “a consequence-free playground [...]
England footballer Tyrone Mings slams Priti Patel over racism response July 13, 2021 England footballer Tyrone Mings has launched a blistering attack on Priti Patel over her response to racist abuse after the home secretary previously described taking the knee as “gesture politics”. Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jordan Sancho have been subjected to racist hate on social media after they missed penalties in the Euro 2020 final [...]
Facebook ‘lost’ important rule on dangerous individuals for three years July 8, 2021 Facebook “misplaced” guidance on an important exemption to its rules on dangerous individuals and organisations for three years, the company’s oversight board has revealed. The board, which was created to rule on controversial content decisions, said it had overturned Facebook’s original decision to remove an Instagram post encouraging people to talk about the solitary confinement [...]