Five reasons why tech stocks are in trouble November 27, 2018 For months, technology stocks have been the holy grail for growth, with valuations reaching dizzying heights. So, considering that what goes up must come down, perhaps it’s not surprising that stocks started tumbling last week. Share prices for each of the five tech giants – Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google (the so-called Faangs) – [...]
DEBATE: Was it right for MPs to use obscure parliamentary powers to seize Facebook documents? November 27, 2018 Was it right for MPs to use obscure parliamentary powers to seize Facebook documents? Kevin Craig, chief executive and founder of communications agency PLMR, says YES. There is something poetic about British politicians using one of the most archaic parliamentary powers to tackle a very modern policy challenge. Since the Cambridge Analytica story broke, Facebook has [...]
Mark Zuckerberg is a modern wartime chief executive November 26, 2018 Facebook was meant to revolutionise and make everything better wasn’t it? It was a friendly social networking platform that would allow us to share photos and videos, and stay in touch with those we needed to: friends, family, and the loved ones we were separated from by distances in time and geography. But the revelations [...]
WPP to merge JWT and Wunderman as part of streamlining plan November 26, 2018 Advertising giant WPP is merging its J Walter Thompson (JWT) and Wunderman agencies as the company attempts to streamline its complex business structure. The deal to combine the two subsidiaries will create a new entity called Wunderman Thompson, which will have headquarters in New York and London. The new company will employ roughly 20,000 people in 200 [...]
Tech giants criticised for lack of transparency over political lobbying November 26, 2018 Tech behemoths Amazon, Facebook and Google are among the worst companies for failing to offer transparency over their political lobbying efforts, according to Transparency International UK. The organisation's report into corporate political engagement, published today, included assessments of UK companies’ political contributions and lobbying, as well as the so-called revolving door between corporations and politics. Transparency [...]
MPs and businesses urged to boycott Google and Facebook over alleged failure to tackle UK terror November 22, 2018 Tech firms such as Google and Facebook have come under fire from the UK's parliamentary security committee, as a report published today urged businesses to boycott the social media platforms until they do more to tackle extremism. The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said continuous appeals to social media firms to stop their systems from being [...]
Crowdfunding isn’t just about money, but communicating with customers – the best businesses are the best listeners November 22, 2018 Consumers are increasingly sceptical of industry leaders, disloyal to brands, well-researched in the products and services they need, and not willing to be talked at. Through social media, they listen to one another about which brands are worth caring about, and which are not. The brands that are the best communicators are also the best [...]
Facebook to appeal £500,000 fine over Cambridge Analytica scandal November 21, 2018 Facebook will appeal a £500,000 fine handed down by the information commissioner for its role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The social media giant claimed that the data watchdog found no evidence that UK Facebook users were impacted by Cambridge Analytica, and the fine was therefore unjustified. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) imposed its maximum [...]
Facebook’s Zuckerberg brushes off resignation calls over Definers scandal November 21, 2018 Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has fought back against calls for the social media giant to change up its leadership, as requests for resignation letters mount against both him and Facebook operations chief Sheryl Sandberg. Zuckerberg rejected renewed criticism against the company in an interview with CNN late last night, where he took it upon himself to defend [...]
Buzzfeed founder hints at media mega-merger as the publisher launches new membership scheme November 20, 2018 Buzzfeed’s chief executive has said he would consider a merger with other media organisations as the publisher launches a shake-up of its business model. Jonah Peretti, who co-founded the website in 2006, said on Monday a series of mergers between online media companies could be the answer to the current challenges faced by news organisations. [...]