European Parliament calls for a full audit of Facebook over its data breach track record October 25, 2018 The European Parliament has today called for a full audit to be carried out on Facebook to assess the security of its users' personal data and the firm's data protection policies, in light of this year's string of data breaches. MEPs have today adopted a resolution which urged Facebook to allow EU bodies to carry out [...]
Facebook fined maximum £500,000 penalty over Cambridge Analytica scandal October 25, 2018 Facebook must pay a £500,000 penalty for its role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the UK’s data watchdog ordered today. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has handed the social media giant the penalty for processing people’s data without their consent, as well as failing to keep that data secure. Read more: Facebook reels from the [...]
Apple chief Tim Cook calls for GDPR-style privacy in the US October 24, 2018 Apple chief executive Tim Cook praised EU privacy laws in a rare speech in Brussels today, and demanded that the US follow its lead. Appearing at an international data protection conference, Cook said it was "time for the rest of the world" to get up to speed on data privacy with the EU's General Data Protection [...]
DEBATE: With Nick Clegg joining Facebook, can we expect a new revolving door between politics and Silicon Valley? October 23, 2018 With Nick Clegg joining Facebook, can we expect a new revolving door between politics and Silicon Valley? YES, says Leon Emirali, an entrepreneur and investor. Stifling regulation, immense political upheaval, and very deep pockets have created the perfect environment for a politics/tech merry-go-round. For the Silicon Valley giants, it makes perfect sense to use their [...]
A luddite levy on online shopping won’t help the high street October 23, 2018 Time and time again over the past few months, we’ve heard prominent figures in the retail world call for a special sales tax on online companies to help prop up their struggling sector, from the Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis, to the New West End Company that represents Selfridges and Marks & Spencer. Chancellor Philip [...]
Truth to power: Adtech has to stand up for journalism October 22, 2018 The future of the press is in doubt. If you need an example of just how powerful fake news has become, remember August, when even seasoned journalists accepted at face value a spoof campaign ironically titled “Don’t believe every tweet”, featuring bogus quotes from Twitter’s chief executive Jack Dorsey. The changes in journalism have not [...]
Who the heck is Nick Clegg? Seven facts about Facebook’s new spin chief October 20, 2018 Facebook’s decision to hire the UK’s former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg as its communications chief was one that seemed to come out of left field. Clegg had previously held a prominent role in British public life as head of the UK’s third party the Liberal Democrats between 2007 and 2015 and the UK’s deputy prime minister between [...]
What the Clegg? Facebook taps former Lib Dem leader as its next head of global affairs October 19, 2018 Facebook has hired former Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg to be its next head of global affairs and communications, with the ex-politician set to move to Silicon Valley in January. Clegg will take over from the role's former occupant Elliot Schrage, who personally led the search for his replacement after announcing he would be leaving Facebook following [...]
Facebook shareholders call on Zuckerberg to step down as chairman October 17, 2018 Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is facing pressure to resign his post as chairman following a series of scandals. Several US public funds who own shares in the company have called for Zuckerberg to step down from the role after the social media giant “mishandled” a series of controversies. Facebook was at the centre of [...]
Not everything was awesome at Instagram, co-founder says in first public remarks since stepping down October 16, 2018 Instagram’s Kevin Systrom said people do not leave their jobs “because everything is awesome”, three weeks after stepping down amid rumours of a fallout with Mark Zuckerberg. In his first public remarks since leaving the company, Systrom said there were reasons for his departure, but gave no details. Read more: Facebook loses $11bn after Instagram [...]