Google pushes back office return to January as Covid cases surge August 31, 2021 Google has pushed back on plans for a full return to the workplace and extended its voluntary return-to-office policy through to January next year, amid concerns over rising Covid cases in some locations around the world. “Beyond January 10, we will enable countries and locations to make determinations on when to end voluntary work-from-home based [...]
South Korea outlaws Google and Apple in-app payment systems August 31, 2021 South Korea’s National Assembly has approved legislation that bans app store operators such as Google and Apple from forcing developers to use their in-app payment systems. South Korea is reportedly the first country in the world to pass such a bill, which becomes law when it is signed by the president, whose party has backed [...]
Google invests £859m in German clean energy and digital infrastructure August 31, 2021 Google has announced it will invest €1bn (£859m) in German clean energy and digital infrastructure between now and 2030. Today, the tech behemoth has agreed a 92 megawatt deal with ENGIE, a large European utility company, which will assemble a green energy portfolio on Google’s behalf. The company is aiming for its German operations to [...]
Big Tech vows to ramp up cybersecurity after White House summit August 26, 2021 Major US tech firms have pledged to ramp up their cybersecurity defences following a White House summit yesterday. Google, Microsoft, Amazon and IBM were among the companies to make multi-billion-dollar commitments as President Joe Biden called on top chief executives to “raise the bar on cybersecurity”. During a meeting alongside his members of his Cabinet, [...]
Data watchdog targets social media with new Children’s Code August 25, 2021 The UK data watchdog is setting its sights on social media and gaming companies with new regulations to protect children that come into force next week. The Children’s Code brings in new rules around protecting data for online services such as apps, online games and web and social media sites likely to be accessed by [...]
South Korea set to crack down on Apple and Google over app charges August 24, 2021 South Korea is poised to block Apple and Google from charging commission on in-app purchases in what could be the first such move by regulators around the world. The parliament’s legislation and judiciary committee is today expected to approve legal changes that will ban app store operators with dominant market positions from forcing certain payment [...]
Facebook and Google eye Asia-Pacific markets amid plans for new subsea cable August 16, 2021 Facebook and Google announced today their plans to build a new subsea cable to improve internet connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region. Apricot, the 12,000-kilometre-long subsea cable, will connect Singapore, Japan, Guam, the Philippines, Taiwan and Indonesia. It is expected to be ready for service in 2024, according to Facebook. The US social media group continued [...]
Plymouth shooting: Suspect’s hate-filled Youtube account taken offline August 13, 2021 A hate-filled Youtube account belonging to the suspect in a mass shooting that killed five people in Plymouth yesterday has been taken offline. The account, named Professor Waffle, included a number of videos by 23-year-old Jake Davison, who has been named locally as the gunman. It has now been removed and the page shows a [...]
Google employees could face pay cuts under remote working scheme August 10, 2021 Google employees could experience pay cuts if they choose to work remotely on a permanent basis, with those who commute hit hardest. In June, Google gave US employees access to a new Work Location Tool which allows them to see how moving would impact pay as part of plans to pay remote workers based on [...]
Screenshot: Will the digital advertising boom ever end? July 30, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: You are what you tweet **Will the digital advertising boom ever end? **Esports: Britain’s next big thing? Media Moment of the Week: You are what you tweet You know the scenario: someone says something you don’t like on Twitter and you have an overwhelming urge to rise to [...]