Google scraps AI ethics board after just a week amid controversy over board member April 5, 2019 Google has scrapped its AI ethics board only a week after forming it following a controversy over its choice of board members. The tech giant last week unveiled its newly-formed Advanced Technology External Advisory Council (ATEAC) to oversee the ethical development and use of its AI research and products. Read more: Here's how much Google [...]
Judges and social media – Your Honour, should you be using Twitter in court? April 4, 2019 A British judge recently resorted to Twitter to appeal directly to one of the parties involved in a case over which he was presiding. Ellie Yarrow-Sanders was on the run with her toddler son, Olly Sheridan, for over six months. Mr Justice Williams, the High Court judge in the case between Yarrow-Sanders and her ex-partner, [...]
Sheryl Crow asked Twitter for help fixing her Tesla – Elon Musk replied April 4, 2019 When Sheryl Crow turned to Twitter to solve a problem with her Tesla, she got an answer straight from the top as Elon Musk took a moment to help her out. The billionaire-turned-troubleshooter weighed in after the US singer took to Twitter to complain of a problem that had crippled her high-performance electric car. Read [...]
Army launches investigation into video showing soldiers using Jeremy Corbyn picture for target practice April 3, 2019 The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has launched an investigation after footage emerged showing British soldiers firing at a poster of Jeremy Corbyn. The video, first reported by Sky News, shows four soldiers firing weapons into the distance, and later pans round to show a poster of the Labour leader being used as the target. A [...]
Generation Rent needs more help to buy property, not Help to Buy April 2, 2019 Britain is not yet a nation of renters – but it’s getting there. Half of children are now born in rented accommodation, versus a third back in 2003-4. The number of families renting with children has doubled in a decade, according to the insurance provider Royal London. Meanwhile, new analysis shows that the government’s Help [...]
It’s not about copyright – the EU is trying to destroy the internet March 29, 2019 One of the feistiest debates in the classically liberal community revolves around the concept of property rights, especially in the digital age. I realise that, for many, this may not seem the sexiest topic, but at least this column isn’t about Brexit, so stay with me. Those who broadly share a similar, free-market worldview can take [...]
DEBATE: The Mueller report has cleared Trump of collusion with Russia – is this the end of his legal worries? March 26, 2019 The Mueller report has cleared Trump of collusion with Russia – is this the end of his legal worries? YES, says Sarah Elliott, chair of Republicans Overseas UK After two years and over $25m of taxpayer funds, the big conspiracy, perpetuated by the Trump-deranged media, that the 45th President was elected because of Russian collusion has [...]
Donald Trump brands Kellyanne Conway’s husband a ‘stone cold LOSER’ in bizarre Twitter blast March 20, 2019 US President Donald Trump has never been shy throwing around insults on Twitter, with historic targets including North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (“Rocketman”), former FBI director James Comey (“not smart”) and the media (“FAKE NEWS”). His latest target is more surprising: George Conway, husband of one of his closest aides, Kellyanne Conway. Trump unleashed [...]
We don’t need to break up big tech to make a better internet – we just need more competition March 19, 2019 Last week saw the release of the government-commissioned Furman Review into digital competition. The commission, chaired by former Obama administration chief economic adviser Jason Furman, found that Google, Amazon, and Facebook don’t face enough competition. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, given the recent attention on tech giants’ business models by governments across the world. [...]
MPs call for social media regulation to protect children from online ‘wild west’ March 18, 2019 The “lawless landscape” of social media must be regulated to ensure young people are protected from graphic content that could damage their mental health, a group of MPs has said. A report into the impact of social media on young people’s mental health concluded firms such as Facebook and Instagram should face a 0.5 per [...]