Ad watchdog must tread carefully as it tackles social harms August 14, 2019 Times are changing for the advertising watchdog. Founded in 1962, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) was built on the principle of keeping ads legal, decent, honest and truthful, providing scrutiny to dubious claims made by brands. In recent years, however, the ASA has seen its jurisdiction expand. In 2004, the regulator added TV and radio to its roster of [...]
Cheesed off: Watchdog bans two adverts in first crackdown on harmful gender stereotypes August 14, 2019 The advertising watchdog has banned two adverts in its first crackdown on campaigns that feature harmful gender stereotypes. In landmark rulings published today, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) censured Mondelez and Volkswagen following complaints their ads portrayed male and female roles and characteristics in a way that caused offence. Read more: Advertising watchdog bans junk [...]
Woodford to offload stake in Push Doctor-backer ADV to Legal & General August 13, 2019 Beleaguered fund manager Neil Woodford is set to offload his firm’s stake in Accelerated Digital Ventures (ADV), which has backed startups including GP on-demand service Push Doctor. Woodford Investment Management is expected to strike a deal this week to sell its 40 per cent stake in ADV to fellow shareholder Legal & General, Sky News [...]
Senior MP slams ‘disingenuous’ Facebook response over Cambridge Analytica evidence August 13, 2019 The chair of the parliamentary committee probing Facebook’s alleged contradictory evidence to MPs has branded the tech giant’s response “disingenuous”. Facebook has been accused of giving inconsistent evidence about when it first learned that personal data had been misused for political advertising. Read more: MPs call on Facebook to explain ‘contradictory’ Cambridge Analytica evidence Asked [...]
Police and protesters clash as Hong Kong airport chaos continues August 13, 2019 Hong Kong international airport has been plunged into a night of violence as protesters clashed with riot police during the second day of chaos. Scuffles broke out as police pushed back protesters using pepper spray, while an injured person – accused of being an undercover policeman – was taken out of the main terminal by [...]
City watchdog delays new online payments rules after industry appeals for more time August 13, 2019 The financial regulator has agreed to delay new rules on online payments for 18 months after industry bodies called for more time to adapt to the changes. The new rules, known as strong customer authentication (SCA), will create an additional layer of verification for online payments to help reduce fraud. Read more: City watchdog launches [...]
KPMG ousts consulting boss after conduct probe August 12, 2019 KPMG has ousted the head of its financial services consulting division following an investigation into his conduct. The Big Four accounting firm last night confirmed to reporters that Tim Howarth has left the company. “We hold all of our people to a very high standard and take swift and appropriate action against any individual whose [...]
Crunch time: Kettle Foods poised for takeover by Irish group Valeo August 12, 2019 The owner of high-end crisp brand Kettle Chips is set to be swallowed up by Irish food group Valeo as the two companies near an agreement in takeover talks. Valeo Foods, which owns brands including Rowse Honey and Barratt confectionery, is in advanced talks to buy Kettle Foods’s operations in the UK and Ireland, Sky [...]
Yen and bonds bullish as trade war fears weigh on global stocks August 12, 2019 Concerns that US-China trade tensions and a no-deal Brexit could spark a recession boosted the yen and bond markets today, while stock markets suffered once again. Early gains for European and Asian stocks soon faded and Wall Street futures were already in the red as traders geared up for another potentially volatile week. Read more: [...]
King’s Cross defends use of facial recognition technology August 12, 2019 The developer behind King’s Cross has defended its use of facial recognition technology, despite concerns about privacy and data use. Property development firm Argent, which is overseeing a regeneration project on the 67-acre site, said its use of the cameras was “in the interest of public safety”. Read more: Passengers told to avoid King’s Cross [...]
