UK marketing budgets stall as political uncertainty hits brands July 17, 2019 UK marketing budgets flatlined in the second quarter, as growing uncertainty reversed a surprise ad spend boost at the start of the year. Figures released by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) revealed marketing budget growth stalled in the three months to the end of June, with businesses adopting a more cautious approach to [...]
Massive airport email scam blocked by UK spooks July 16, 2019 An attempt to scam hundreds of thousands of people using a spoof UK airport email address was one of a string of major cyberattacks prevented by spooks last year. Criminals sent more than 200,000 emails impersonating an airport from a fake gov.uk address last August in a bid to defraud people, but the messages were [...]
Advertising data platform Near raises $100m to fuel global expansion July 16, 2019 Advertising tech platform Near has secured $100m (£80m) in funding from a London-based private equity firm as it looks to expand its global presence. Read more: Competition watchdog launches probe into tech giants over digital advertising dominance The Singapore-headquartered ad firm said its new funding round, which comes from Greater Pacific Capital (GPC), will also [...]
Google employee who led walkout leaves firm following retaliation claims July 16, 2019 Google employee Meredith Whittaker, who led global staff walkouts over the tech giant’s sexual harassment policy, has left the company following allegations of a backlash against the protest’s organisers. Read more: Google workers listen in on private conversations via smart speakers Whittaker, who specialised in AI and founded the company’s Open Research Group, was a [...]
Community Fibre bags £50m funding boost for London broadband rollout July 16, 2019 London-focused full-fibre broadband company Community Fibre has secured an additional £50m of funding to support its rollout in the capital. Read more: BT may cut dividend to fund full-fibre rollout Community Fibre said the backing, which comes from its two institutional investors, RPMI and Amber Infrastructure, will accelerate its ambition of reaching 500,000 homes. The [...]
Facebook launches crackdown on scam ads following Martin Lewis lawsuit July 16, 2019 Facebook has launched a new tool to fight fake adverts on its platform following a lawsuit filed by money saving guru Martin Lewis. Lewis, who founded personal finance website Money Saving Expert, sued the social media platform last year over fake Facebook adverts that used his name and image. Read more: Facebook to be slapped [...]
Competition watchdog to probe $3.4bn Inmarsat takeover July 16, 2019 The competition watchdog has opened an investigation into the proposed $3.4bn (£2.6bn) takeover of satellite communications giant Inmarsat by a consortium of private equity firms. Read more: Inmarsat shareholders approve $3.4bn private equity takeover Inmarsat earlier this year unveiled a buyout deal led by Apax Partners and Warburg Pincus, who tabled a cash offer of [...]
Shares in Franco Manca owner Fulham Shore rise as it serves up revenue boost July 16, 2019 Shares in The Fulham Shore, which owns pizza chain Franco Manca, jumped more than five per cent in early trading after it posted a double-digit rise in revenue for the full year. Read more: Pizza Express losses widen amid strain on casual dining sector The figures Revenue increased 17 per cent to £64m in the [...]
No technological grounds for ban on Huawei, say MPs July 15, 2019 There is no reason to ban Chinese tech firm Huawei from the UK’s 5G network on technological grounds, a committee of MPs has concluded. In a letter to culture secretary Jeremy Wright, the Science and Technology Select Committee said there were no technical grounds for excluding Huawei entirely from critical infrastructure. Read more: US firms [...]
Extinction Rebellion launches ‘summer uprising’ across the UK July 15, 2019 Climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion has today launched a wave of protests, taking to the streets in five cities across the UK. The group said it aims to cause “major disruption” in London, Bristol, Leeds, Cardiff and Glasgow as part of a so-called summer uprising. Read more: Extinction Rebellion threatens to use drone in [...]
