A ‘spy clause’ to break encrypted texts while preserving privacy is still a dream September 11, 2023 After years of wrangling, the Online Safety Bill is still caught on impractical plans to break through end-to-end encrypted messages like WhatsApp, writes Eliot Wilson
Online Safety Bill: Tech bosses slam fresh government statement September 7, 2023 The UK government has denied its stance on the controversial Online Safety Bill has changed despite admitting that the technology to access messages without compromising user privacy does not currently exist. The bill has come under intense scrutiny from tech companies as it seeks to override encryption to scan online messages sent in the UK [...]
Online Safety Bill: UK tech superpower dreams could be crushed by over-regulation August 24, 2023 New rules in the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) are set to come into force tomorrow, while the UK’s Online Safety Bill (OSB) remains mired in parliamentary proceedings, reigniting the regulation debate among tech companies and industry experts. The OSB, which aims to enhance online safety and security for users within the UK, is [...]
Sweeping powers to hike broadband bills must be stopped August 24, 2023 Consumer group Which? has accused Virgin Media of 'breaking the law' with new price increases.
Louis Theroux warns on campaign for ‘Brexit from the BBC licence fee’ August 24, 2023 Louis Theroux feels there is a “vested interest” by some media outlets for a “Brexit from the licence fee”. On Wednesday, during the annual MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh Television Festival, the broadcaster and documentary-maker said he believes the BBC is in a “no-win” situation of trying to “avoid offence” and in danger of avoiding [...]
Which? urges Ofcom to probe Virgin Media rate hikes August 24, 2023 Which? has called on Ofcom to probe Virgin Media’s pricing tactics, accusing it of “egregious” tactics and “woeful” customer service. The consumer champ said Virgin could be breaking the law by giving itself “sweeping powers” to hike broadband bills by “unlimited sums” whenever it feels like it. Plus, the telecoms company is reportedly slapping on [...]
More streaming mergers are ‘inevitable’ say experts August 14, 2023 A tie-up trend is taking root in the streaming industry. Video on demand providers are scratching around for more subscribers and trying to secure their footing in a crowded market.
Explainer: Snapchat under the spotlight for high number of underage users August 8, 2023 Parents concerned about the online safety of their children are an issue as old as the Internet, but one that’s been aggravated by the popularity of social media. Snapchat looks to be the last casualty of scrupulous regulators in the UK. The Information Commissioner’s Officer, the data regulator in the UK, is gathering information about [...]
Ofcom: Jacob Rees-Mogg in focus as GB News shows probed over impartiality claims August 7, 2023 Ofcom has launched four investigations into GB News’s compliance with due impartiality rules, including one by Conservative politician Jacob Rees-Mogg. The UK media watchdog said it is looking at three programmes, including an episode of Rees-Mogg’s show State Of The Nation. This in relation to the regulator’s rule that politicians must not act as newsreaders, interviewers [...]
Do viewers prefer the news or Netflix? Ofcom’s latest report reveals state of the nation August 3, 2023 Traditional news channels have beaten Netflix to secure the top spots on the nation’s television appetite as audiences increasingly drift to different media outlets, according to Ofcom’s latest annual Media Nations report. BBC One emerged as the viewers’ first port of call when switching on the TV last year, capturing 20 per cent of the [...]