IT legislation and regulation
Understanding the law as it applies to IT management can be one of the hardest task for IT leaders, but the growing burden of regulatory compliance makes it essential. Legislation and regulation affects enterprise IT in many ways, not just in long-standing tasks such as contracts and software licensing. We examine the latest legal development and how they affect IT managers, and talk to the experts in IT legislation and regulation to explain what it means to your organisation.
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News
30 Dec 2024
Top 10 government IT stories of 2024
The past year has provided one of the biggest changes in government for 14 years, with Labour coming to power. With it, the new government has brought plenty of tech promises Continue Reading
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News
30 Dec 2024
Top 10 financial services stories of 2024
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 financial services stories of 2024 Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2019
Worries over impact of foreign talent on Australia’s tech jobs put to rest
Local tech industry welcomes a new report from the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia which found that migrants have not had a negative impact on wages or participation rates of Aussie workers Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2019
Free tool reveals the true cost of ‘free’ online services
New data discovery portal developed by Finnish security firm F-Secure helps to uncover what Facebook, Amazon, Google and other tech giants know about consumers Continue Reading
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E-Zine
18 Jul 2019
CW ANZ: Trend Watch – Security
With regulations pushing data protection up the business agenda, we look at how Australia’s Notifiable Data Breaches scheme has been received and consider why a survey that found Australian firms are experiencing fewer cyber breach incidents appears to conflict with anecdotal evidence that suggests the opposite. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2019
Digital minister Margot James quits after Brexit vote
James voted against the government in an attempt to stop the next Prime Minister from suspending Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Jul 2019
Security Think Tank: Engage business to address commercial risk
What strategies can infosec pros use to shift focus from GDPR fines to enabling business gains and success, changing the way data is used, and aligning data privacy with business purpose? Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2019
Parliamentary committee calls for halt to facial recognition trials
Issues with biometrics and forensics pose a significant risk to effective functioning of the criminal justice system, according to a report by the Science and Technology Committee Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2019
Facebook accused of ‘breathtaking arrogance’ over Libra cryptocurrency plan
US senators grill Facebook’s David Marcus over social media giant’s plans to launch cryptocurrency Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Jul 2019
Security Think Tank: Translating GDPR compliance into business benefits
What strategies can information security professionals use to shift focus from General Data Protection Regulation fines to enabling business gains and success, changing the way data is used, and aligning data privacy with business purpose? Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2019
UN resolution ignores special rapporteur’s call for halt to spyware sales
UN’s Human Rights Council adopts resolution to explore the impact of new and emerging digital technologies on human rights, but the text ignores a damning report by the council’s own expert on freedom of expression Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2019
Dutch authorities temporarily halt datacentre construction
Two local authorities in the Netherlands have put the brakes on datacentre construction to give them time to put policies in place to gain more control over builds Continue Reading
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Opinion
16 Jul 2019
Security Think Tank: Aligning data privacy with business objectives
What strategies can infosec pros use to shift focus from GDPR fines to enabling business gains and success, changing the way data is used, and aligning data privacy with business purpose? Continue Reading
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Podcast
16 Jul 2019
BA/Marriott GDPR fines: What they were for and how to avoid them
We talk to Mathieu Gorge, CEO of Vigitrust, about the BA and Marriott GDPR fines and what organisations can do to ensure they achieve compliance with GDPR and similar regulations Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2019
UK launches 5G security inquiry
The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy is to probe the UK government’s approach to telecoms technology as a national security issue Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2019
Billion-dollar privacy penalties put CEOs on notice
Facebook’s potential $5bn settlement with the FTC follows notifications of planned GDPR fines for British Airways and Marriott International, underlining the importance of data stewardship Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2019
US judge dismisses challenge over Department of Defense mega-cloud contract
The US Department of Defense looks set to award a $10bn cloud contract after a legal challenge to the procurement process failed Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2019
No technical grounds to ban Huawei, DCMS told
Science and Technology Committee tells Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport that there are no technical grounds for it to exclude Huawei Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Jul 2019
Security Think Tank: Don’t dismiss the business benefits of GDPR
What strategies can infosec pros use to shift focus from GDPR fines to enabling business gains and success, changing the way data is used, and aligning data privacy with business purpose? Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2019
Zopa gets in-house tech ready for 2019 bank launch
Peer-to-peer lender tests out banking platforms in anticipation of launching products in the UK before the end of this year Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Jul 2019
Security Think Tank: Align compliance objectives with business goals
What strategies can information security professionals use to shift focus from GDPR fines to enabling business gains and success, changing the way data is used, and aligning data privacy with business purpose? Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2019
Dutch privacy watchdog tells banks not to use customer payment data for marketing
Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens tells banks to respect client privacy and not to market products based on spending data Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2019
Max Schrems not calling for SCCs to be invalidated
The privacy activist at the centre of legal battle against Facebook is not calling for all standard contractual clauses to be invalidated, according to his non-profit privacy organisation Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 Jul 2019
Security Think Tank: Changing the GDPR focus to business benefit
What strategies can information security professionals use to shift focus from General Data Protection Regulation fines to enabling business gains and success, changing the way data is used, and aligning data privacy with business purpose? Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2019
Demand for ICO help escalates in GDPR's first year
The past year has seen increased demand across all support services offered by the UK’s privacy watchdog as new data protection laws went into force Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2019
Marriott International facing £99m GDPR fine
Hotel group Marriott International is the second major company to be fined by the UK privacy watchdog for infringements of the GDPR Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Jul 2019
Britain’s 5G roll-out – What is plan B?
The government has ambitious aspirations in respect of Britain’s full-fibre and 5G networks. But among all the Brexit fog, has it managed to shoot itself in the foot with the roll-out of 5G mobile? Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2019
ICO issues warning about using facial recognition technology
The UK privacy watchdog has ruled that any police force or private organisation using live facial recognition technology is processing personal data and needs to pay attention to data protection laws Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Jul 2019
Data protection: How privacy can be a benefit, not a burden
With the growing number of data breaches, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about how their data is used. Organisations can take advantage of this trend by treating data protection and user privacy as product features Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Jul 2019
Security Think Tank: Benefits of GDPR compliance
What strategies can information security professionals use to shift focus from General Data Protection Regulation fines to enabling business gains and success, changing the way data is used, and aligning data privacy with business purpose? Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2019
European Court hears case on EU-US data transfers
Facebook could be forced to rethink its legal position regarding transfers of data of EU citizens to the US, as the CJEU considers the validity of standard contractual clauses that many businesses rely on Continue Reading
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Opinion
08 Jul 2019
Security Think Tank: Embrace data protection as a necessary business process
What strategies can information security professionals use to shift focus from GDPR fines to enabling business gains and success, changing the way data is used, and aligning data privacy with business purpose? Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2019
British Airways facing £183m GDPR fine
British Airways is to appeal against a record fine for infringement of data protection rules for a breach of customer data in 2018 Continue Reading
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News
04 Jul 2019
King’s College London breached GDPR by handing students’ information to police, review finds
Following a review of its security arrangements, King’s College London has referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office after improperly sharing sensitive information about politically active students with police Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2019
BT and Openreach told to be more transparent over split
Ofcom’s latest monitoring report on the changing relationship between BT and Openreach finds room for improvement, but is mostly positive Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2019
Why PSD2 adoption in the Netherlands is lagging behind
The Netherlands appears to be falling behind in open banking, even though the Dutch are digitally proficient and are often early adopters of new technology. What is going on? Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2019
CPS faces legal ruling over refusal to disclose emails with US on WikiLeaks and Assange extradition
A court will decide whether the Crown Prosecution Service can refuse to neither confirm nor deny the existence of correspondence with US on investigations into Julian Assange and WikiLeaks Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jul 2019
Facebook’s privacy game – how Zuckerberg backtracked on promises to protect personal data
Facebook promised its users privacy then quietly abandoned its promises in pursuit of profits. Now it faces antitrust regulation Continue Reading
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News
01 Jul 2019
Ofcom to make switching mobile operators easier
The often fraught process of switching mobile network operators will become easier for end-users as new Ofcom regulations come into force Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2019
Ofcom gets go-ahead for new Openreach access model
Following referral to the European Commission, Ofcom is pressing ahead with a new regulatory model governing more open access to Openreach’s ducts, poles and dark fibre Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2019
Interview: Yasmeen Al Sharaf, head of fintech and innovation unit, Central Bank of Bahrain
Yasmeen Al Sharaf heads up financial technology strategy at Bahrain’s central bank, which is on a mission to grow and diversify the sector in the Middle East island state Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2019
MPs to probe UK’s growing e-waste problem
The parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee has launched an inquiry into electronic waste and the circular economy Continue Reading
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Blog Post
27 Jun 2019
Why are regulations still hindering connectivity?
This is a guest blog post by Tom Dailey, chief international legal, policy and regulatory officer at Verizon The regulatory and policy landscape is a really important topic for all businesses given ... Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2019
Data drives decentralisation in Nordic healthcare
Nordic tech startups are applying their skills to solving some of the challenges for the region’s healthcare sector Continue Reading
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News
26 Jun 2019
Singapore government forms digital industry office
New office will help local tech firms grow their regional footprint and build new capabilities in order to thrive in APAC’s booming digital economy Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jun 2019
How facial recognition technology threatens basic privacy rights
As adoption of facial recognition systems continues to grow worldwide, there is increasing concern that this technology could undermine fundamental privacy rights and how it can be kept in check Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jun 2019
Disaster planning: How to expect the unexpected
Focusing too much on specific disasters rather than considering an organisation’s data protection, network security and process requirements, can lead to unpredicted vulnerabilities Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2019
Surveillance camera czar calls for stronger UK code of practice
Surveillance cameras are for supporting communities, not spying on them, but the UK needs stronger regulation and citizen engagement in this area, says surveillance camera commissioner Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2019
Online porn age-verification checks delayed for six months
Changes to force UK internet users to prove their age to access adult content are postponed for a third time because of failure to notify the European Commission of key policy details Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2019
Looming private sector IR35 reforms prompts calls for gig economy-focused tax system overhaul
The growth of the gig-based economy has exposed weaknesses in the UK tax system – exacerbated by the IR35 reforms – that mean an overhaul is needed, panel claims Continue Reading
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News
18 Jun 2019
Singapore faced fewer cyber threats in 2018
Despite the fall in the number of common cyber threats last year, Singapore will continue to face advanced persistent threats, CSA warns Continue Reading
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News
16 Jun 2019
5G to drive hybrid cloud adoption in ANZ
5G networks will move computing to the edge, driving adoption of hybrid cloud and hyper-converged infrastructure, says Nutanix’s ANZ chief Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2019
How computer vision powered by Nvidia helped Winnow tackle food waste
Winnow has developed a biologically inspired machine learning algorithm to identify what foods are being thrown away Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2019
Facebook London hiring spree focuses on tackling online harms
Facebook is hiring for 500 tech jobs in the capital in the next six months, with a particular focus on seeking out and clamping down on malicious content and fake accounts, and curbing other harmful behaviour on its platforms Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2019
Austrian Supreme Court green-lights GDPR case against Facebook
A potential landmark case against Facebook for violating General Data Protection Regulation rights has been given the go-ahead by the Austrian Supreme Court Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2019
In a cyber data breach, preparation is key
The importance of preparation was strongly emphasised at a breach response workshop hosted by DAC Beachcroft as part of London Tech Week Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2019
MP brands Huawei exec a ‘moral vacuum’ as operators demand 5G clarity
Huawei chief security officer John Suffolk faces tough questions from parliament’s Science and Technology Select Committee over the firm’s links to the Chinese government Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2019
Edtech in the Nordics offers students alternative learning journeys
Pioneering attitude to technology innovation across business and society lends itself to adoption in education across the region Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2019
Ofcom’s Sharon White to step down at Christmas
Chief executive will leave her role at the telecoms regulator at the end of 2019 Continue Reading
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Opinion
05 Jun 2019
Is GDPR worth the cost?
Regulations have costs, which are meant to be recouped by the expected benefits. But who decides whether this is a good deal? Ultimately, it’s you Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2019
Amal Clooney calls on business and tech to solve world issues
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney urged technologists to look at how they can tackle issues that governments have failed to address Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2019
Consumer comms providers sign Ofcom’s new fairness pledge
The UK’s biggest communications service providers have signed up to a series of new commitments pledging to put fairness to customers at the heart of their business Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2019
Nordics block European Commission tech tax levy to protect digital investment
The Nordic EU countries have formed a powerful voice against the European Commission’s plans on digital service tax. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 May 2019
Data governance: The importance of getting it right
With ever-increasing storage capacity, organisations are needing to take more control of their file management systems with thorough data governance policies. Otherwise, they run the risk of project data being exposed Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2019
Facebook loses bid to halt European court decision on EU-US data sharing
Irish Supreme Court dismisses attempt by Facebook to prevent the European Court of Justice considering the validity of US-EU data transfers, after Austrian lawyer Max Schrems argued that they put the privacy of EU citizens at risk Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2019
2.3 billion business and consumer data files exposed online
In the year since the GDPR compliance deadline, the number of data files exposed online without adequate protection is up more than 50% due to misconfigured security controls, report reveals Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2019
ICO to shortlist Sandbox applicants
Privacy watchdog’s Sandbox service aims to help develop innovative and beneficial products and services that are privacy compliant Continue Reading
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News
28 May 2019
Many search engine users unaware of personal data collection
Many users of online search engines are still unaware that data is being collected about them for personalised advertising, a study has revealed Continue Reading
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News
28 May 2019
Swedes need to keep a week’s cash under the bed
The Swedish population is being advised to keep enough cash at home to last a week in case of problems such as online banking crashes Continue Reading
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News
26 May 2019
Australian firms coming to grips with AI ethics
Australian businesses are warming up to AI, but just two in five have standards and guidelines for AI ethics, a study finds Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2019
GDPR: Are we there yet?
A full year since the General Data Protection Regulation was implemented, there has not been the severe punitive action expected by many and personal data breaches continue to happen, leaving many wondering if any progress has been made Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2019
Effect of GDPR yet to be felt, says law firm Hogan Lovells
Despite the fact that the GDPR has been in full effect for a year, the true effect of the regulation is yet to be felt and organisations should ensure they keep their eye on the ball, says leading privacy law firm Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2019
Ofcom makes new proposals to liberalise access Openreach’s ducts and poles
The telecoms regulator is proposing new regulations on accessing Openreach’s infrastructure that it hopes will incentives others to roll out ultrafast networks quicker Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2019
No real change a year into GDPR, says privacy expert
A year after the GDPR compliance deadline, many organisations still have a lot of work to do to make real changes and shift focus away from fines to business value and gain, says PwC’s GDPR and data protection lead Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2019
IBM’s investment in automation pays off in GDPR’s first year
The first year of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation has demonstrated the value of IBM’s investment in machine learning-based automation and the importance of having the right strategy and systems in place, according to the firm’s data protection officer Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2019
GDPR an opportunity to improve data systems and processes
A year after the official implementation of the GDPR, it is important to highlight the positive opportunities that compliance provides and the insights breach reports are providing, say Deloitte consultants Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2019
Google cuts off Huawei from Android ecosystem
Google decision follows an executive order signed by President Trump, but Huawei insists US businesses and consumers will be the real losers Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2019
ICO to support GDPR certification schemes
The UK data protection watchdog is accepting enquiries from organisations considering developing GDPR certification schemes, which the ICO says could help recipients achieve competitive advantage Continue Reading
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E-Zine
16 May 2019
CW APAC: Expert advice on data management
Data is growing exponentially, so managing it well is crucial to business success. In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at how companies and data management experts are tackling data challenges, studies the findings of Gartner’s CDO study, and finds out how organisations are augmenting data management through artificial intelligence and machine learning. Continue Reading
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Opinion
16 May 2019
Are there any positives from the first year of GDPR?
A year has passed since the new EU data protection law came into force. What have we learned in that time that can help organisations deliver benefits from the regulation? Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2019
Fujitsu sets out to restore trust in technology
Trust in technology, how to recapture it, and how to ensure AI doesn’t overstep its bounds were the big messages on the opening day of Fujitsu Forum in Tokyo Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2019
Facebook engaged in ‘calculated’ campaign to eliminate competition, claims businessman
A US businessman is seeking damages from Facebook after accusing the social media company of unfairly blocking “humorous” Facebook pages which generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising revenue Continue Reading
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News
13 May 2019
Security standard for surveillance cameras set for launch
A long-overdue cyber security standard for the manufacturer of surveillance cameras is on track for an official launch in June Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2019
Dutch businesses not yet implementing NIS Directive
Little urgency to comply with the Network and Information Systems Security Act, which seeks to protect the Netherlands’ vital infrastructure and digital services from cyber attack Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2019
Facebook co-founder: ‘It is time to break up Facebook’
Co-founder of Facebook, Chris Hughes, has published an op-ed in The New York Times calling for Facebook to be broken up, as it faces investigations from the US Federal Trade Commission Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2019
Deutsche Börse harnesses Microsoft cloud
German stock exchange signs deal with Microsoft that will not only benefit the exchange, but other organisations in the sector that are considering cloud migration Continue Reading
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Blog Post
08 May 2019
Open banking take-up in the Netherlands less than expected because government promoted GDPR so well
The Dutch government promoted GDPR so much to the public that take up of open banking has been low Continue Reading
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Blog Post
08 May 2019
Is BT’s boss about to make his mark with new full-fibre targets?
BT’s new chief executive, Philip Jansen, is to revise Openreach’s targets for its full-fibre broadband network roll-out upwards when he reveals BT’s full-year financial results on Thursday 9 May, ... Continue Reading
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News
07 May 2019
HMRC begins deleting unlawful voice biometric data
HM Revenue and Customs is to forge ahead with Voice ID despite beginning to delete the largest state-held voice biometric database gathered without consent after UK privacy and data protection watchdog issues order Continue Reading
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News
03 May 2019
Zero trust: A 21st century security model
Traditional corporate security models date back to a time when there were fewer, lower-level threats, but a zero trust model is better suited to the 21st century, according to the originator of the idea Continue Reading
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News
02 May 2019
Why IT departments miss basic IT security hygiene
IT departments are failing to patch security holes in software because of a disconnect between security and operations teams, survey finds Continue Reading
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News
02 May 2019
Defence secretary sacked over Huawei leak
Defence secretary Gavin Williamson has been sacked after leaking confidential discussions over the use of Huawei networking equipment Continue Reading
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News
01 May 2019
Middle East Interview: Bahrain fintech drive gathers speed
Bahrain wants to be a launchpad into the wider region for financial technology firms looking to scale Continue Reading
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News
30 Apr 2019
UK gears up for new laws on IoT security
The UK plans to introduce measures to require that basic cyber security features are built into internet-connected devices Continue Reading
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News
29 Apr 2019
Privacy and data protection an opportunity, says entrepreneur
Organisations should see data protection and privacy compliance as an opportunity to build trust with customers, according to startup One.Thing.Less Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2019
Facebook faces fresh privacy actions from regulators
Facebook faces legal action from Canada after it dismissed regulators’ findings that it failed to protect customer privacy. The firm has set aside $5bn to settle a privacy action in the US and faces a new investigation in Ireland Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2019
Huawei leak inquiry launched
Cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill has instituted an inquiry aimed at discovering who leaked confidential discussions about UK mobile operators’ use of Huawei in their future 5G networks to the press Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2019
NCSC and ICO pledge to support data breach victims
The UK’s cyber security agency and privacy watchdog have agreed to work together to improve support for data breach victims and enhance cyber guidance Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2019
No final decision taken on Huawei 5G ban, government claims
Culture secretary tells MPs that a final decision on use of Huawei in UK 5G networks has not been taken, and says government is taking the leak of confidential discussions at the National Security Council very seriously Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Apr 2019
Mobile phones and health: is 5G being rolled out too fast?
European countries are rolling out 5G mobile communications at breakneck speed as they seek to gain a competitive edge over the US and Asia. But some scientists have raised questions about the effects of 5G mobile phone radiation on public health and are calling for a precautionary approach Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2019
PM May approves Huawei for use in 5G networks despite opposition
The UK’s National Security Council has approved the use of Huawei’s networking equipment in parts of the country’s 5G mobile networks in spite of widespread opposition Continue Reading
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News
17 Apr 2019
Apple and Qualcomm settle up as Intel quits 5G chip business
Apple and Qualcomm have set aside their ongoing litigation and struck a deal to work together on future 5G iPhones, leaving Intel in the lurch Continue Reading