Archive for July 2019
Cambridge Analytica helped target UK voters ahead of the Brexit referendum, emails show
The defunct political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica provided services for the Leave campaign ahead of the Brexit referendum, according to internal emails submitted to the British parliament. The findings directly contradict claims by Brexit groups Leave.EU and United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) that the firm did not help them target voters. The emails, between Cambridge […]
UK High Court rejects civil liberties challenge to mass surveillance powers
The UK’s High Court has rejected a challenge by a civil liberties group, arguing that the government’s mass surveillance powers represent a violation of human rights, according to The Guardian. The civil rights group Liberty had claimed that elements of the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), called the “snooper’s charter” by critics, allow the government to “to spy […]
Twitter’s revenues rise 21%, shares jump 10%, following moves to improve the platform
Twitter saw higher than anticipated revenue growth for its second quarter, they announced Friday, thanks to an increase in users and advertisers. The social media company attributes the growth to recent changes that have improved user experience on the platform. The news boosted the company’s shares 10 percent, according to Reuters. Twitter deleted millions of spam […]
Trump promises to retaliate against France’s tech tax
US President Donald Trump has responded to France’s move to tax US tech giants, saying he will shortly announce “substantial reciprocal action,” according to The Verge. “France just put a digital tax on our great American technology companies. If anybody taxes them, it should be their home Country, the USA. We will announce a substantial reciprocal […]
O2 to launch 5G UK network, without Huawei’s help
UK telecom company O2 has announced the launch of its 5G mobile network this October, in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, and Slough, according to BBC News. The following summer, it will expand the network to a total of 50 cities. The company will first deploy 5G in areas with capacity that is often pushed to […]
Equifax to pay $700m to US regulators, over a data breach that affected 150m people
Equifax has agreed to pay up to $700 million in a settlement over a 2017 data breach that exposed the records and social security numbers of at least 147 million people, according to The Guardian. The incident was among the largest ever breaches of private data, and the settlement will be the largest of its kind ever […]
US fines Facebook $5bn over Cambridge Analytica, as Europe steps up data enforcement
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted last week to issue a $5 billion (€4.46 billion) fine against Facebook over the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which they claim that Facebook violated a prior agreement to not misuse consumer data. The move comes as European authorities levy increasingly large fines against companies over their handling of […]
UK startup unveils platform to coordinate drone flights, paving the way for automation
A UK startup is offering a new service to help drone operators avoid conflicts with other drones, aircraft, and restricted airspace, according to TechCrunch. The move comes as more companies like Amazon are exploring drone deliveries, and could help open the door to automated flights. Altitude Angel, based in Reading, England, has provided drone operators with […]
Privacy startup OneTrust reaches $1.3 billion valuation, offering tools for GDPR compliance
A privacy startup that helps companies navigate the complexities of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) reached a $1.3 billion (€1.16 billion) valuation in its first round of funding, an achievement rivaled by few other tech startups, according to Forbes. It’s rare to reach $1 billion in a first round of funding, but after raising $200 […]
France will establish new military space command
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the creation of a new space command within the Air Force, to help the nation better protect its satellites and other space assets, according to BBC News. The new command will officially be created in September. Macron announced the move on Saturday, speaking to military personnel, saying: “We will strengthen […]