Brexit, ad fraud and #MeToo – what does the future year hold for the marketing industry? January 7, 2019 We are out of the cold December of 2018, and have now entered the, well, even colder January of 2019. Last year was a momentous one for the marketing industry – there was the fall and rise again of adland stalwart Martin Sorrell; the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) finally came into force; [...]
Drones, cybercrime, AR, and robots – the tech trends to watch out for in 2019 January 3, 2019 It is finally 2019, and I can’t wait to see what surprises the technology industry has in store for us. What should we keep our eyes peeled for over the next 12 months? To whet your appetite about the future, I asked the experts for their predictions for the top tech trends of this year. Devious [...]
Android apps send user data to Facebook without consent, report shows January 2, 2019 Almost two dozen popular Android apps automatically send user data to Facebook as soon as they are opened in a potential breach of data protection laws, a new report by Privacy International has revealed. An analysis of 34 Android apps showed 61 per cent of apps automatically transfer data to Facebook, even if the user [...]
Facebook shares down after investigation reveals true extent of data-sharing with other tech giants December 19, 2018 Facebook’s shares fell 6 per cent today after an investigation revealed the company gave big tech companies far greater access to users’ personal data than it had previously admitted. The social media giant let Microsoft’s Bing search engine see the names of virtually all users’ friends without their permission, according to reports. The New York [...]
New fines rolled out as government targets company bosses in cold call crackdown December 17, 2018 Bosses of companies that make nuisance calls face personal fines of up to £500,000 as part of a new government crackdown. New laws allow the UK’s data protection watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office (OCI), to directly target bosses responsible for the cold calls. It is hoped the measures will stop directors filing for bankruptcy in [...]
Major retailers ‘may be breaking data protection rules’ with e-receipt marketing December 11, 2018 Several major retailers may be breaking laws around data protection by sending unsolicited marketing to customers in e-receipts, according to consumer body Which. An investigation found several major high street retailers sent customers promotional marketing of other products within e-receipts. The unwanted adverts suggest the retailers may be in contravention of data protection laws brought in [...]
Could you be offered your next job by a robot? November 29, 2018 There has been much talk about machines taking jobs, yet research shows that most employers expect overall headcount to increase as a result of automation. Across multiple sectors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is helping organisations to eliminate low-level, repetitive tasks, freeing up humans’ time to focus on delivering more strategic, premium services. The recruitment industry is [...]
RewardStyle founder Amber Venz Box talks influencer marketing and fashion November 26, 2018 Fashion retail is a risky business. Like many sectors, it has been disrupted by the rise of the internet, as consumers increasingly shop on their phones rather than on the high street. So with fewer people browsing in shops, there’s a question of how best to advertise a new dress or a trendy handbag. Traditional [...]
Google and DeepMind are playing fast and loose with society’s trust November 20, 2018 Last week, we were greeted by the disturbing news that DeepMind, an artificial intelligence subsidiary owned by Google’ s parent company Alphabet, is moving some of its healthcare activities into the newly formed Google Health. This isn’t the first time that one of the tech giants has been accused of making misrepresentations to consumers, using [...]
DEBATE: Is Tim Berners-Lee right that we need to save the web from abuse? November 7, 2018 Is Tim Berners-Lee right that we need to save the web from abuse? Sven Hughes, chief executive and founder of Verbalisation and Global Influence, says YES. When info.cern.ch went live in 1991, it was the address of the world’s first ever website and web server. Sir Tim Berners-Lee was the man to create that website, and [...]