China Steps Up Online Controls With New Rule for Bloggers
By: AP News February 17, 2021 TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Ma Xiaolin frequently wrote about current affairs on one of China’s leading microblogging sites, where he has 2 million followers. But recently, he said in a post, the Weibo site called and asked him not to post original content on topics ranging from politics […]
Rishi Sunak Doubles Down on 2021 Deadline for Global Tech Tax Deal
By: City A.M. February 12, 2021 Rishi Sunak has doubled down on a commitment to establish a new global tax on tech firms in the coming months following years of conflict over a new regime targeting Silicon Valley. In a G7 meeting today the chancellor said the new digital tax framework was a […]
Google and Facebook Using Lobbyists With Close Ties to Morrison Government to Fight Media Code
By: The Guardian February 9, 2021 Facebook and Google have recruited five of Australia’s most influential lobbying firms, some with close ties to the Morrison government, as they press their case against the proposed news media code. This small army of highly paid lobbyists, which includes former prime ministerial staffers, has been central […]
UK Launches New Body to Oversee Booming Cybersecurity Sector
By: City AM February 9, 2021 The government has launched a new independent body to oversee standards in the UK’s booming cybersecurity sector. Britain’s £8.3bn cyber sector has enjoyed continued growth during the pandemic, as a shift to homeworking has encouraged businesses and individuals to sharpen up their online sector. The government […]
How Tech Went Big on Green Energy
By: The FT February 10, 2021 Standing on top of a giant wind turbine in Texas, 300 feet above the ground, Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos raised a bottle of champagne above his head, and smashed it against the machine. He was christening Amazon Wind Farm Texas, a 253MW facility near the town of […]
India Government ‘Disappointed’ in Twitter’s Handling of Protests
By: The FT February 10, 2021 Twitter has started blocking accounts in India following repeated official demands, as it seeks to defuse days of mounting tension with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The US social media company said it had taken action on more than 500 accounts that had been flagged by the […]
Amazon Must Not Interfere With US Union Effort, Say Investors
By: The FT February 9, 2021 Amazon should stop interfering with efforts by its workers to unionise ahead of a pivotal vote in Alabama, said a group of more than 70 of its investors. Mail-in balloting began this week among more than 5,800 employees in Bessemer, a suburb of Birmingham, marking the first […]
HSBC To Close 82 Branches This Year
By: BBC January 19, 2021 HSBC is to close 82 branches in the UK between April and September this year, claiming customers are turning to digital banking. The company will have 511 branches across the country following the closure programme. Managers said they did not expect to make any redundancies, with staff moved to […]
It’s Time To Tidy Up Space
By: The Economist January 14, 2021 Everybody’s business, an old saw has it, is nobody’s business. And that is a good description of the business of keeping outer space clean and tidy. Yet the part of space nearest Earth, known technically as low-Earth orbit, is getting cluttered. Some of the objects up there are […]