Tech Nation taps Boris Johnson’s brother to join board October 18, 2020 Tech Nation has hired Boris Johnson’s brother to join its board, becoming the entrepreneur body’s fifth new director in recent weeks. Jo Johnson, who was handed a peerage in July, will become a non-executive director at the government-funded organisation. Tech Nation chair Stephen Kelly said: “I’m pleased to welcome Jo Johnson onto the Tech Nation [...]
Instagram vows to tackle hidden celebrity ads after watchdog probe October 16, 2020 Instagram has pledged to do more to prevent hidden advertising on its website and app amid concerns that influencers are failing to make it clear when they have been paid to promote products. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into Instagram over its failure to tackle the problem of hidden advertising. Facebook, [...]
London fintechs secure billions from US investors despite virus and Brexit uncertainty October 16, 2020 London fintechs have secured $3.6bn in venture capital investment this year with more than half coming from US investors. Fintechs received $2.2bn, more than 60 per cent of overall investment, through funding rounds with at least one US investor, according to data from Dealroom and London & Partners. It is nearly double the US funding [...]
Screenshot – City PM’s new weekly TMT column October 16, 2020 This new weekly column brings you all the biggest stories and trends in technology, media and telecoms This week: ** Media Moment of the Week: Piers Morgan makes a confession ** The OECD, Amazon and a terrible week for tech tax ** All streamed up: What’s next for Netflix? Media Moment of the Week “I [...]
Google Pixel 5 review: Google storms into the 5G race with a low-cost flagship to rival Apple October 14, 2020 Seems like Google really took criticism of the Pixel 4’s short battery life to heart. The new flagship, 5G enabled Pixel 5 is the longest lasting phone I’ve used since my old Nokia 3310. Like some demented Duracell bunny, it simply refuses to die. Even during my honeymoon period with the phone, when I’m playing [...]
Amazon to escape UK tech tax as global crackdown falters October 14, 2020 Amazon is facing fresh scrutiny over its tax liabilities after it emerged the tech giant will not be affected by the government’s landmark digital services tax. In April ministers unveiled the new tax — which charges a two per cent levy on the revenue of internet companies — saying it would ensure companies contribute their [...]
Swipe card: Social media accounts for quarter of all online purchases October 14, 2020 Almost a quarter of all online purchases are now made through social media, new data has revealed, as more and more people use their favourite messaging platforms for shopping. Research by Visa showed almost a fifth of Brits use social apps to shop, while one in 10 has made a purchase this way since the [...]
iPhone 12: What’s new with Apple’s first 5G phone? October 13, 2020 Apple has unveiled its first 5G compatible mobile phone – the iPhone 12 – in a move chief executive Tim Cook said was the “beginning of a new era”. Apple’s first 5G iPhone has been eagerly awaited. The company set the tech world abuzz when it unveiled the “Hi, Speed” tagline for this year’s event, [...]
UK tech visa applications hit record high despite Covid-19 October 13, 2020 The number of applications for the UK’s Tech Nation visa rose to its highest level on record last month as the thriving sector shrugged off the impact of coronavirus. Applications for the visa, which grants employees and founders in the tech sector the right to work in the UK for up to five years, hit [...]
Hackney Council hit by ‘serious’ cyber attack October 13, 2020 Hackney Council has been hit by a major cyber attack that is affecting many of its services and IT services. The council has called in experts from the National Cyber Security Centre, as well as the Ministry of Housing and local government to investigate the incident. It is unclear which services have been affected, and [...]
