The introduction of the Age Appropriate Design Code (also known as the Children’s Code) by the ICO means that Facebook has decided to ask Instagram users to give their date of birth as part of the login. Age Appropriate Design Code The statutory Children’s Code......
The results of new research suggest that the comments section for stories on prominent media websites across many western countries are the focus of major Kremlin-based activities to try and influence public opinion. Multiple Outlets, Many Countries The Open Source Communications Analytics Research (OSCAR) programme......
With Google and Amazon (plus soon-to-be Facebook and Apple) getting into making ‘Smart Glasses’, we take a brief look at what different types are currently being used for, plus we look at the vision for the future of these promising wearables. What Are Smart Glasses?......
In this article we look at what doxing is, the legality of it, some examples of doxing, and we consider what we can do to protect ourselves and our businesses from attack. What Is Doxing? Doxing is a term meaning for dropping (personal) dox where......
If you use certain Windows 10 Microsoft Office programs often, you can pin them to the taskbar and then open them quickly and easily with keyboard shortcuts. Here’s how: – If you have a program open e.g., Word, hover your mouse over it (in the......
Microsoft has announced that from March 1st 2022, it will increase the prices of its Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscription plans. How Much? Microsoft says that the price rises, which could be as much as 25 percent, will affect its commercial products in the......
A Microsoft recent update announcement about Windows 11 appears to say that although the new OS still won’t run on some older PC’s, Microsoft doesn’t plan to stop you from trying. The Problem When Microsoft’s June Windows 11 announcement showed that its minimum hardware requirements......
Highlighting an early target of tackling cookie pop-ups, the UK government is to appoint John Edwards as the new ‘light touch’ ICO who will be expected to reform post-Brexit data protection rules for the UK. Data Protection Reforms Since Brexit, the UK government has been......
In this article, we look at what 3D printing is, its benefits, and how it is being used now to add value in many different industries. What Is It? 3D printing (“additive manufacturing”) describes how, using a special printing machine, a three-dimensional object can be......
Human Rights groups fear that the Taliban could soon be able to use collected biometric data to identify contractors and locals working with the US military. What Biometric Data? It has been reported that, over time, while on operations in Afghanistan, the US military collected......
In this article, we take a brief look at the many different ways that technology is increasingly being used by legal professionals and by those seeking legal services, and how advancement such as AI are making a valuable contribution. DoNotPay DoNotPay (https://donotpay.com/), described as “the world’s......
In this article, we take a look at how two-factor authentication, introduced to help add an extra layer of security to logins, has its own vulnerabilities. What Is 2FA? Two-factor authentication (2FA) combines a username and password with another factor (e.g. sending an SMS or......
Data, published by trade association UK Finance for security provider Proofpoint, shows that parcel and package delivery scams are now the most common form of ‘smishing’ attempts. What Is Smishing? Smishing is where an attacker sends a text/SMS message purporting to be from a reputable......
In this article, we look at how Zapier and other alternatives can be used to link apps together and create automated workflows that can carry out daily/weekly marketing tasks for you in the background while you get on with running your business. Zapier Zapier (https://zapier.com/)......
Vodafone has become the second big operator to announce the re-introduction of roaming charges in Europe for new and upgrading customers from January 2022. New, Upgrading, or Changing After 11 August 2021 New customers of the network, those upgrading, and those changing their call plans......
On 12 August, the Poly Network DeFi platform announced that, following the theft of $610 Million in digital coins, the hacker thieves had returned $342 million. However, it’s been reported that more recently, almost all of the stolen crypto has now been returned. The Hack......
In this article, we take a brief look at what Web accessibility is, and how it can benefit Web users and the businesses and organisations that make it a priority. What Is It? Web accessibility mean that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and made......
Apple has announced that all iPhone photos will be scanned for any evidence of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) to protect children and to help stop the spread of CSAM online. How? Apple’s new versions of iOS and iPadOS, due to be released later this year,......
Facebook’s WhatsApp is rolling out its new ‘View Once’ feature whereby photos and videos disappear from the chat after they’ve been opened. Privacy and Space-Saving WhatsApp says that the feature gives users more control over their privacy because “not everything we share needs to become a......
Many tech commentators have noted how the stagnation in computing has led to ‘Moore’s Law’ being challenged, but has the shrinking of transistors within computer chips really hit a wall and what could be next for Moore’s Law? What Is Moore’s Law? Moore’s Law, named......
With mobile computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and now remote working moving the focus of IT security away from the traditional perimeter, this article takes a brief look at what a ‘Zero Trust’ approach is and how it can help. More Complex Security Demands The belief among......
In this article, we look at what data science is, and what is driving its growth and value to businesses and organisations worldwide. Data Science Data science uses multiple disciplines, scientific methods, and processes (e.g. domain expertise, programming skills, data engineering, data preparation, data mining,......
In this article, we take a brief look at Business Process Management (BPM), how it works, and how it can add value. What Is Business Process Management (BPM)? BPM is also referred to as business process improvement (BPI), business process re-engineering, continual improvement process (CIP),......
An error in the HM Courts and Tribunals Service computer system meant that 5,000+ defendants were wrongly assigned guilty pleas. Accidental Criminal Convictions The problem that led to 5,000+ people being wrongly given criminal convictions was an error in the computer system’s bulk amendment facility,......
A survey by consumer watchdog Which? has revealed that almost half of adults in England are unaware of plans for their medical records to be shared with a new NHS database. What Data Sharing? Back in May, NHS Digital launched its plan for sharing medical......
After a recent ‘Which?’ survey found that some branded printer ink costs more than some champagnes, we take a look at the reasons why printer ink is so expensive. The Recent ‘Which?’ Survey The survey by consumer watchdog Which? asked more than 10,000 inkjet printer......
Microsoft has announced its new hybrid Windows 365 cloud service where the operating system is stored in Microsoft’s Cloud and which securely streams each user’s apps, data, and settings to personal or corporate devices, acting as a full Windows desktop PC in the cloud. New Era......
Two-Factor-Authentication (2FA) refers to another piece of information that users are required to provide (in addition to username and password login details) to access a website/platform/account. Requiring another piece of information protects against others accessing the account if they simply know the username and password.......
Following a vote of likes via Twitter and Instagram, Microsoft says it will be bringing back ‘Clippy’ the paperclip virtual assistant, but in as new, friendly-looking Emoji. Clippy From 1997 and until the mid-2000s, Microsoft Office users were used to seeing a paperclip symbol popping......
Facebook’s WhatsApp is testing a new feature that will allow users to send messages without using just their smartphone. Tied To A Phone WhatsApp is currently linked to just a user’s phone, and to use the Web/desktop version, the user must select ‘Linked Device’ (formerly......
If you’d like to get data-driven insights into your work habits to improve your productivity, you could try Microsoft 365 MyAnalytics platform. Here’s how: – Sign into your Microsoft 365 account. – Select MyAnalytics from the app drawer or click on the 9-dot square menu......
In this article, we look at the right-to-repair movement, where it comes from, and how it’s progressing. The Right-To-Repair The ‘right-to-repair’ is a movement that seeks to have rules/legislation passed that forces manufacturers (e.g. of appliances, electrical products, white goods and more) to make parts......
Recent research by TheNextWeb.com has confirmed long suspected views that open-plan office designs can reduce psychological well-being, affect moods, and create stress. This Study The most recent study, published online by Cambridge University Press, is based on an experiment which compared the difference between the......
Only 6 months after the storming of the United States Capitol in Washington and having his social media accounts suspended, former US resident Trump is suing Google, Twitter and Facebook, and their respective CEOs for allegedly censoring him. Twitter Account Permanently Suspended Trump’s presidency was......
Google is facing an antitrust lawsuit by 37 US states over allegations relating to how Google may be abusing its position of power in relation to Android app distribution and competition. The Lawsuit The lawsuit makes allegations in three main areas which are broadly that......
Google Tasks (like Microsoft To-Do), which is already built into Gmail and Google Calendar offers an easy way to create simple to-do lists. Here’s how to use it: – Sign-in to Google, open Calendar, and click on the ‘Tasks’ symbol (right-hand side, blue circle with......
Recognising that Microsoft 365 does not comprehensively back up your data means that making sure that you have a third-party, “point-in-time” backup solution is an important consideration for your business. Only For 30 Days Microsoft 365 may be a very secure platform and infrastructure, but it’s......
Mobile operator EE has become the first to re-introduce roaming charges in Europe from January as a result of the Brexit trade deal that was signed at the end of 2020. When? EE says that for those who take out a pay monthly handset or SIM......
Those who have tried the developer’s version of Microsoft’s new Windows 11 OS have reported that what used to be the ‘blue screen of death’ is now black. What Is The Blue Screen of Death? The so-called blue screen of death (BSoD) is displayed on......
It has been reported that children called ‘Alexa’ are being bullied because they share the same name as Amazon’s digital assistant and consequently, some parents are now calling for a digital name change. Alexa There are an estimated 4,000 people in the UK who are......
If you’ve ever wanted to click on a link to a website but wanted a way to check first whether its spam or worse, here are five ways to safely check: 1. Check the status of a website URL using Google’s Transparency Report, which harnesses......
With the launch of Microsoft’s Windows 11 recently announced in an online event, we take a brief look at what’s new with this new OS, how it challenges Apple, and when it’s available. Early Preview + Free Update An early preview version of the new......
After John McAfee was found dead in a Barcelona prison cell last week, we take a brief look at the colourful life of this complicated, maverick software entrepreneur. McAfee Antivirus The products that made John McAfee a household name were his antivirus software and anti-spam......
The new £50 note featuring the face of mathematician and ‘father of computer science’ (and Bletchley Park code-breaker) Alan Turing has entered circulation. Turing’s Birthday The note, which was announced in July 2019 and finally entered circulation last week to coincide with Turing’s birthday, means......
The ICO has fined home improvements company ColourCoat Ltd £130,000 for making more than 900,000 nuisance marketing calls! What? ColourCoat Ltd of St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex, which provides a number of home improvement services, was fined for making almost a million nuisance calls over......
General Fusion, a Canadian company with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos as one of its backers is building a Nuclear Fusion power demonstration plant at Culham in Oxfordshire. Fusion Whereas current nuclear power plants split atoms in a process known as ‘fission’ to generate energy, ‘fusion’ generates......
New figures from job search engine Adzuna and data provider Dealroom show that hiring in the tech industry has reached its highest level in five years. Vacancies Exceeding Pre-Pandemic Levels The data, which was compiled by Adzuna and Dealroom for the Government’s Digital Economy Council......
An investigation by consumer champion ‘Which?’ has revealed that food ordered via delivery apps such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats can be considerably more expensive than dealing directly with the food outlet. Food Delivery Apps Seven out of 10 people in the UK......
In this article, we take a brief look at what DaaS is, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. Desktop as a Service Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is a service where virtual applications/virtual desktops, via a third-party public or private cloud service, are made accessible (streamed)......
In this article, we look at how the weather can affect your Internet connection, and therefore the fortunes of the Web. Vulnerabilities Thinking beyond the router that is indoors, and protected from the weather, the rest of the infrastructure that brings your broadband is outdoors,......
In this article, we take a broad look at copyright and how it may apply to your business online, plus what exceptions there may be to the law. This Article Firstly, it is important to make clear that this article does not offer any definitive......
AI can now design AI chips hundreds of times faster (and better) than humans. Where will this lead? A recent research paper has described how a deep reinforcement learning approach to chip ‘floorplanning’ has led to AI generating chip floorplans that are superior or comparable to those......
A recent Citizens Advice survey has revealed that 2.5 million people are behind on their broadband bills, with 700,000 of these falling into the red during the Covid pandemic. Young, With Children Under 18, Or Receiving Universal Credit Most Affected The survey of 6,001 adults......
The ICO has fined the Conservative Party £10,000 for sending unlawful marketing emails to people who did not want to receive them. Breach The ICO has decided that after an investigation into emails sent from the Conservative Party, in the name of Rt Hon Boris......
A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey has found that half of UK businesses expect to reduce the size of their office space, and one-third expect to reduce it by 30 percent. Reduce Size of Real Estate Portfolio The Occupier Survey of 258 of the UK’s largest......
In this article, we take a brief look at what a VPN is, how it works, its advantages, plus its disadvantages. What Is A VPN? A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that allows you to create a secure connection to another network over......
It is easy to think that cyber-attacks are likely to come from outsiders unconnected to the business, but how much do you know about the security of your digital supply chain? Software Supply Chain Risks Businesses use many different third-party software tools as part of......
Police in Sandwell in the West Midlands recently discovered a warehouse that had been converted to an operation to illegally supply large quantities of electricity for Bitcoin mining. Same Heat & Electricity Profile as a Cannabis Farm The warehouse was raided by police after the......
After a recent high profile media story highlighted how poor router security led to a police raid of the home of an innocent family, we take a look at how Wi-Fi piggybacking attacks against home and domestic targets, and VoIP hacking of businesses worldwide are......
In this article we take a look at what bandwidth is, ways to improve bandwidth, and we look at how bandwidth ‘throttling’ is used. Bandwidth Bandwidth refers to the maximum amount of data that can be transferred from one point to another over an internet......
With many of us now owning tech items such as laptops, desktops, and printers, we look at the best ways to prepare tech hardware for a safe journey to a new home. Tech Owners An Aviva survey from 2020 showed that the average UK home......
As part of Google’s latest security updates to Chrome and Android, users will not only be alerted if any of the passwords in their Password manager are compromised but will also be given the opportunity to make a quick fix. Quick Fix – Change Password......
Google has announced the release of the first beta of Android 12 which has a range of new features including some security measures which Google hopes can match those of Apple. Design Change Announced recently at a developer conference, and on Google’s blog, the addition......
With Barclays Bank recently publishing the figures of refunds it made to customers who fell victim to authorised push payment (APP) fraud, there have been calls for greater transparency and reform to the current (voluntary) reimbursement code. Authorised Push Payment (APP) Fraud APP refers to......
