IT legislation and regulation
Understanding the law as it applies to IT management can be one of the hardest task for IT leaders, but the growing burden of regulatory compliance makes it essential. Legislation and regulation affects enterprise IT in many ways, not just in long-standing tasks such as contracts and software licensing. We examine the latest legal development and how they affect IT managers, and talk to the experts in IT legislation and regulation to explain what it means to your organisation.
-
News
13 May 2024
Norway bolsters digital transformation drive
Norway’s government backs digital transformation with major capital investment this year Continue Reading
-
News
11 Mar 2024
Vinnova launches National Digital Advancement project
Swedish state innovation initiative invests in a network of regional research and development centres Continue Reading
-
News
08 Feb 2022
Porn sites will be legally required to verify users’ ages
Porn sites could be legally obliged to verify that their users are 18 or over under proposed online safety rules, in UK government’s second attempt to prevent children from accessing pornography online Continue Reading
-
News
08 Feb 2022
Right to disconnect and less monitoring key to better remote work
The World Health Organisation and International Labour Organisation warn against invasive workplace surveillance and promote right to disconnect in joint briefing on how to promote healthy and safe remote working Continue Reading
-
Feature
08 Feb 2022
Cloud-era disaster recovery planning: Staff training, incident and media management
In the third in a series on cloud-era disaster recovery, we set out the key components of DR staff awareness and training programmes, as well as incident management and dealing with the media Continue Reading
-
Opinion
07 Feb 2022
The UK-Australia FTA shows the UK means business on digital trade policy
The new free-trade agreement with Australia could be setting the precedents for what a modern digital trade policy will look like for the UK Continue Reading
-
News
07 Feb 2022
Umbrella IT contractors urged to seize on court ruling to reclaim withheld holiday pay
The outcome of a court ruling concerning a holiday pay dispute between Pimlico Plumbers and one of its former employees could have costly implications for the umbrella company sector, it is claimed Continue Reading
-
07 Feb 2022
Umbrella company cyber attacks prompt fresh calls for sector regulation to protect contractors
With the umbrella company industry increasingly finding itself under attack from cyber criminals, contracting market stakeholders embark on a fresh round of calls for the industry to be regulated Continue Reading
-
News
07 Feb 2022
Global IT companies ready to fight for Russian market
International IT firms have begun the process of complying with the latest regulations imposed on them by the Russian government Continue Reading
-
News
07 Feb 2022
Met police deploy facial recognition in Westminster
Police facial recognition deployment resulted in four arrests, but questions remain about the necessity, proportionality and legality of the technology’s use Continue Reading
-
News
03 Feb 2022
EC proposes new directive to improve gig economy work conditions
Gig economy workers in Europe could be entitled to more rights and better workplace protections under a directive proposed by the European Commission Continue Reading
-
News
03 Feb 2022
6GHz Wi-Fi spectrum critical to enable Australian technology innovation
Global spectrum organisation calls on Australia to set aside the full 1200MHz of available 6GHz spectrum for Wi-Fi applications under the country’s communications and media authority licensing framework Continue Reading
-
News
03 Feb 2022
Brookson and Parasol cyber attacks: Contractor complaints about delayed payments continue
Several weeks on from the suspected ransomware attack that blighted two of the umbrella industry’s biggest players, contractors are still chasing their missing money Continue Reading
-
News
03 Feb 2022
French Supreme Court raises constitutional questions over EncroChat hacking secrecy
Conseil Constitutionnel to decide whether ‘defence secrecy’ over state EncroChat cryptophone hacking breaches French constitution Continue Reading
-
News
02 Feb 2022
Mechanism underlying cookie popups found in breach of GDPR
A fundamental element of the mechanism by which the advertising industry requests tracking consent from web users has been found in breach of the General Data Protection Regulation Continue Reading
-
News
02 Feb 2022
UK government slammed for not living up to broadband promises
Broadband industry criticises UK government for not living up to its promises as new connectivity goals announced Continue Reading
-
News
02 Feb 2022
Reforms needed to tackle economic crime, says Treasury Committee
The Treasury Committee is disappointed at progress towards tackling economic crime and fraud in both the online and offline worlds, and is calling for more action Continue Reading
-
News
02 Feb 2022
Nationwide Building Society streamlines digital onboarding through API
Building society is improving its digital onboarding process through application programming interface-based technology from a US startup Continue Reading
-
News
02 Feb 2022
MPs call on government to ‘push harder’ and ‘act faster’ amid online fraud epidemic
MPs on the Treasury Committee want the government to act quickly to reduce the amount of money being stolen through online fraud Continue Reading
-
News
02 Feb 2022
British Council data exposed by third-party cyber failure
The British Council entrusted confidential data on its students to a third-party and was let down Continue Reading
-
News
01 Feb 2022
Met Police faces legal action over Gangs Matrix
Campaign group Liberty is taking legal action against the Met over its use of the Gangs Matrix, claiming it is driven by racial stereotypes and disproportionately affects people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds Continue Reading
-
News
01 Feb 2022
Dutch software engineers join campaign for research funding
Software researchers from all over Europe are sounding the alarm: to maintain a strong international competitive position, more financial resources must be committed to software research Continue Reading
-
News
31 Jan 2022
Data on children of armed forces personnel exposed in breach
Data on 4,142 children of serving armed forces personnel was exposed in a data breach at the Ministry of Defence Continue Reading
-
News
28 Jan 2022
Cyber skills gap affecting data privacy practice, finds ISACA
Organisations are struggling to fill both legal and technical privacy roles, with potentially damaging consequences, according to a report Continue Reading
-
News
27 Jan 2022
UK spectrum sharing should be a spectrum policy priority, says UK SPF
UK Spectrum Policy Forum and Ofcom makes call for mobile spectrum sharing to be a policy priority as demand is expected to increase in the coming years Continue Reading
-
Feature
27 Jan 2022
Navigating PIPL: European businesses plot their next steps into China
How does China’s strict new Personal Information Protection Law impact European businesses? Continue Reading
-
News
27 Jan 2022
Umbrella company cyber attacks prompt fresh calls for sector regulation to protect contractors
With the umbrella company industry increasingly finding itself under attack from cyber criminals, contracting market stakeholders embark on a fresh round of calls for the industry to be regulated Continue Reading
-
News
26 Jan 2022
MPs to debate landmark IoT security law
Proposed bill mandates tighter protections for connected products, and adds new rules for broadband roll-out into the bargain Continue Reading
-
News
26 Jan 2022
Vodafone UK to begin 3G switch-off in 2023
UK mobile operator gives notice that it will begin to retire its legacy network in a year’s time, with 4G and 5G networks to get coverage and speed boost from repurposing of 3G spectrum Continue Reading
-
News
25 Jan 2022
More evidence needed to establish 5G’s green credentials
Research paper from UK university cautions that received wisdom of sustainability associated with next-generation mobile technology is not currently backed up by a strong, publicly available, fully transparent evidence base Continue Reading
-
News
25 Jan 2022
Cyber Essentials programme gets biggest update since launch
NCSC implements a thorough revision of its Cyber Essentials scheme to reflect the changing security landscape Continue Reading
-
News
25 Jan 2022
Retailers mired by manual data integration
Retail relies on third-party data sources to drive business decisions and competitive pricing, but many struggle to pull in this data Continue Reading
-
News
24 Jan 2022
MPs say Online Safety Bill fails to tackle full range of harms
A DCMS select committee has warned that the Online Safety Bill should be expanded to cover more types of harmful content, such as child abuse material designed to circumvent content removal Continue Reading
-
News
21 Jan 2022
Tinder algorithm charging users more based on age
Popular dating app Tinder could have broken data protection and equality laws by using personal data about people’s age to set different prices Continue Reading
-
News
21 Jan 2022
Mandiant analysts: Russia-backed APTs likely to ramp up attacks
More cyber attacks like those perpetrated against targets in Ukraine are to be expected, and they may become more destructive Continue Reading
-
News
21 Jan 2022
Cyber pros: Don’t revel in REvil’s downfall just yet
The arrests of REvil’s alleged kingpins is a welcome step, but as with any disruption to cyber criminal activity, it is never wise to assume law enforcement action means the threat has passed entirely Continue Reading
-
News
21 Jan 2022
MoJ faces ICO enforcement over subject access requests backlog
Ministry of Justice receives enforcement notice from information commissioner over ‘substantial’ backlog of subject access requests described as being of ‘significant concern’ Continue Reading
-
News
20 Jan 2022
Updated cyber security regulations proposed for managed services sector
The Network and Information Systems regulations are to be updated to include MSPs and outsourcers, following a spate of supply chain attacks Continue Reading
-
News
20 Jan 2022
Advantages of traditional banks are weakening amid digital challenge, says FCA
Weakening of the advantages enjoyed by traditional banks over the years is “driven by digital innovation and changing consumer behaviour”, says regulator Continue Reading
-
News
20 Jan 2022
UK parliamentary committee casts doubt on government’s gigabit connectivity targets
UK parliamentary committee pours scorn on Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s confidence in meeting targets for gigabit connectivity Continue Reading
-
News
19 Jan 2022
Investigators find Beijing 2022 app riddled with security flaws
Security flaws in Olympic app may put personal health data at risk of compromise in a man-in-the-middle attack Continue Reading
-
News
19 Jan 2022
Content removal will not stop misinformation, says Royal Society
Censorship of scientific misinformation online could exacerbate feelings of distrust, so government should look at information literacy and funding fact checkers instead, says report Continue Reading
-
News
19 Jan 2022
Twelve million jobs to be lost to automation in Europe by 2040
Millions of current jobs in Europe will be carried out by robots as software robots automate processes Continue Reading
-
News
18 Jan 2022
Police take down VPN linked to multiple ransomware hits
German police led a multinational effort to seize and take down the LabVPN service, which was allegedly used by cyber criminals to facilitate ransomware attacks Continue Reading
-
News
17 Jan 2022
Test police algorithms in court rather than legislate, Lords told
Police algorithms and their impacts should be tested and challenged in court, rather than controlled by new laws, says policing minister Continue Reading
-
News
17 Jan 2022
Umbrella firm Parasol confirms ‘malicious activity’ as root cause of ongoing systems outage
Umbella company confirms a ‘malicious activity on its network’ as the root cause of a systems outage that has delayed salary payments to thousands of contractors across the UK Continue Reading
-
Podcast
14 Jan 2022
Podcast: 2022 compliance preview – GDPR goes global
We talk to Mathieu Gorge, CEO of VigiTrust, about what’s looming in compliance, with regulations based on the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation plus the concept of cyber accountability Continue Reading
-
News
14 Jan 2022
Umbrella company Brookson self-refers to NCSC following cyber attack on its network
Contractor payroll, accounting and compliance firm confirms its networks have been targeted by an ‘extremely aggressive’ cyber attack that has resulted in some of its systems being proactively taken offline Continue Reading
-
News
13 Jan 2022
Nordic companies targeted in wave of cyber attacks
After a slew of cyber attacks hit major companies in the Nordics at the end of last year, we look at how they were affected and how they have recovered Continue Reading
-
News
13 Jan 2022
IR35: Impact survey suggests downturn in use of HMRC CEST tool by enterprises
Latest tranche of data from IR35 Shield's Impacts Survey suggests enterprises are increasingly seeking out alternative methods to assess the tax status of contractors rather than rely on HMRC’s CEST tool Continue Reading
-
News
12 Jan 2022
MEPs demand EU probe into Pegasus spyware abuse
A group of European Parliament Members has called for an EU-wide investigation into NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware after it emerged EU member states may have used it Continue Reading
-
News
11 Jan 2022
Companies propose scanning content pre-encryption to fight CSAM
Firms working on the UK government’s Safety Tech Challenge have suggested that scanning content before encryption will help prevent the spread of child sexual abuse material – but privacy concerns remain Continue Reading
-
News
11 Jan 2022
Cyber security failure one of biggest risks facing countries and businesses, warns WEF
Cyber risks are among the top five risks facing organisations and governments over the next two to five years. Digital inequality and the over-crowding of space with communication satellites present further risks Continue Reading
-
News
10 Jan 2022
MPs call for fair compensation for excluded victims of Post Office scandal
Almost 100 MPs have backed a call for the government to reverse its decision to exclude 555 subpostmasters from fair compensation for their suffering and losses as a result of the Post Office Horizon scandal Continue Reading
-
News
06 Jan 2022
Which? raises concerns over buy now, pay later schemes
The ease of use and increased availability of buy now, pay later schemes masks the risks, says consumer protection champion Continue Reading
-
News
06 Jan 2022
France fines Facebook and Google over alleged cookie malpractice
French data protection authorities clamp down on tech platforms for purposely making it more burdensome for users to decline tracking cookies Continue Reading
-
News
04 Jan 2022
Law passes to give UK government enhanced screening powers for M&A tech deals
The National Security and Investment Act, which gives the UK government powers to intervene on M&A deals in 17 tech-related areas, has now come into force Continue Reading
-
News
30 Dec 2021
Top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2021
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2021 Continue Reading
-
News
29 Dec 2021
Top 10 Nordic IT stories of 2021
Computer Weekly selects some of the biggest Nordic tech stories of 2021 Continue Reading
-
News
24 Dec 2021
Top 10 IR35 stories of 2021
The extension of the IR35 reforms to the private sector in April 2021 has provided Computer Weekly with lots to write about this year Continue Reading
-
News
24 Dec 2021
Top 10 Benelux stories of 2021
Computer Weekly looks at the top IT stories from the Benelux region in the past year Continue Reading
-
Opinion
23 Dec 2021
Vulnerabilities to fraud are increasing across the board
As the pandemic continues to affect how we work, socialise, shop and conduct business, so it has increased opportunities for digital fraud and cyber crime. Jason Lane-Sellers explores the latest LexisNexis Risk Solutions ‘Cybercrime report’ Continue Reading
-
News
23 Dec 2021
Top 10 Middle East IT stories of 2021
The Middle East is about more than oil these days, with advanced technology industries developing across the region. Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 Middle East IT stories of 2021 Continue Reading
-
Opinion
22 Dec 2021
A trial relying on computer evidence should start with a trial of the computer evidence
Learning from the Post Office Horizon scandal - the most widespread miscarriage of justice in recent British legal history Continue Reading
-
News
21 Dec 2021
Large organisations turning to digital currencies for stored value
Gartner predicts a major acceleration in the use of digital currencies over the next couple of years Continue Reading
-
News
20 Dec 2021
Finnish government launches digital economy transformation projects
The Finnish government launches two transformation projects as part of the country’s mission to pioneer a digital economy Continue Reading
-
News
17 Dec 2021
HSBC fined £64m for automated transaction monitoring failures
Bank hit by multimillion-pound fine for failures related to its transaction monitoring, which failed to spot potential money-laundering activity Continue Reading
-
News
15 Dec 2021
Gig economy algorithmic management tools ‘unfair and opaque’
Report published by Worker Info Exchange warns of algorithmically enabled rights abuses in the gig economy, noting the insufficient transparency of employers and the lacklustre nature of legal redress Continue Reading
-
News
15 Dec 2021
Digital Ethics Summit: Innovation needs regulation to be ethical
Experts attending the 2021 Digital Ethics Summit spoke out against the idea that regulation will stifle technological innovation, arguing that setting clear rules will produce more ethical innovation Continue Reading
-
News
15 Dec 2021
UK government to take ‘whole-of-society’ approach to cyber
Second iteration of the UK’s National Cyber Strategy broadens its focus to build a ‘whole-of-society’ security posture Continue Reading
-
News
14 Dec 2021
Increased Altice BT shareholding fuels UK government jitters
Significant increase in stakeholdership by potential buyer of UK incumbent telco prompts UK government to warn of potential threat to levelling-up agenda Continue Reading
-
News
14 Dec 2021
Joint committee publishes report on improving Online Safety Bill
MPs and peers release report on Online Safety Bill following five-month inquiry into the draft legislation and make a number of recommendations on how it can be improved to deal with harmful content and abuse on the internet Continue Reading
-
E-Zine
14 Dec 2021
The rules for a safer internet
In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the government publishes the Online Safety Bill, we look at what the laws mean for internet services. A ransomware victim shares the insider story of the trauma of losing their corporate IT systems. And we ask, what happens when quantum computers get too powerful to verify their output? Read the issue now. Continue Reading
-
News
13 Dec 2021
Scottish government announces support for right to disconnect
The Scottish government is the first in the UK to publicly support a right to disconnect, which would give people the ability not engage in digitally enabled work-related activities outside of their contracted hours Continue Reading
-
News
10 Dec 2021
Julian Assange can be extradited to the US to face espionage and hacking charges, court rules
High Court overturns decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder after US government gives assurances over his treatment Continue Reading
-
News
10 Dec 2021
Finland looks to democratise the ‘wild west’ of artificial intelligence
Finland could play an important role in increasing the understanding of what artificial intelligence software can do for society Continue Reading
-
News
10 Dec 2021
Loan charge: Tax experts call on chancellor for simpler, more affordable policy settlement terms
A group of tax barristers and accounting experts are calling on Rishi Sunak to force HMRC to revise its loan charge settlement terms Continue Reading
-
News
08 Dec 2021
Russia may be collaborating with US to bring cyber criminals to heel
Trustwave’s SpiderLabs says its analysis of chatter on underground dark web forums suggests cyber criminals are starting to panic that formerly ‘friendly’ governments are on their case Continue Reading
-
News
08 Dec 2021
CIO interview: Nicola Wadham, Financial Ombudsman Service
CIO Nicola Wadham brings Computer Weekly up to speed on the Financial Ombudsman Service’s IT challenges and successes Continue Reading
-
News
08 Dec 2021
UK privacy chief denies conflict of interest in new role
UK information commissioner will join a private law firm that represents technology companies she used to regulate, raising questions about conflicts of interest and drawing ‘revolving door’ criticisms Continue Reading
-
News
08 Dec 2021
Number of .uk domain suspensions at record low
Statistics from Nominet show how effective law enforcement action against cyber crime in the UK is paying off Continue Reading
-
News
07 Dec 2021
Loan charge: MPs call on financial secretary for new independent review into HMRC policy
In a seven-page letter to newly appointed Treasury minister Lucy Frazer, MPs highlight the legal flaws in HMRC's controversial loan charge policy and demand a new independent review Continue Reading
-
News
06 Dec 2021
Streaming surges see BT chief call for new net neutrality regulations
Marc Allera demands action on fairness in internet carriage as Amazon-hosted Premier League football drives new peak in traffic, 12% above previous high Continue Reading
-
News
03 Dec 2021
IR35: Government consultation on umbrella companies fuels regulation hopes
The government has embarked on a consultation to understand better how the umbrella market works, which is a move that has been cautiously welcomed by contracting market stakeholders Continue Reading
-
News
03 Dec 2021
Bank of Ireland fined €24.5m for business continuity failures
Bank of Ireland hit with multi-million euro fine by central bank following an investigation Continue Reading
-
News
03 Dec 2021
Serious violence duty in PCSC Bill would gut UK data rights
Proposed data gathering powers for UK police could override existing data protection rules, damage citizens’ trust in essential public services and further entrench discriminatory policing practices Continue Reading
-
News
02 Dec 2021
IR35 reforms: Contractors report widespread blanket bans and project disruption in impacts survey
A poll of more than 3,000 contractors about how the roll-out of the IR35 reforms affected them brings to light widespread use of blanket bans Continue Reading
-
News
01 Dec 2021
Unesco member states adopt AI ethics recommendation
The non-binding recommendation seeks to define a common set of values and principles to guide the development of ethical AI globally Continue Reading
-
Opinion
01 Dec 2021
A ‘whole of society’ approach to cyber may be on the horizon
Nominet Cyber managing director David Carroll reflects on the NCSC’s latest annual review amid 2021’s fast-evolving threat landscape Continue Reading
-
News
01 Dec 2021
Cloud-based Redwood becomes latest challenger bank to make a profit
Cloud-based business bank becomes the latest of the new wave of challengers to achieve profit Continue Reading
-
News
30 Nov 2021
HMRC denies outside-IR35 hiring ban as accounts reveal agency’s reliance on umbrella workers
HM Revenue & Customs accounts reveal marked rise in total number of temporary workers it engages, with most of them providing services through umbrella firms Continue Reading
-
News
30 Nov 2021
Financial Ombudsman Service takes step towards digital transformation with Workday
Ombudsman uses human resource and financial management software in the cloud Continue Reading
-
News
30 Nov 2021
Over 100 civil society groups call for changes to EU AI Act
Civil, human and digital rights organisations sign open letter calling on European policymakers to put fundamental rights at the heart of the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act Continue Reading
-
News
26 Nov 2021
UK’s surveillance culture may be normalising use of tech for abuse
Intense surveillance of public spaces by UK authorities may be playing a part in the normalisation of cyber stalking in intimate relationships Continue Reading
-
News
25 Nov 2021
Government must prove its plans to police encryption work, says ex-cyber security chief
Ciaran Martin, the former UK cyber security chief, says the government must explain how it can access encrypted communications without damaging cyber security and weakening privacy Continue Reading
-
Blog Post
25 Nov 2021
Self regulation of AI is not an option
Earlier this week the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee took evidence from two experts, who were asked to share their thoughts on regulating artificial intelligence (AI). Among ... Continue Reading
-
News
24 Nov 2021
Regulation of AI needed to avoid the mistakes of social media
Government is urged to work with industry on a flexible regulatory framework to ensure the explainability, reliability and robustness of artificial intelligence Continue Reading
-
News
24 Nov 2021
Consumer cyber bill to protect mobiles, smart devices
Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill will reinforce protections for consumer devices and mandate improvements to default security settings Continue Reading
-
News
24 Nov 2021
Apple sues under-fire malware firm NSO
Lawsuit alleges spyware firm NSO Group targeted Apple’s users, adding to the pressure on the under-fire company Continue Reading
-
News
24 Nov 2021
Police tech introduced with little scrutiny or training
A Lords inquiry into the adoption of advanced algorithmic technologies by police in England and Wales has been told that new tools are being introduced without proper training and with little scrutiny of their impacts Continue Reading
-
News
23 Nov 2021
FTTH Council Europe calls on policymakers for measures to reap full-fibre rewards
Industry organisation with a mission to advance ubiquitous full-fibre connectivity across Europe welcomes publication of the European Commission’s latest ‘Digital economy and society index’ and calls for demand-side measures to boost take-up of fibre networks Continue Reading
-
News
19 Nov 2021
UK government announces safety tech challenge fund winners
The Safety Tech Challenge Fund winners will now develop technologies to limit the spread of child abuse material in encrypted environments, which the government has claimed will not be repurposed for other uses Continue Reading