IT for government and public sector
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News
14 Jun 2024
Post Office scandal victims in Scotland have convictions quashed
Scotland follows England, Wales and Northern Ireland in exonerating wrongfully convicted subpostmasters en masse Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2024
General election 2024: Labour promises to boost digital infrastructure
The Labour Party manifesto for the UK general election promises a new industrial strategy and an overhaul of planning rules to help support the digital and tech sector Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2023
Mayor of London announces startup funding
Seven technology startups working on the Mayor of London’s Poverty Prevention Challenge will receive up to £50,000 each to further develop their proposals, designed to help alleviate the cost-of-living crisis for the capital’s most vulnerable Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2023
Small satellite testing gets funding boost
A new facility has been established as part of the government’s £200m funding for Earth Observation Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2023
CIO interview: Sean Green, University of East Anglia
In his role as director of digital and data at the University of East Anglia, Sean Green provides high-performance computing to researchers and manages the diverse needs of a campus with the characteristics of a small town, all while finding the time to study one of his passions Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Jul 2023
Privacy and participation – technologies to open data for innovation
The Open Data Institute has launched Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) and participatory data programmes. The ODI’s Calum Inverarity explains why they matter Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2023
Tribunal investigates complaint that journalists’ phones were unlawfully monitored
The Investigatory Powers Tribunal has agreed to investigate complaints by Northern Ireland investigative journalists Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey that they were unlawfully placed under surveillance Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Jul 2023
Transforming the financial system's plumbing
Executive heading up the Bank of England’s core system replacement project says the financial services sector plumbing is getting the attention it deserves. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jul 2023
Government boosts protection for encryption in Online Safety Bill but civil society groups concerned
House of Lords adopts amendment to require Ofcom to commission a report before requiring technology companies to scan encrypted messages, but drops proposals for judicial oversight Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2023
Electronic Trade Documents Act receives royal assent
Digital trade documents are to be accorded the same status in law as paper ones under a law implemented to help reduce paper waste and speed up the UK’s foreign trade Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2023
Online Safety Bill screening measures amount to ‘prior restraint’
The Open Rights Group is calling on Parliament to reform the Online Safety Bill, on the basis that its content-screening measures would amount to “prior restraint” on freedom of expression Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2023
Interview: Richard Corbridge, CDIO, DWP
Only 13 weeks into his new role, the Department for Work and Pensions’ CDIO speaks to Computer Weekly about plans for artificial intelligence, data modernisation and how to complete a business plan in record time Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2023
How the DSMA balances security and privacy with press freedom
In a world of information sharing and 24-hour news cycles, the Defence and Security Media Advisory committee have to balance national security and data privacy with freedom of the press Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2023
BBC outsources IT to India’s Tata Consultancy Services
TCS continues to build its UK public sector business, with the BBC its latest customer Continue Reading
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Blog Post
20 Jul 2023
Support for smaller businesses in AI revolution
Not a single day goes by without someone, somewhere talking about the pros or cons of artificial intelligence. Earlier this week, Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, took to the stage at the company’s ... Continue Reading
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News
20 Jul 2023
AI and data experts to be brought into government through secondment programme
The government has announced plans for a secondment programme designed to bring digital experts into government departments Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2023
‘Significant gaps’ in UK AI regulation, says Ada Lovelace Institute
UK government’s plans to diffuse regulatory responsibility for AI among existing regulators will mean the tech is “only partially regulated”, while its data reforms will undercut already-limited existing protections, says Ada Lovelace Institute Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2023
NATO membership to drive Nordic cyber security sector growth
The Nordic cyber security sector will see increasing demand as Finland and Sweden joint NATO Continue Reading
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E-Zine
18 Jul 2023
Computer Weekly: Soaring ahead with data at Rolls-Royce
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how aerospace giant Rolls-Royce is using data science, machine learning and internet of things to improve its competitive advantage. We examine the benefits and best practices in software-defined storage. And we analyse calls for a review of laws around the use of computer evidence prompted by the Post Office IT scandal. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2023
Subpostmaster compensation deadline will be missed, warns public inquiry chair
Subpostmasters that successfully sued the Post Office and exposed the Horizon scandal are at the ‘back of the queue’ and won’t receive compensation by current deadline Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2023
Police Scotland use cloud for biometric data despite clear risks
Police Scotland confirms it has stored significant volumes of biometric data on a cloud-based digital evidence sharing system despite major ongoing data protection concerns, bringing into question the effectiveness of the current regulatory approach and the overall legality of using hyperscale public cloud technologies in a policing context Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2023
UCLH uses machine learning to cope with emergency beds demand
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has deployed a machine learning tool which uses real-time data to predict how many emergency beds will be needed Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2023
Civil society groups call on EU to put human rights at centre of AI Act
Dozens of civil society groups are calling on EU institutions to prioritise people and human rights in AI legislation as secretive negotiations begin Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2023
MPs launch inquiry into government use of data
The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee is to investigate the possibility of reforming the way government collects and analyses data, and whether the UK census could be scrapped Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2023
Digital public services ‘riddled’ with problems, says TUC
The UK’s increasingly digitised public services are plagued by design, governance and workplace issues that are undermining the government’s stated goal of improving efficiency, but can be alleviated by giving public sector workers a greater say in how new technologies are being developed, deployed and controlled Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2023
Ofcom’s online safety preparedness efforts hobbled by government
Despite Ofcom’s progress so far, UK government changes to the scope and timetable of the Online Safety Bill are hobbling the ability of the regulator to successfully prepare for the new regime Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2023
Cozy Bear lures victims with used BMW 5 Series
A recent Cozy Bear campaign saw the Russian APT group pivot to exploiting an advert for a used car as it targeted diplomatic missions in Kyiv Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2023
EU formally grants data adequacy to US
The European Commission has formally granted the US data adequacy, allowing companies and organisations to freely transfer personal data across the Atlantic via the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. But privacy activist Max Schrems has already committed to legally challenging the decision Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2023
Horizon inquiry adjourned as Post Office disclosure failures threaten to ‘derail’ proceedings
Statutory public inquiry into Post Office Horizon scandal adjourned because of Post Office disclosure failures, ‘retraumatising’ victims of a scandal that destroyed the lives of thousands of people Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2023
Peer calls for every Post Office prosecution to be reviewed
Post Office prosecutions should be reviewed in light of damning evidence laid bare by statutory public inquiry into Horizon scandal, says peer James Arbuthnot Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2023
Met Office bids to make climate data more accessible with Esri
The Met Office is offering a new data portal, built on Esri’s geographic information systems technology, to enable users to understand local and national impacts of climate change Continue Reading
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News
07 Jul 2023
House of Lords launches an investigation into generative AI
The government wants the UK to lead AI regulation, but technology is developing at a breakneck pace Continue Reading
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News
06 Jul 2023
Biometrics watchdog calls for public space surveillance review
The biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner is calling for a review of public space surveillance to gain a clearer picture about the proliferation of Chinese surveillance technology across the public sector, but warns against applying double standards on companies just because they are from China Continue Reading
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News
06 Jul 2023
Privacy campaigners call for UK data adequacy to be revoked
The European Commission should revoke the UK’s data adequacy if its Data Protection and Digital Information Bill passes, which campaigners argue ‘flies in the face’ of the decision Continue Reading
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News
06 Jul 2023
Former Fujitsu IT chief evidence postponed after late Post Office disclosure
Post Office has disrupted Horizon inquiry schedule through late disclosure of ‘significant’ evidence as key IT witness evidence is postponed Continue Reading
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News
06 Jul 2023
Public inquiry hears how Post Office security withheld evidence from people it suspected of theft
The Post Office told investigators to include potential evidence in reports to their own lawyers, but not the subpostmasters they suspected of theft Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2023
Germany: European Court of Justice hears arguments on lawfulness of EncroChat cryptophone evidence
The European Court of Justice will decide whether the collection and sharing of data intercepted by law enforcement from EncroChat crypto phone network is compatible with European law Continue Reading
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News
04 Jul 2023
‘Political lethargy’ to blame for digital exclusion, says Lords
A House of Lords report about digital exclusion across the UK has blamed slow and undedicated government intervention for the extent of digital exclusion Continue Reading
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News
04 Jul 2023
Scotland’s Techscaler programme joins forces with CivTech
The partnership between the scaler programme and the innovation accelerator means CivTech alumni companies will be offered Techscaler membership and gain access to its technology hubs, education initiatives and support Continue Reading
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News
04 Jul 2023
Coping with the ongoing chip crisis in the UK
China has imposed export restrictions on key semiconductor compounds, so how will the UK's National Semiconductor Strategy cope? Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2023
PAC slams HMCTS justice system transformation programme
HMCTS has consistently underestimated the scale and complexity of the reforms, and criticises the programme, which only has £120m of its £1.3bn budget left with only just over half of projects completed, MPs say Continue Reading
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News
30 Jun 2023
AI can never be given control over combat decisions, Lords told
Artificial intelligence is technically incapable of distinguishing between the complex contextual factors of combat situations, and will likely never be able to, according to legal and software experts Continue Reading
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News
30 Jun 2023
NHS data stolen in Manchester Uni ransomware attack
The ransomware gang behind the cyber attack on the University of Manchester appears to have got its hands on an NHS dataset being used by the university for research purposes Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2023
NHS has potential to get digital transformation right
NHS must address digital skills gap in its workforce, demonstrate the value of the NHS App and address the digital maturity gap in organisations if it wants to succeed, MPs say Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2023
NHS England signs five-year Microsoft 365 contract
Hot on the heels of its earlier deployment of Microsoft Teams, NHS England is now going all-in on the rest of the software giant’s online productivity tools Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2023
NHS to launch Digital Health Check
The NHS Digital Health Check will be rolled out from spring 2024, and allow patients to do certain tests and get advice from their homes Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2023
The Finnish Food Authority uses AI to accelerate research
Researchers have reduced the time taken to get critical insights into potential public health crises and address issues in real-time, through artificial intelligence Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2023
Charity demands transparency in digital universal credit system
The digital universal credit system needs overhauling to ensure greater transparency over benefit claims and more effective means of redress when things go wrong, says child poverty charity Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2023
Scottish government tech accelerator opens latest funding round
The Scottish government’s CivTech accelerator is seeking technology businesses to help develop new tools to improve public services, as well as to address pressing social and environmental issues Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2023
GDPR tax reclaim scheme preys on fears of SMEs
IT suppliers are a target of companies offering a tax reclaim scheme that preys on small businesses’ fears around General Data Protection Regulation compliance Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2023
Three years on, EncroChat cryptophone hack nets 6,500 arrests and seizures of €900m
French and Dutch prosecutors say three years after they infiltrated the EncroChat cryptophone network in a novel hacking operation, Europe’s courts are opening the way for more collaboration and data sharing between law enforcement agencies Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2023
UK AI plans offer ‘inadequate’ human rights protection, says EHRC
The UK’s equality watchdog says the government must properly consider human rights when implementing rules to regulate artificial intelligence, as current plan offers little protection Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2023
One Login’s Gov.uk ID check apps downloaded over two million times
The One Login digital identity system is being used by eight government services, and GDS has issued more than 1.5 million verified identities since summer 2022, while its ID check apps are proving popular Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Jun 2023
Post Office scandal inquiry phase four: Here come the lawyers…
The Post Office scandal was triggered by computer errors, but the cover-up and miscarriages of justice implicate the Post Office, government and lawyers, as professor of law and ethics Richard Moorhead explains Continue Reading
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News
23 Jun 2023
ICO under fire for taking limited action over serious data breaches
The ICO has come under fire from lawyers and data protection specialists for just issuing written warnings to two public bodies over serious data breaches that placed people’s lives at risk Continue Reading
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News
22 Jun 2023
Manchester University students threatened by ransomware gang
Students and staff members at the University of Manchester are being pressurised by an unnamed ransomware gang Continue Reading
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News
22 Jun 2023
UK pension scheme expands relationship with IT services giant TCS
Tata Consultancy Services retains contract with UK pension scheme for another decade after extending a contract that was first signed in 2011 Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2023
Post Office will not oppose potential Horizon conviction appellants
Post Office CEO told MPs that the organisation is telling some subpostmasters it won't oppose them if they appeal Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2023
Tech entrepreneur Ian Hogarth to chair AI Foundation Model Taskforce
The government has hired tech investor Ian Hogarth to lead its taskforce on artificial intelligence (AI) safety, aiming to tackle the safety challenges presented by AI and build public confidence in the use of the technology Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2023
More than 50% of care providers have adopted digital records
The adoption of digital social care records has reached more than 50%, but the sector still has a way to go to reach the government’s target of 80% by March 2024 Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2023
Union chief calls for outsourced services to be brought in-house
Unison general secretary calls on Labour to bring outsourced public sector contracts in-house if they fail to meet certain tests Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2023
Prime minister Rishi Sunak faces pressure from banks to force tech firms to pay for online fraud
The UK’s major banks have told the prime minister to force tech firms to do more to prevent fraud that the banks end up paying for Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2023
Dutch government puts up €123m to address shortage of ICT workers
Financial injection aimed at improving cooperation between vocational education and business in the Netherlands, and making the tech professions more attractive Continue Reading
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News
16 Jun 2023
Collaboration in finance sector develops prototype API for digital currency
The Bank for International Settlements and the Bank of England worked with private sector on central bank digital currency experiment Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Exploitation of Barracuda ESG appliances linked to Chinese spies
Intelligence from Mandiant links exploitation of a flaw in a subset of Barracuda ESG appliances to a previously untracked China-nexus threat actor Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Technology secretary Chloe Smith announces £54m package for AI
In her speech at London Tech Week, Smith launched funding to support a series of AI initiatives, including creating a research and innovation ecosystem for trustworthy and responsible AI, and developing AI technologies to help the UK reach its net-zero targets Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030: Progress report
Halfway into its plan to give the country a makeover by 2030, Saudi Arabia’s emphasis on technology is starting to pay off Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Department for Education plans to assess AI risk and benefits
The department has begun a consultation looking at the role of generative artificial intelligence in education Continue Reading
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E-Zine
14 Jun 2023
CW APAC: Trend Watch – Artificial intelligence
Businesses the world over are exploring ways to use artificial intelligence in their operations. In this handbook, focused on the application of AI in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at the issue of ethics in AI, what lab-grown neurons could mean for the technology, how an Indian agritech is helping firms maximise crop yields, and how to find winning AI use cases. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2023
EU AI act passes a significant milestone
The European Union’s AI Act will ban the use of artificial intelligence to profile people based on race or gender and prohibit use of biometric identification in public spaces Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2023
Google Cloud signs MoU to accelerate take-up of AI by UK defence sector
Google Cloud is continuing to make in-roads into the UK public sector after signing MoU with The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2023
London Tech Week: Keir Starmer calls for AI job loss discussion
Labour leader sees a need for a broad regulatory framework and a frank discussion with business to inform policy around job losses arising from artificial intelligence Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2023
Delayed Making Tax Digital programme to cost taxpayers extra £1.5bn
HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Making Tax Digital programme, which is running several years behind schedule, is expected to cost five times more than planned, National Audit Office (NAO) report finds Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Jun 2023
UKtech50 2023: The most influential people in UK technology
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we reveal the 13th annual UKtech50 list of the most influential people in UK technology. This year’s award goes jointly to the secretaries of state for science, innovation and technology – Michelle Donelan and her maternity cover, Chloe Smith. Also, we examine the mounting legal challenges faced by the emergence of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2023
Ada Lovelace Institute warns against Covid app reuse
There are a number of lessons policy-makers should take away from the use of apps developed as part of the Covid-19 response Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2023
Rishi Sunak calls for urgency in building out UK tech
The UK prime minister used his speech during London Tech Week to discuss funding tech, attracting talent and AI safety Continue Reading
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News
09 Jun 2023
UK-US Atlantic Declaration bolsters tech and data collaboration
Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak agree greater collaboration on responsible artificial intelligence, quantum computing and Open RAN Continue Reading
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News
09 Jun 2023
UK and US move closer to transatlantic data bridge deal
The British and American governments have committed, in principle, to a new data bridge agreement that will ease the free flow of personal data across the Atlantic Continue Reading
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News
09 Jun 2023
University of Manchester hit by cyber attack
The University of Manchester has been hit by a cyber attack of an undisclosed nature Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2023
CDEI publishes portfolio of AI assurance techniques
The UK’s Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has published a variety of case studies to show how different assurance techniques can build and maintain trust in artificial intelligence systems Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2023
Netherlands enables contactless payments on entire public transport network
All modes of public transport now accept payments using contactless technology after the completion of major project in the Netherlands Continue Reading
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Opinion
08 Jun 2023
Regulatory ‘lacuna’ around facial recognition threatens rights
The UK is heading for a “legal quagmire” around live facial recognition if the government and regulators do not take action to rein in use of the technology before it becomes ubiquitous Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2023
Government and industry figures meet to discuss AI regulation
Tech industry figures are broadly supportive of the need for artificial intelligence to be regulated, but despite growing consensus, there is still disagreement over what effective AI regulation looks like Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2023
UKtech50 2023 winner: Michelle Donelan/Chloe Smith, secretary of state, DSIT
Computer Weekly looks at the achievements and successes of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, as its secretary of state is recognised as the most influential person in UK technology for 2023 Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2023
UKtech50 2023: The most influential people in UK technology
Computer Weekly has announced the 13th annual UKtech50 – our definitive list of the movers and shakers in the UK tech sector Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2023
Open banking regulator sets out next steps
Plans for ongoing evolution of the UK open banking sector have been set out by regulator in bid to grow the open banking sector in a ‘safe, scalable and economically sustainable way’ Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2023
Payments regulator makes APP fraud reimbursement mandatory
UK payments regulator confirms changes to rules around repaying customers who lose money to authorised push payment fraudsters Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2023
Government to test rural broadband options with £7m fund
Government to fund tests of technologies that could be issued to improve internet connectivity for rural communities Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2023
Indian IT services giant takes UK teachers’ pensions contract from Capita
Tata Consultancy Services bolsters its growing UK public sector customer base with key contract win Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2023
ESA uses NetApp as-a-service for space data ‘hot’ archive
The European Space Agency collects data from millions of miles away. It must get storage right when there’s no chance of a u-turn to take more photos or re-record data Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2023
TechUK publishes ‘UK tech plan’ for next government
Technology businesses are calling on UK politicians to devise a ‘comprehensive, forward-thinking strategy’ to realise the benefits of technology ahead of the next general election Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2023
Workers ‘deeply uncomfortable’ with digital surveillance at work
Employees express discomfort towards employers’ use of various digital surveillance and monitoring techniques, which are often powered by artificial intelligence Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2023
UK has time limit on ensuring cryptocurrency regulatory leadership, says Parliamentary report
Parliamentary report makes 53 recommendations to the government's plans to regulate cryptocurrency Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2023
Medical regulator drops probe into NHS whistleblower Peter Duffy amid dispute over email evidence
The General Medical Council has dropped an investigation into an NHS whistleblower who exposed widespread clinical harm at Morecambe Bay Trust amid questions over disputed email evidence Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2023
Sweden is developing its own big language model
Artificial Intelligence Sweden is leading an initiative to build a large language model not only for Swedish, but for all the major languages in the Nordic region: Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Faroese Continue Reading
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News
01 Jun 2023
AI interview: Dan McQuillan, critical computing expert
Critical computing expert Dan McQuillan speaks to Computer Weekly about the top-down imposition of artificial intelligence on society, and how AI is a fundamentally political technology shaped by humanity’s most reactionary tendencies Continue Reading
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News
01 Jun 2023
Met Police director of intelligence defends facial recognition
The Met Police’s director of intelligence has appeared before MPs to make the case for its continuing use of facial-recognition technology, following announcements from the force and the Home Office that they intend to press on with its adoption Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2023
UK, US and Australia jointly trial AI-enabled drone swarm
British, American and Australian military organisations have trialled the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in drones in a collaboration designed to drive their adoption of AI-powered military tools Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2023
Downstream breaches of Capita customers spreading
As many as 90 organisations that used Capita services have now reported data breaches arising from various security incidents at the outsourcer Continue Reading
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News
26 May 2023
Birmingham council leader admits £100m budget hole in ERP upgrade
City council’s plans to replace flagship SAP system, which has been running since 1999, is not going to plan Continue Reading
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News
25 May 2023
Cabinet Office publishes response to data sharing for digital ID consultation
The majority of respondents to government’s consultation on data sharing for digital identity are critical to the plans and concerned about data privacy, but Whitehall’s response says many of the responses ‘were driven by anti-digital commentaries’ Continue Reading
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News
25 May 2023
Alert over Chinese cyber campaign targeting critical networks
A Chinese threat actor known as Volt Typhoon has been observed infiltrating CNI networks in a cyber espionage campaign, according to intelligence Continue Reading