techUK is leading a joint effort by the technology trade associations of G7 countries to call for international cooperation on global trade flows and setting a common rulebook for the digital economy.
A planned merger between Virgin Media and O2 has been given the go-ahead by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) following a review. The UK watchdog said that it had been clear from the outset that it was not concerned about overlapping retail services like mobile, because of the small size of Virgin Mobile.
30 civil rights groups across Europe, including Amnesty International and Privacy International, have called on the EU to ban ‘unlawful tracking and surveillance’ in online advertising.
Although many British companies are “cautiously optimistic” about complying with the EU’s proposal for a Digital Services Act (DSA), 92 per cent are concerned about the new regulations.
Republican Josh Hawley has put forward a bill that would stop BigTech companies worth more than $100 billion from buying or merging with other businesses. The proposed legislation would impact the US’ five biggest technology companies: Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook.
A new update on the NHS Covid-19 mobile app has been paused after Apple and Google blocked it from their stores over privacy breaches. The NHS’ Test and Trace app was due for the update on 8 April in time for the easing of restrictions.
Singapore tech company OTSAW Digital is trialling a robot delivery service in the city. The company said that it wants to “disrupt and transform” the last mile delivery service with its robot as-a-service business model for delivery companies and retailers.
Elon Musk’s brain implant company has taught a monkey how to play games using its mind. Neuralink is currently developing a fully-implanted, wireless, high-channel count brain-machine interface (BMI) which it hopes will help people with paralysis use their neural activity to operate computers and mobile devices.
Social media giant Facebook is reportedly testing Hotline, a Q&A app which is similar to Clubhouse but with a video option. The online platform enables users to interact with an audience who can pose questions via audio or text.
T-Mobile Netherlands has announced that it will spend at least €700 million on a new fibre optic network to make high-speed internet available to urban areas. The telecoms business has said that over five years, one million households will have access to the fibre optic broadband.