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Here’s why a British politician will escape punishment for hacking
Thanks to a silly statement made by the prime minister, most British politicians are now asked in interviews about the worst thing they have ever done. When MP Kemi Badenoch was handed the question, she confessed to something quite serious: hacking into the website of another politician.
Twitter will livestream five BBC UK election specials
Twitter's attempt to reposition itself as a major video provider has led to a number of important partnerships, but many of them have been US-based, or held at a time where UK users are unable to watch. However, that's all set to change with the upcoming General Election. The BBC announced today that it's linking up with the social network for the first time to share coverage of five major debates that begin on May 31st.
Labour’s election manifesto: What it means for UK tech
The UK has entered election season, which means it's time for all of the major political parties to cough up their manifestos. Today it was Labour's turn to put forward its proposed vision, which includes better broadband access, more investment in renewable energy and a renewed effort to tackle cybercrime. Most of these ideas are covered in vague, broad strokes — there's a lot to cover in a manifesto, after all — but they're still worth reading and considering, if only to get a general sense of what Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn thinks is most important for the country.
Labour party says redrafted surveillance bill needs work
The UK government is trying to push through a new piece of surveillance legislation, despite facing strong opposition from technology companies and the intelligence community. Following a cross-party investigation, the Home Office has issued a redrafted bill -- but little has changed, and the Labour Party says it still needs "significant improvement." In a letter to the home secretary Theresa May, Andy Burnham MP has asked for a stronger definition of Internet Connection Records (ICRs). With these, investigators could access the basics of your online communications -- the who, when, where and how of a particular conversation on WhatsApp, for instance.
Labour party joins calls for BT and Openreach breakup
UK telecoms regulator Ofcom is currently reviewing whether BT and Openreach, a subsidiary which manages most of the UK's broadband infrastructure, should be left alone or separated entirely. Sky and TalkTalk have already expressed their views -- unsurprisingly, they want the pair split up -- and now they've got another supporter in the Labour party. Chris Bryant, the shadow culture secretary, says Openreach and the government are delivering broadband "too slow, too late." In the Telegraph, he argues that Ofcom should work on the basis that Openreach needs to be "split from the rest of BT, unless their review produces conclusive evidence to the contrary." It's not an unwavering stance, but it's clear the Labour party favours reform. BT will need to do more interviews like the one below if it's to prove the current arrangement is in the public interest.
Liverpool wants to build 'games academy'
City councilors in Liverpool (England, UK, EU ... sorta) are planning on creating a "computer games academy" in the city. The Liverpool Daily Post reports the £5m facility would train students in art, coding and tech. As Develop notes, the area is home to SCEE Liverpool and Bizarre Creations, with 1,500 developers employed in the area.The city's enterprise leader, Councilor Gary Millar, hopes the academy will become a hub for well-trained potential employees and inspire people to "up-skill and get involved." It's a good thing for the UK, as the region continues to fight for tax breaks and develop more skilled labor for the industry.[Via Develop] [Image]
The daily grind: when playing turns into work
There's an interesting back-and-forth discussion over at Terra Nova on the subject of gameplay and labour; as the boundaries between work and play become blurred, what are the issues and where will the trend lead? Unless you're a pro gamer or gold farmer, playing games is unlikely to net you any real-world salary, and yet many of us log into MMOs to continue our "daily grind". A serious commitment to World of Warcraft, for example, can leave one with a raid schedule more gruelling than a day job. The boundary blurs elsewhere, too, when you carry out a complicated task in-game that you couldn't do in real life. The difference is that by playing a game, you have control over what you do, rather than relinquishing the reins to an employer. Perhaps this will lead to higher self-employment and entrepreneurship amongst gamers--certainly worlds like Second Life let you work in-game for real cash. A warning, though--once the game becomes a job, the roles may reverse, leaving real life as the fun distraction.
