BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Chloe Khan and Jodie Marsh rapped by watchdog
The Advertising Standards Authority has named and shamed four influencers it said repeatedly failed to disclose when their Instagram posts were actually advertisements. The four - Chloe Khan, Jodie Marsh, Lucy Mecklenburgh and Chloe Ferry - had previously been warned about breaking advertising rules, the ASA said. It is part of its new policy of listing repeat rule-breakers on its website. The ... Read more
2021-06-17 20:09:01
How market research reveals what you really think
Traditional market research, based on clipboards and questions, has a glaring weakness, according to Carl Wong, who has worked in the industry for more than 20 years. He says people cannot answer some questions honestly because they are not aware of their own deep underlying motives. "We are all influenced by things we're not able, or willing, to reflect on at the time a purchasing decision ... Read more
2021-06-17 20:08:42
Digital ad industry accused of huge data breach
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties is suing a branch of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and others over what it describes as "the world's largest data breach". The IAB Tech Lab, based in New York, develops digital ad industry standards. IAB members include Facebook, Google and Amazon. The case brought by Johnny Ryan centres on the data shared between ad brokers and other f ... Read more
2021-06-16 21:36:44
Lina Khan: The 32-year-old taking on Big Tech
On Tuesday, 32-year-old Lina Khan was sworn in as chair of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The role is a hugely powerful one, which protects consumers from bad business practices and companies from unfair competition. And when it comes to unfair competition, there is one sector that has been singled out by Democrats and Republicans alike: Big Tech. Worryingly for technology giants, Ms Kh ... Read more
2021-06-16 21:36:16
Web founder Berners-Lee to auction source code as NFT
The creator of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, is selling off the original code used to create the modern internet as an NFT. NFTs are a form of unique ownership for digital-only items and do not necessarily include copyright control. They have also been widely criticised as a money-making scheme and bad for the environment. Some have expressed surprise at the news given that Sir Tim f ... Read more
2021-06-15 21:51:58
E3 2021: Nintendo shows off more Zelda Breath of the Wild 2
Nintendo showed off more of the hotly-anticipated sequel to its Zelda: Breath of the Wild in its E3 show. New game footage revealed that the game will involve floating islands, skydiving, and new powers in the same world as its predecessor. But it will not release this year, and is currently pencilled in for a 2022 release date. There was also no reveal of a widely-rumoured "Switch Pro&quo ... Read more
2021-06-15 21:51:18
E3 2021: Microsoft shows off Halo Infinite, Starfield and Forza Horizon 5
A Christmas release date for Halo: Infinite was among dozens of announcements at Microsoft's E3 show. It was scheduled for release last year alongside the new Xbox, but was delayed due to the pandemic and amid outcry from players over its graphics. A new Forza racing game and the Xbox release of Flight Simulator were also among the 30 titles revealed. It was the first E3 since Microsoft acquire ... Read more
2021-06-14 23:40:13
Irish police to be given powers over passwords
Irish police will have the power to compel people to provide passwords for electronic devices when carrying out a search warrant under new legislation. The change is part of the Garda Síochána Bill published by Irish Justice Minister Heather Humphreys on Monday. Gardaí will also be required to make a written record of a stop and search. This will enable data to be collected so the effectiveness ... Read more
2021-06-14 23:39:23
Facebook remote working plan extended to all staff for long term
Facebook will let all employees who can work away from the office do so after the Covid pandemic is over. The company has told employees "anyone whose role can be done remotely can request remote work". Rival big tech firms Apple and Google have recently reversed pandemic working conditions, telling staff to return to the office in the coming months. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuck ... Read more
2021-06-10 20:14:01
EA: Gaming giant hacked and source code stolen
Hackers have stolen valuable information from major game publisher Electronic Arts (EA), the company said. The attackers claimed to have downloaded source code for games such as FIFA 21 and for the proprietary Frostbite game engine used as the base for many other high-profile games. News of the hack was first reported by news site Vice, which said some 780GB of data was stolen. EA said no playe ... Read more
2021-06-10 20:13:39