It’s been well over two years since the UK’s data protection watchdog warned the behavioural advertising industry it’s wildly out of control. The ICO hasn’t done anything to stop the systematic unlawfulness of the tracking and targeting industry abusing Internet users’ personal data to try to manipulate their attention — not in terms of actually […]
Europe offers tepid set of political ads transparency rules
It’s been almost a year since the EU’s executive announced it would propose rules for political ads transparency in response to concern about online microtargeting and big data techniques making mincemeat of democratic integrity and accountability. Today it’s come out with its proposal. But frankly it doesn’t look like the wait was worth it. The […]
TikTok brings its TV app to more devices across the US and Canada
Just ahead of the U.S. Thanksgiving holidays, TikTok is expanding its footprint in the living room. The company earlier this month launched its TV app in North America in partnership with Amazon Fire TV. Today, TikTok is rolling out its TV app to more TV platforms across North America, including Google TV and other Android […]
EU’s data protection adviser latest to call for ban on tracking ads
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), an expert steering body which advises EU lawmakers on how to interpret rules wrapping citizen’s personal data, has warned the bloc’s legislators that a package of incoming digital regulations risks damaging people’s fundamental rights — without “decisive action” to amend the suite of proposals. The reference is to draft […]
Spotify’s new Podcast Subscriptions expand to global markets
Just a few months after launching support for podcast subscriptions to U.S. creators, Spotify today is making the service available to creators in global markets. The company says the service, which allows creators to mark episodes as “subscriber-only” content, will now become available in 33 new markets worldwide. When podcast subscriptions publicly launched in the […]
Apple, Google questioned by ICO over app age ratings after UK child safety charity raises concerns
The UK’s data protection watchdog has written to Apple and Google seeking details of how they assess apps to determine the age ratings they apply following concerns raised by an online child safety charity. The move follows the coming into force of the UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code this September — which puts requirements on […]
UK-based Virtuoso raises $13.3M Series A led by Paladin Capital to automate software testing
U.K.-based software testing startup Virtuoso has raised a $13.3 million Series A round led by Paladin Capital. The round was joined by Mubadala Capital as well as existing U.K. investors Crane Venture Partners, Forward Partners and Downing Ventures. Virtuoso says its SaaS software testing platform, which launched in 2019, uses machine learning and Robotic Process […]
South Africa’s Root gets $3M, plans to expand low-code insurance platform to Europe
Insurance lags behind other financial services in the adoption of digital technologies. Granted, a few unicorns have popped up from the modern digital insurance space such as Tractable and Lemonade; however, this sector hasn’t raced to the stage as quickly as say, payments or lending. With the global insurtech market worth over $5 trillion, there […]
Oja bags $3.4M to build an online supermarket for ethnic products
As investors continue to pour billions into super speedy on-demand grocery delivery — trying to dislodge the dominance of traditional supermarket giants via a hyper convenience lever (whipping up some local opposition to their 24/7 dark stores and delivery methods in the process) — other entrepreneurs are spotting opportunities to slow things down a little. […]
UK driver shortage could steer grocery retailers toward bigger profits
The increasing prices as a result of today’s driver shortage could create a far more profitable e-grocery opportunity for British retailers by driving click-and-deliver customers to click-and-collect.