At a glance…
UK calls for AI Chatbot Regulation
It was a bleak but necessary wake-up call at the dawn of 2024, as a legal leader called for the UK to crack down on chatbot radicalisation.
Jonathan Hall KC, the UK’s terrorism tsar, highlighted a legal gap: bots spreading hate cannot be prosecuted as they are non-human. He argued for legislation targeting the increasing risks posed by AI in encouraging extremism.
Pakistan Internet Shutdown during Elections
With 1.5 billion people due to vote in 2024 in elections held around the world, some undemocratic trends started to emerge. In particular, AI-generated deepfakes were a real and legitimate concern. However, internet blackouts have become a common trend in countries where the ruling parties control the national telecom infrastructure.
Pakistan’s internet blackouts surfaced as a tool of political suppression during its election season. The ruling PML-N party reportedly restricted platforms to hamper opposition PTI’s campaigning. Despite PTA denials, such actions have become frequent. Although PTI won the popular vote, jailed leader Imran Khan’s party fell short of a majority, and Shehbaz Sharif was re-elected as PM.
Taiwan was among the first nations to go to the polls this year, and the country’s role as a critical player in global trade and technology ensured that the world would be closely watching.
The island produces 60% of the world’s semiconductors. In the event, the pro-independence DPP, led by Lai Ching-te, secured the presidency, maintaining tension with Beijing.
Orange Business’s new CITO, Bruno Zerbib, emphasised a pivot from generational upgrades to iterative improvements in enterprise services.
The company plans to expand API offerings, enabling private 5G networks and industrial innovations like digital twins for remote manufacturing.
The rogue chatbot narrative continued in January as DPD faced a backlash after its AI chatbot insulted a customer and criticised its own brand.
This prompted the logistics firm to take down the chatbot, showcasing the challenges of deploying unregulated AI in customer service.
Study highlights Retail Data Privacy Concerns
A study found that Nike, H&M, and North Face were among 180 fashion apps sharing sensitive customer data, including user images and sexual orientation, with third parties — highlighting lax data privacy standards in the retail industry.
Meta fined $2.8bn for GDPR Breaches
In another privacy scandal, Facebook parent Meta accrued $2.8bn in GDPR fines over four years, primarily for failing to localise data storage. The penalties highlighted ongoing regulatory scrutiny of global tech giants and their data practices.
‘Mother of All Breaches’ exposes 26bn Records
A data leak dubbed the “mother of all breaches” exposed over 26 billion records from platforms like Tencent, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter). Discovered by Cybernews researchers, the leak compiled earlier breaches, leaving its origins and perpetrators unclear. This highlighted the persistent threat of cyberattacks.
Moments That Mattered: The Threat to Subsea Cables
Cables under the sea provide much of the world’s connectivity. When telecoms regulator Nigerian Communications Commission reported that international undersea cables running along the West African coastline had been disrupted in March, it highlighted their geopolitical importance as both targets and strategic assets in the digital age.
Businesses across the west coast of Africa reported major disruptions. Although human activity was ruled out in this case — the damage was likely caused by seismic activity on the seabed — bad actors have been suspected in later instances, particularly around the Baltic Sea.
In this report, TI examined how subsea cables, spanning 1.4 million kilometres, form the backbone of global internet connectivity, supporting $10 trillion in daily financial transactions. Vital yet vulnerable, these cables face increasing threats from state actors and conflicts.
Why a Job at McDonald’s Could be the Key to Success
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the world’s third richest man, marked his 60th birthday with a Big Mac – a nod to his formative summer job at McDonald’s.
Bezos credits the experience with influencing Amazon’s customer-first ethos. Starting a career in fast food can be pivotal for success in tech, argues TI’s Ann-Marie Corvin, as such roles teach problem-solving, customer service, and operational efficiency — essential skills for tech leadership.
Labours of Love: Women Shifting the Dial in Sex Tech
Sex tech gets a bad rap as a category, but it holds the potential to educate device-addicted kids and explore under-researched areas like female health. We spoke to two entrepreneurs, Cindy Gallop of Make Love Not Porn and Lioness’s Anna Lee, who are disrupting the sector.
London Mayor: Deepfake almost caused “Serious Disorder”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called for action on disinformation after deepfake audio of his voice circulated online. The audio, depicting him making inflammatory remarks, almost caused “serious disorder” before the UK’s Remembrance Weekend.
UK, US, and EU Disrupt LockBit Ransomware Gang
In a rare win for the good guys, UK, US, and EU agencies disrupted LockBit — one of the world’s most prolific ransomware gangs. Operation Cronos saw Britain’s National Crime Agency, the FBI, and Europol seize control of LockBit’s dark web sites.
MWC2024: Security APIs Dominate Open Gateway
At the mobile industry’s annual conference, the GSMA revealed APIs tackling fraud and cyber security are among the most popular for developers under the Open Gateway initiative, launched a year ago.
Rhysida Hawked Stolen Hospital Records for $3.4m
The Rhysida ransomware gang targeted Chicago Children’s Hospital, demanding $3.4m for 600GB of stolen data. The attack forced staff to use pen and paper for prescriptions while test results remained inaccessible.
Ann-Marie’s Top Story: Tech Scores for Inclusion on the Football Terraces
Amid hackers holding the health service to ransom and the threat of AI cannibalising jobs, there were some more uplifting examples of technology driving positive change in 2024.
Crystal Palace FC became the UK’s first football club to implement private 5G in its Selhurst Park stadium, enhancing accessibility for visually impaired fans.
Fans with low vision could experience the action independently using a 5G-powered headset that streamed live match footage without delay. I was fortunate to interview some of its early adopters at an early-season game in September.
One Eagles fan remarked: “I’m able to hold the referee in the same level of contempt as everybody else! Equality is the main point here.”
The future looks promising for more inclusive football experiences. This May, TechInformed’s editor — a Newcastle United fan — reported on how his club was trialling ‘sound shirts’ which use haptic technology and 5G to capture and enhance the buzz of the stadium for deaf football fans.
Open Source Software faces Critical Challenges
At the State of Open Con in London, Bruce Perens declared the open-source movement economically unsustainable, citing corporate exploitation and unpaid maintainers.
Calls for a “post-open” model emerged to address licensing inequities and diversity issues. Advocates like Amanda Brock urged government support to sustain open source as a global public good.
Cybersecurity Staff “Breaking Bad” on the Dark Web
A CIISec report warned of cybersecurity professionals moonlighting on the dark web due to low pay and long hours, likening the trend to Breaking Bad’s Walter White. Without better salaries and working conditions, the industry risks losing talent to cybercrime.
AI Tops Election Threats, say US Voters
A bipartisan survey shows 80% of US voters considered AI-driven misinformation the biggest threat to the 2024 election. Concerns over phishing and data breaches also persisted. Experts urged campaigns to adopt stronger cybersecurity measures to maintain voter trust.
Expedia’s AI-powered Travel Revolution
Expedia is leveraging generative AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT to personalise travel planning. Senior VP Shiyi Pickrell met with TI to highlight innovations like conversational trip planning, curated recommendations, and AI-driven tools for developers, all built on a modernised tech stack.
Lessons from the Post Office-Horizon IT Scandal
The long-running Post Office-Horizon IT scandal gained renewed attention thanks to an ITV drama. Experts reflected on the system’s critical failures and offered lessons for enterprises, emphasising accountability and robust system testing.
The European Parliament approved the AI Act, which set rules to mitigate AI risks while fostering innovation. Key measures include strict regulations for high-risk AI applications, transparency mandates for generative AI, and SME support through sandboxes.
Autonomy Tycoon faces US Trial
UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch stood trial in the US, accused of fraud in Autonomy’s $11.1bn sale to HP.
While found not guilty in June, Lynch passed away two months later, alongside his teenage daughter and four others, when his yacht sank off the coast of Sicily, closing a tumultuous chapter in a celebrated career.
The Ukraine war’s devastation has driven innovation in 3D scanning technology. It aids in war crime documentation, cultural preservation, and prosthetic design for amputees and burn victims, showcasing its critical role in humanitarian efforts.
US Water Systems under Cyber Threat
The Environmental Protection Agency warned of ongoing cyber-attacks on the US water supply. Later, American Water admitted to a hack disrupting customer billing. Concerns grew over China’s ability to target critical infrastructure in potential geopolitical conflicts.
AI Detects Breast Cancer Missed by NHS
An AI tool piloted by the NHS identified early-stage breast cancer in 11 women that human doctors missed. Known as Mia, the tool analysed mammograms of over 10,000 women, demonstrating AI’s potential for life-saving medical advances.
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