Is the introduction of a standard minimum wage always bad for business? Studies can argue either way, but the long term social and cultural impact of a minimum hourly rate can be seen in nearly all developed countries. The teething pains can be acute, however, especially in the service sector. On a global level, the right … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Law
Mobile operators plan to block mobile advertising
Whether it is a win for the consumer or a warning to Google, the possibility of blocking mobile advertisements could be the biggest game-changer in marketing since the introduction of mobile advertising less than ten years ago. It is estimated that the mobile internet market is worth $69billion this year alone, with that set to rise … Continue reading
The YouTube Election
In the run-up to the General Election, I contributed a guest-blog to Byfield Consultancy, a specilaist legal PR and Communications agency in London. An earlier version of the blog can be viewed on the Byfield Consultancy website and is, in part, reproduced below. The YouTube election YouTube reached its tenth birthday in April 2015 and the … Continue reading
Was it worth the wait? Apple launches its smartwatch
After years of conspiracy theories, anticipation and disappointment, Apple finally launched its catchily named AppleWatch on 24 April 2015. Will this change the horological world the way that the iPhone changed the mobile marketplace, or is this one innovation too far? First indications are that the AppleWatch will dominate the smartwatch market from day one. … Continue reading
Office politics – avoiding clashes in the run up to GE2015
As we move ever closer to election day, the dangers of discussing politics in the office, the pub or at home become ever more present. Sometimes the stakes can be high. Thinking about this, I recently wrote a feature for City AM’s Office Politics section, discussing political ding-dongs, in the office. The article is reproduced … Continue reading
Huff Post Live interview: Facebook faces class action claim in Europe
A 25,000 member class action has been considered against Facebook by a court in Austria. Following alleged breaches of EU privacy law, mass surveillance and involvement in the NSA’s Prism snooping programme, privacy campaigner Max Schrems has officially filed the complaint which is currently being considered. A decision on whether the claim can succeed to a full consideration is … Continue reading
Uber Alles? More PR gaffes from the $40billion start-up
Uber hit the headlines again this month. First following its announcement that it was partnering with UN Women to “work together around the world toward a shared vision of equality and women’s empowerment.” It promised to create one million jobs for women in the next 5 years within it’s global company, now operating in over … Continue reading
$1billion stolen from world banks in systematic hack
The systematic theft of up to $10million a time has resulted in a reported 100 banks being stung across 30 countries worldwide. Kaspersky Labs has said that a ‘professional’ hacking group has used basic phishing style techniques to infiltrate banks in Russia, the US, China and the UK, watching and waiting for months before taking … Continue reading
End of the (Silk) Road? ‘eBay of drugs’ creator found guilty
On 5 February 2015, I joined the Arise News team to discuss the indictment of Silk Road ‘mastermind’ Ross Ulbricht and what really happens on the ‘Darknet’. The creator of online marketplace Silk Road is now facing a lengthy prison sentence after a New York jury found him guilty on charges including narcotics trafficking, criminal enterprise, … Continue reading
What can we learn from Sony’s hacking misfortune?
Sony hit the headlines last year with the comedy film, The Interview, in which a TV reporting crew are enlisted to assassinate North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. This time, however, the risk of publicity overshadowing the James Franco and Seth Rogan film has been realised and, despite a boost from the news stories surrounding its release, … Continue reading