Broadband update
Vaizey defends BDUK process at DCMS Questions
A number of MPs have asked questions on broadband during Culture, Media and Sport question time in the House of Commons this week. In response, Communications Minister Ed Vaizey MP suggested that the Government was making good progress with the rollout of broadband and that 20 BDUK projects were under way, representing more than 60% of the total budget. He further defended the Government’s record regarding competition in the telecommunications market and added that the BDUK process was competitive and that “it just so happens that BT has won the contracts”
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Government still considering post-2015 broadband spending
Labour MP Chi Onwurah has asked the Government whether the upcoming Communications White Paper would provide an indication of how the Government intends to spend the £300 million of broadband funding from the digital dividend post-2015. Ed Vaizey MP replied that the Government is “still actively looking at the options for spending that £300 million” but did not provide any further information.
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OFT to investigate ‘free apps for children’
Free iPads and smartphones games which can leave parents facing bills due to their children purchasing costly in-game features are to be investigated by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) over whether children are being unfairly pressured to pay for such content.
The OFT investigation explores whether these games are misleading, commercially aggressive or unfair. The OFT is concerned that the Consumer Protection (from Unfair Trading) Regulations 2008 is currently being breached in certain cases where children are either encouraged to make a purchase or it is a necessity.
The OFT has asked business operating in the market and parents to provide evidence. The deadline for submissions is June 28th and the OFT expects to publish its next steps by October 2013.
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Communications Data
Naomi Long, the Allliance MP for Belfast East, tabled two questions on the forthcoming Communications Data Bill. Home Office Minister James Brokenshire MP:
- Confirmed that the Bill will provide for a “Request Filter” to enable law enforcement agencies to replace multiple requests for data with a single request but reiterated that this arrangement was a safeguard as it would limit collateral intrusion by ensuring that only relevant data is returned to officers.
- Explained that notices issued to communications service providers to generate and retain communications data will detail specific implementation requirements to ensure that the data is held securely.
A redrafted Communications Data Bill is expected to be published during the next parliamentary session.
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Consultant on classification of creative industries
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has launched a consultation on proposals to redefine the classification of the creative industry that is used to measure the contribution of the creative sector to the UK economy. DCMS proposes to use the idea of “creative intensity”, i.e. the proportion of people doing creative jobs within each industry to determine which industries should be included in the new creative industries classification. The intention is to produce a classification which provides direct estimates of employment and the contribution to the economy, with no double counting – rather than attempting to capture all activity further down the value chain, for example, retail activities.
Whilst IT businesses are not classified as creative businesses, some IT-related occupations fall within the suggested creative occupations definition, including:
- Information technology and telecommunications directors
- IT business analysts, architects and systems designers
- Programmers and software development professionals
- Web design and development professionals
The consultation will close at midnight on 14 June 2013.
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UK ‘digital spend’ rises to £5.4bn
The Internet Advertising Bureau has released a study, conducted by PwC, which showed spending on online advertising reached £5.42 billion pounds in 2012. Advertising spend on the internet has jumped 12.5% in the UK last year driven by a high take up of broadband and the rise of smartphones and tablet computers.
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Government launches global centre for cyber security
The Foreign Secretary William Hague has announced that a global centre for cyber security will be opened at the University of Oxford. The Government will provide £1m of funds to the centre to help countries develop comprehensive plans to deal with current and future online threats.
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Defamation Bill update
The Defamation Bill has cleared the House of Commons ping pong stage in which MPs were asked whether they agreed with the amendments that were made in the House of Lords. Following the agreement between the three major parties to establish a post-Leveson press regulator via a Royal Charter, the MPs rejected the Lords’ proposals for using the Defamation Bill to implement the regulator. MPs further rejected an amendment that would have barred corporations from filing for libel claims. This rejection is likely going to be probed when the Bill return to the House of Lords next week.
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NSPCC release ‘How safe are our children?’ report
The report compiles the most robust and up-to-date child protection data, setting out 19 different indicators with each indicator looking at the question from a different perspective.
The report finds that many some ways today’s children are safer from abuse and neglect than those of previous generations but “worrying levels” of abuse still remain. In particular, whilst parents are used to equipping their children to deal with real or potential threats to their safety, they are much less confident when dealing with the online world.
Key findings include:
- 28% of 11 to 16 year olds have been bullied online or via mobile phones. Over a quarter of these described the bullying as on-going. This suggests over 350,000 secondary aged school children may have suffered persistent cyber bullying.
- 20% of victims of cyber bullying indicated that fear of the bullies made them reluctant to go to school, 19% experienced reduced confidence and self-esteem, and 14% did not feel safe.
- The findings show that 32% of girls had experienced some form of cyber bullying, compared to 23% of boys.
Government publishes IPO targets
Jo Swinson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs, has published the Ministerial targets for the Intellectual Property Office for the 2013-2014.
Of key interest:
- Finalise secondary legislation to implement Hargreaves’ recommendations regarding copyright exceptions
- Establish a specialist police Intellectual Property Crime Unit capable of tackling infringement and counterfeits on the internet.
Deliver a campaign which reaches an audience of at least 4 million personnel that will build understanding of and respect for intellectual property amongst consumers and young people
