IT & Security News
UK Decides Against Restricting VPNs
The UK government has decided against restricting virtual private networks (VPNs) after its own research found that most children use them for privacy rather than to bypass age checks, with ministers instead placing greater responsibility on online platforms to enforce age assurance. Why VPNs Came Under Scrutiny The issue arose as the UK rolled out…
Microsoft Makes Passkeys The Default For Entra ID
Microsoft will begin making passkeys the default authentication method in Microsoft Entra ID from 1 September 2026, marking a major change in how organisations protect user accounts as AI-powered phishing and identity attacks continue to grow. What Has Changed? The move is part of Microsoft’s wider effort to reduce reliance on authentication methods that cyber…
Boys Forming Romantic Bonds With AI
A major UK study has found that some teenage boys are developing romantic and emotionally intimate relationships with AI chatbots, prompting growing concern among researchers, parents and regulators about how these increasingly human-like systems may be shaping young people’s understanding of relationships. Why Is This Happening? Artificial intelligence has become remarkably good at conversation. Modern…
Chancellor Backs UK AI Sovereignty
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has declared that the UK needs “a serious plan on AI sovereignty”, using her recent Mansion House speech to position artificial intelligence as a strategic national priority for economic growth, national security and Britain’s long-term competitiveness. What Has Been Announced? Although the Mansion House speech traditionally focuses on financial services, Reeves used this…
HP Fined Over Government Tender Rigging
HP India has been fined almost 1.39 billion Indian rupees (around £12 million) by India’s Competition Commission after a lengthy investigation concluded that it coordinated with resellers to manipulate bidding in government technology procurement, in one of the most significant competition law cases involving the IT sector in recent years. What Happened? The penalties arise…
Australia Tells AI Data Centres To Generate Their Own Power
Australia is proposing new national rules that would make the next generation of large AI data centres build enough new electricity generation to match the power they consume, helping prevent rapid AI expansion from pushing up household bills or placing extra pressure on the country’s grid. What Has Been Announced? Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced…
Instantly Find Microsoft Office Commands
If you can’t remember where a command is in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, Microsoft Office includes a built-in Search feature that can take you straight to it in seconds, saving you from hunting through menus and Ribbon tabs. This can be particularly useful when using features you don’t access very often, such as Track Changes,…
New EU Cars Must Now Watch The Driver
From 7 July 2026, every newly manufactured passenger car and van sold in the European Union must include a new generation of advanced safety systems, including technology that monitors whether drivers are paying attention to the road, marking another significant step towards vehicles that actively watch over both their occupants and everyone around them. The…
50% Of Parents Fear Children Too AI Dependent
Half of parents are concerned that their children rely too heavily on artificial intelligence for schoolwork, according to a new Deloitte survey, highlighting growing uncertainty over how schools should prepare young people for an AI-powered future without weakening the thinking and problem-solving skills education is intended to develop. What Did The Survey Find? Deloitte’s latest…
Google Now Labels Ads Made by AI
Google is introducing new labels that tell users when advertisements have been created or edited using generative artificial intelligence, marking an important step towards greater transparency as AI-generated marketing becomes increasingly realistic and more difficult to distinguish from traditional advertising. What Has Google Changed? The new feature adds a “How this ad was made” section…
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