In this week’s news roundup….

Apple Inc said on Thursday that it will delay until early next year changes to its privacy policy that could reduce ad sales by Facebook Inc and other companies targeting users on iPhones and iPads.

The delay could benefit Facebook, which last week said the changes to the iOS 14 operating system would render one of its mobile advertising tools “so ineffective on iOS 14 that it may not make sense to offer it.”

Apple announced new privacy rules in June that were slated to take effect with the launch of its iOS 14 operating system this fall. Among them is a new requirement that advertisers who employ an Apple-provided tracking identifier, or other tools that have a similar function, must now show a pop-up notification asking for tracking permission.

Source & full story: Financial Post

New Zealand’s communications security bureau has been called in to help after its stock exchange was hit by cyber attacks for the fourth consecutive day.

The exchange failed to open as planned on Friday due to so-called “distributed denial of service” (DDoS) attacks.

The $135bn (£102bn) market, which is nearing a record high, has said the attacks came from overseas.

The exchange’s website was overwhelmed by the cyber attacks, forcing it to halt trading.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in a media briefing:

I can’t go into much more in terms of specific details other than to say that we as a government are treating this very seriously,

The stock market operator NZX said its networks had crashed due to the cyber attacks, which originated overseas.

Source & full story: BBC News

The records of nearly 500,000 people have been deleted from a Police Scotland database designed to protect vulnerable people, new figures show.

The list allows officers attending incidents to add people who they consider to be at risk of future harm.

But three years ago the force fell foul of the Information Commissioner who said there needed to be a policy for removing people from the database.

It has now emerged that weeding process saw 494,039 records removed. Concerns about the Vulnerable Person Database (VPD) included some people not being told that they had been put on the system.

But Police Scotland said the database helps “maximise opportunities to provide early intervention, prevention and to reduce harm”.

The force also added that the VPD, which currently has about 267,000 people on it, has new records and incidents added and removed “every hour of every day”.

Source & full story: BBC News

Facebook and Google are among the US tech firms involved in the Pacific Light Cable Network project. New plans submitted to the US communication authority mention links with the Philippines and Taiwan only.

The 12,800 km (8,000 miles) long cable has already been laid.
However it needs permission from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in order to operate.

The project was first announced in 2016. At the time, Google said the cable would “provide enough capacity for Hong Kong to have 80 million concurrent HD video conference calls with Los Angeles”.

Source & full story: BBC News

Tech firms have 12 months to ensure their platforms adhere to new child privacy protection measures.

The Age Appropriate Design Code sets out 15 standards that companies must build into any online services used by children, making data protection of young people a priority from the design up.

These can stretch from apps and connected toys, to social media sites and online games, and even educational websites and streaming services.

After the transition period, vulnerable young people will be less likely to be lured to the web’s darkest content, which in some cases, as we all to painfully know, can cost lives

~ Ian Russell, father of Molly Russell

Organisations that fail to follow the code after the transition period ends on September 2 2021 could face enforcement action by data regulator ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) which include compulsory audits, orders to stop processing and fines of up to 4% of global turnover.

Source & full story: Belfast Telegraph

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Peter Borner
Executive Chairman and Chief Trust Officer

As Co-founder, Executive Chairman and Chief Trust Officer of The Data Privacy Group, Peter Borner leverages over 30 years of expertise to drive revenue for organisations by prioritising trust. Peter shapes tailored strategies to help businesses reap the rewards of increased customer loyalty, improved reputation, and, ultimately, higher revenue. His approach provides clients with ongoing peace of mind, solidifying their foundation in the realm of digital trust.

Specialises in: Privacy & Data Governance

Peter Borner
Executive Chairman and Chief Trust Officer

As Co-founder, Executive Chairman and Chief Trust Officer of The Data Privacy Group, Peter Borner leverages over 30 years of expertise to drive revenue for organisations by prioritising trust. Peter shapes tailored strategies to help businesses reap the rewards of increased customer loyalty, improved reputation, and, ultimately, higher revenue. His approach provides clients with ongoing peace of mind, solidifying their foundation in the realm of digital trust.

Specialises in: Privacy & Data Governance

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