Author: ashton

YouTube to launch revamped music streaming service

Posted on by ashton

On May 16, online video site YouTube announced it will launch a music streaming service at the end of the month. The launch is the latest attempt by Google, YouTube’s parent company, to penetrate the streaming market.

The new service, called YouTube Music, will differentiate itself from other streaming apps by incorporating video into its platform. Much like market leader Spotify, YouTube Music will offer a free, ad-supported service, as well as a version without ads, which will cost $9.99 a month.

YouTube Red, the company’s first attempt at a paid streaming subscription service, will be rebranded as YouTube Music Premium and will include original video content, costing $11.99 a month.

YouTube Music will differentiate itself from other streaming apps by incorporating video into its platform

The platform will benefit from having users’ existing YouTube histories, meaning it can provide accurate recommendations from the outset.

This is YouTube’s second attempt at a music app; the previous version was launched at the end of 2015. Google plans to phase out its current music streaming app, Google Play Music, to make way for the YouTube platform.

“YouTube was made for video, not just music,” said YouTube in its announcement. “On Tuesday, May 22, we’ll be changing that by introducing YouTube Music, a new music streaming service made for music with the magic of YouTube: making the world of music easier to explore and more personalised than ever.

“The days of jumping back and forth between multiple music apps and YouTube are over. Whether you want to listen, watch or discover, it’s all here.”

Google hopes the new service will be able to compete more effectively than Google Play Music did in a saturated market. Intense competition from streaming rivals including Spotify, Apple and Amazon has prevented Google from gaining a significant market share in the past. In 2017, Google Play Music did not even make it into the top five streaming services in terms of subscribers.

YouTube Music will initially see a limited launch in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and South Korea, before being rolled out to other regions.

California becomes first state to require solar panels on all new homes

Posted on by ashton

From January 1, 2020, each new home built in California will be equipped with solar panels under new building regulations approved by the California Energy Commission.

The Golden State is on a mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels and ramp up its renewable energy generation so it makes up half the state’s electricity consumption by 2030. Renewables accounted for 27 percent of total energy generation last year, while solar generation made up 10 percent of the total, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Renewables accounted for 27 percent of California’s total energy generation last year, while solar generation made up 10 percent of the total

However, The New York Times reported the new regulations are expected to drive house prices up by between $8,000 and $12,000 in a state where housing is already considered to be too expensive in many areas. While shares in solar companies surged following the announcement on May 9, housebuilder share prices fell.

California Energy Commissioner Andrew McAllister said the solar requirements, along with updates to heating and lighting standards, would drive efficiency and lower costs in new buildings. The commission estimated the new standards will cost residential homeowners an additional $40 a month on their mortgages, but consumers will save $80 on monthly utility bills.

Morten Lund, Chair of the Energy Storage Initiative at law firm Stoel Rives, told Bloomberg the news was “massive”. “Essentially, this could turn residential solar into an appliance, like a water heater,” he added. “There has always been a certain inevitability about that outcome, but this is moving faster than most of us thought likely.”

California, the most populous state in the US, is undeniably the nation’s leader when it comes to solar power, thanks in part to the state’s abundance of sunshine as well as its green energy-friendly public policies. While it hopes its solar requirement will eventually become a standard across the US, critics are wary that the policy may not be the best way forward; California’s grid operator is already struggling to accommodate the state’s current supply of solar energy.

Hydrogen could be the answer to energy storage conundrum

Posted on by ashton

According to a report published by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) on May 9, gas grids have the potential to store excess renewable power in the form of hydrogen for longer than batteries can.

In 2017, rising renewable energy capacity in the UK caused wind power generation to jump by 31 percent while solar generation rose by 11 percent, according to recent analysis by Carbon Brief. As more electricity is produced by renewables, which only generate power under specific conditions such as when the sun is shining or wind is blowing, energy storage has become vital to the task of matching supply to demand.

As more electricity is produced by renewables… energy storage has become vital to the task of matching supply to demand

Lithium-ion batteries are the typical solution to questions of energy storage, but concerns have been raised about the limited availability of sustainable cobalt, a key component in the manufacture of batteries. But the IME has proposed a new solution entirely: hydrogen.

“We need to move away from our wasteful culture to a more sustainable and circular economy,” said Jenifer Baxter, Head of Engineering at the IME and lead author of the report. “Power-to-gas and hydrogen technology could and should play a major role in building this future.”

In the report, Energy from Gas: Taking a Whole System Approach, the UK-based group called for the government to support power-to-gas technology, which allows excess electricity on the National Grid to be used to create hydrogen through electrolysis.

This process produces ‘green’ gas that can be used anywhere from producing low emissions fuel for transport to reducing carbon dioxide emissions from heating systems, as well as balancing the electricity gird.

“The UK has a strong track record of being at the cutting edge of new energy developments, and this could present the country with a chance to be a world leader in power-to-gas and hydrogen technology,” Baxter said.

Although the new method sounds promising, its benefits could still be a long way off. The IME has called on the government to support its plan by providing funding and changing the UK’s pipes to support the use of up to 20 percent hydrogen in the gas distribution network by 2023.

Protection vs privacy: the problem with mobile device management

Posted on by ashton

Recently, Facebook has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. While it’s common knowledge that social media sites gather personal data from users, the Cambridge Analytica scandal has revealed the volume of sensitive information Facebook collects. The company’s data gathering practices go far beyond users’ in-app behaviour, extending to the logging of all calls and SMS messages sent and received by devices on which the app is installed.

The uproar caused by the scandal quickly eroded the public’s trust in Facebook, leading to calls for users to delete Facebook and leaving an indelible mark on the company’s reputation.

While criticism remains focussed on Facebook, Cambridge Analytica and Mark Zuckerberg, another threat to privacy has been left unchallenged, and it exists within many organisations: mobile device management (MDM). Research suggests that the MDM market is set to reach $7.86bn by 2023, however, just like Facebook, MDM invades user privacy in several ways, which are often unknown to employees and even businesses themselves.

MDM invades user privacy in several ways, which are often unknown to employees and even businesses themselves

A security fix
MDM is a mobile security tool designed to prevent data leakage within business environments that employ ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) policies. MDM typically takes the form of an agent that’s installed on users’ devices.

Once an agent is in place, key security functions such as password protection, remote data wiping and rejecting unsafe WLAN networks can all be enforced from a centralised admin interface. As such, organisations often see MDM as an all-in-one security solution for many of the concerns associated with BYOD.

The privacy problem
While MDM solutions can help organisations prevent data breaches, they also raise significant questions regarding employee privacy. Many MDM tools let employers monitor all device activity – including personal calls and web traffic – at any given time.

In addition to this, MDM allows IT teams to perform a variety of remote actions such as locking devices, monitoring employees’ locations through GPS and even wiping data from laptops, tablets and phones in the name of corporate security.

When an organisation enables BYOD, employees are able to use their personal devices to access data that can be used for work tasks. Naturally, the enterprise wants to secure these endpoints – with MDM as the security solution of choice. However, access to data is a two-way street with MDM, as IT teams are granted access to employees’ devices. As such, there is increasing reluctance among employees to allow MDM agents to be installed on their personal devices.

Recent stories of data breaches, such as those involving Facebook, have intensified concerns about privacy, causing many to pay closer attention to the personal information their employers can access through MDM tools. Our research suggests that MDM is facing a growing backlash, with only 44 percent of those questioned stating that they would allow MDM to be installed on their personal devices.

When organisations mandate that MDM be installed on the personal devices of resistant employees, it inevitably leads to ‘shadow IT’. Shadow IT refers to the unauthorised tools and applications that employees use in place of sanctioned options that are enabled by MDM. This practice creates a lack of visibility and control over data, demonstrating the need for a security solution other than MDM, one that preserves employees’ privacy while protecting businesses’ data.

Alternative solutions
For BYOD initiatives to work, they must ensure data security and respect employee privacy. Fortunately, there are a growing number of MDM alternatives that have found a way to strike a balance between the two. In particular, cloud-based, agentless tools allow IT teams to protect corporate data without installing invasive agents on employee’s devices.

Cloud-based, agentless tools allow IT teams to protect corporate data without installing invasive agents on employee’s devices

These solutions have capabilities historically only available with MDM, for example, data loss prevention and remote wiping of endpoints. Additionally, because there is no need to install agents on all devices accessing corporate data, agentless solutions can be deployed much quicker than MDM.

BYOD has become essential to workplace productivity for many organisations, meaning they must secure devices rather than ban them. However, intrusive MDM tools are becoming increasingly unviable; employees commonly reject solutions deemed to invade their privacy. Fortunately, agentless solutions can meet all the demands of modern business. By deploying these tools, organisations can protect their sensitive data without compromising user privacy.

Securing data in the lead up to GDPR

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Companies today have access to ever-growing amounts of data, all of which must be stored somewhere. Crucially, data must be stored securely, and with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into force on May 25, it’s more important than ever for businesses to ensure the data they collect is protected.

There are two types of data – structured and unstructured – and they make up the sum of an organisation’s data collection. Both types are vital to modern digital enterprises, but they must be managed – and secured – differently.

Two data types
Structured data is organised in a way that machines understand, and is unreadable to most people (unless they are programmers). It’s generally stored in relational databases and displayed in defined columns and rows. This allows data mining tools and algorithms to access and analyse it via search tools.

In comparison, unstructured data is not organised at all. It’s stored in easily accessible and shared formats such as email, PDF files and text messages, and is typically used as a way for people to communicate. Unfortunately, the ease with which unstructured data can be shared and created also makes it vulnerable to unauthorised access.

The ease with which unstructured data can be shared and created also makes it vulnerable to unauthorised access

Defining the difference
The most obvious difference between structured and unstructured data is made clear by their names – they are structured, or organised, differently. But there are a few other key differences – notably in terms of data access.

Unstructured data is not organised in a way that computers can understand, making it difficult for machines and algorithms to access and analyse it. Analysing unstructured data relies on aggregating all available data, identifying the data integral to the problem at hand and conducting analyses to identify patterns and relationships; it’s time-consuming work.

Differences also abound in terms of data entry. Databases rely on structured data entry where the data input matches with the structure defined by the database schema. Machines are able to analyse structured data because only certain types of data are entered into defined fields.

Unstructured data, however, may be stored in a file within an internal structure and does not conform to a pre-defined data schema or structure.

Best Practices
Structured data stored in databases can be secured relatively easily as access can be restricted according to strict guidelines. Although securing structured data may seem simple, this doesn’t mean it’s an insignificant effort. It’s an important part of IT governance that includes the creation of secure central storage for data, tracking data entry and use and managing authentication and encrypted communication using SSL protocol. Organisations also need to protect devices with secure passwords, use remote access to locate and wipe data from missing devices and train employees on data protection policies and best practices.

Unstructured data is a wholly more complex matter as it’s spread throughout an organisation; it exists everywhere and anywhere users access or create content. This means it can be difficult to even know if this data exists, who has access to it and who has used it.

Tracking the flow of unstructured data through an audit trail is also challenging. Pattern matching technology can scan servers and workstations to classify unstructured data, but these solutions often result in false positives and negatives – and this can slow workflow.

Securing unstructured data presents different challenges to protecting structured data. It helps to start with the same best practices that are observed when securing structured data, but there are additional steps that must be taken as well. Businesses must identify unstructured data at its point of creation, classify it as unstructured, assign an owner to sensitive unstructured data and identify who has access to this data.

Structured and unstructured data are of equal importance to enterprises, yet many data protection efforts focus on securing structured data without taking adequate measures to protect unstructured data that’s just as sensitive, but more challenging to secure. With the GDPR deadline looming, organisations need to ensure that they are securing both types of data, or they risk penalties and reputational damage. Ultimately, today’s enterprises need robust data protection solutions that secure all forms of data created, used and maintained by the organisation.

Money laundering in a digital world

Posted on by ashton

With the advent of online platforms came fraudulent schemes used to scam people out of their money, hack accounts and defraud internet users. The proliferation of peer-to-peer websites, online banking and cryptocurrencies is now having a huge impact on the ways criminals launder the proceeds of their crimes.

Going to the cleaners
Modern e-commerce is fuelling money laundering schemes that use legitimate websites as payment processors. This means it’s now possible to make illegal purchases online and have them appear as lawful transactions on your bank statement.

Modern e-commerce is fuelling money laundering schemes that use legitimate websites as payment processors

‘Dirty’ money moves straight to online merchants, who funnel it through other legitimate payment ecosystems for criminal purposes such as financing terrorist activity.

Last year, it was alleged that an ISIS operative in the US had pretended to sell computer printers on eBay to move money. The operative received payments for these transactions from overseas accounts via PayPal.

Peer-to-peer marketplaces
Some of the internet’s biggest marketplaces are now being exploited by money launderers thanks to their online payment systems, ease of use and huge global adoption (which allows criminals to hide in plain sight among thousands of other users).

Last year, reports found that criminals were booking fake stays in Airbnb properties with complicit hosts in order to launder dirty money. The perpetrators used stolen credit cards to book rooms through the peer-to-peer platform and pay for their ‘stay’ online, turning illicit proceeds into ostensibly legitimate earnings.

News sources revealed that online Russian forums were linking criminals with corrupt hosts, allowing them to quickly and easily launder funds, in many instances across borders. No one ever stays in the advertised accommodation and fake reviews give the illusion of real transactions having taken place.

A similar scheme was recently discovered, with fraudsters laundering their criminal proceeds through fake Uber transactions. Here, middlemen use stolen credit cards to book ‘ghost rides’ – rides that never actually happen – with complicit drivers. The middlemen and drivers take a cut, leaving the rest of the now-laundered money with the client.

The ease with which this can be done is testament to the difficulty of policing thousands of peer-to-peer transactions across multiple territories. The current systems, put in place to monitor transactions and flag suspicious activity, simply aren’t stringent enough to spot these types of cons.

Social media scams
A number of recent reports have highlighted that social media is increasingly being used to recruit young people as money mules, often without them realising this is the case. The annual report from fraud prevention body Cifas found that the number of 14- to 24-year-olds allowing their bank accounts to be used to move the proceeds of crime hit 32,000 in 2017, a 27 percent increase on the year before.

Social media is increasingly being used to recruit young people as money mules

Young account holders are lured into the schemes through images of people enjoying expensive lifestyles, promoted on social media. Social media is increasingly being used to recruit unwitting mules through offers of ‘make money quick’ schemes or fake job offers. WhatsApp is a known communication method used by criminals to contact would-be victims.

Scale of the issue
Laundering money through online platforms is attractive to criminals for its simplicity, speed and low cost, as well as its global reach. Using these platforms, there is no need to create a fake business or other identities, and no goods need to be moved to maintain the illusion of legitimacy.

Online money laundering is only set to grow. Worldwide retail e-commerce sales are estimated to top $2.2trn annually, providing greater scope for criminals to conceal their laundering activities among high volumes of legitimate transactions. Likewise, the rise of cryptocurrencies and alternative payment platforms raises well-documented concerns about how such technology will make untraceable money laundering easier.

The solution is digital
The ever-expanding digital world is opening new avenues for criminals to launder their money in different and creative ways. But just as technology is supporting money laundering, it is also the solution to the problem. Technological developments that monitor transactions are helping to identify suspicious patterns amid the noise of legitimate payments and interactions.

Big data analytics is being used by contextual monitoring software to make links between transactions and parties, across internal and external third-party data sources. The aim is to place each transaction into a wider context. Only by looking at this wider network can companies gain a full view of their customers and identify unusual and illegitimate transactions consistently and accurately among thousands of genuine interactions.

Augmented reality will change how retailers engage with consumers

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Augmented reality (AR) has the potential to drastically affect the way businesses market and sell their products. The technology merges the real and digital worlds by superimposing computer-generated images onto physical contexts. Unlike its more immersive cousin, virtual reality, AR does not block out your surrounding visuals, but rather enhances what is already there.

Much has been made of the technology for its novelty value. The mobile gaming sector was taken by storm in 2016 with the release of Pokémon GO, which saw players walking around real cities looking for AR creatures to capture and battle.

Now, AR’s applications in the retail space are catching up, and the market is set to see explosive growth in the coming years.

Paint manufacturer Dulux is using AR to produce its “Visualizer App”, which lets homeowners overlay different paint colours onto their walls before making a purchase. Similarly, IKEA’s “IKEA Place” app allows customers to see what furniture would look like in their homes through their phones.

Cosmetics company Sephora produced an app last year that enables customers to try on makeup virtually via facial recognition software on their phone. L’Oréal even went as far as buying Canadian AR tech firm, ModiFace, in March in order to gain better use of the technology across multiple channels.

As AR continues to improve, there will likely be intense competition to gain first-mover advantage, with companies wanting to use the innovative technology to differentiate themselves.

A leap in availability
According to James Holland, Managing Consultant for Creative Technology at Text100, the increasing adoption of AR has not come so much as the result of significant leaps in the technology itself, but rather in its availability. “AR has been around for a while; it’s not a new technology,” Holland told The New Economy.

“What’s happened in the last [one to two years] is that the technology to make AR experiences has become much more available; it’s become democratised. You don’t need to build a custom installation anymore to give your consumers or your shoppers an AR experience. You can do it on their phone or you can do it using off-the shelf technology in a store.”

Earlier ventures into AR involved stores setting up custom-made screens and ‘magic mirrors’ using available – but expensive – technology such as Microsoft’s Kinect camera setups, which are typically used alongside the Xbox game console. “They were great marketing stunts, but they’re not really a sustainable enterprise because they have to be handmade,” said Holland.

An exciting element of AR is that small improvements in technology have a big impact on how it’s applied and how companies can benefit

“But now you look at the iPhone with ARKit or you look at Android with ARCore [both are AR platforms], and they have the technology in them to do those things in your pocket. So you just point your phone at someone or something and you transform it.”

An exciting element of AR is that small improvements in technology have a big impact on how it’s applied and how companies can benefit. For example, the first version of Apple’s ARKit was only capable of placing virtual objects on horizontal surfaces, meaning companies like IKEA were limited to placing furniture on the floor.

Subsequent versions allow for objects to be overlaid on vertical surfaces like walls, opening the way for paintings and wall-mounted furniture to be integrated into apps. “[It is] an admittedly small leap forward – going from horizontal to vertical – but it opens up a whole new market,” said Holland.

“It opens up all sorts of new stuff that people can sell and try out. I think what that shows is that even the smallest advances can open up whole new opportunities.

“Whole new industries can start to use this technology through actually a very simple small change. I think in the next few months and years you’ll see a lot of those small incremental changes, and they might seem tiny at the time, but when you look at what they enable and how they all add up, that becomes quite compelling.”

Convenience and competitive advantage
One of the principle advantages of the technology for consumers is convenience. Shoppers can quickly and easily test entire product catalogues without going to the trouble of physically trying numerous products. As such, AR goes a long way to eliminating buyer’s remorse in everything from clothing to restaurant orders.

The technology benefits businesses too as it has the potential to bridge the gap between e-commerce and traditional brick-and-mortar stores

The technology benefits businesses too, as it has the potential to bridge the gap between e-commerce and traditional brick-and-mortar stores. When a customer physically interacts with a product, it stimulates an emotional response not produced by imagination alone. AR can replicate the emotional connection between consumer and product without requiring the customer to have physical contact with a product.

For businesses, AR technology can be leveraged into a competitive advantage. According to research by Digital Bridge, one third of consumers would be more likely to make a purchase after using AR to preview a product. The technology could be especially lucrative for retailers who specialise in large investment products that are not as easy to visualise as other consumer products.

Furthermore, 51 percent of those surveyed said they put off home improvements in the past year because they were not able to envision the finished project. Additionally, 42 percent already expect AR technology to be available to them when they shop.

According to another survey by Retail Perceptions, 71 percent of shoppers would go to a specific retailer more often if they offered AR tech and 61 percent prefer to shop at stores that offer it over those that don’t. Moreover, 40 percent of those surveyed would be willing to pay more for a product if they had the option to try it through AR.

Consumers today are more digitally inclined than ever before, and the more interactive a shopper’s experience is, the greater the chance of converting browsing into sales. For example, websites that feature single static images of a product, say a shoe, fare worse than a site that has multiple images of the shoe from different angles, which customers can scroll through and even experiment with different colours.

While dynamic sites are better than static ones, using AR to see what a shoe would actually look like on your foot is even more likely to drive sales.

AR also has the potential to reduce the large costs incurred by retailers as a result of customers returning products they’ve bought online. This is especially true for clothing; when a piece of clothing is returned, it takes time and money to get the piece ready for resale. By the time the returned item is ready for resale, there is a chance that its season will have passed and it would have to be sold at a discount.

Getting it right
Using AR can be a game changing way to engage customers, but only if done right. Not every application of the technology is appropriate. “A bad use of AR is taking content that could exist on another medium and just shoving it into an AR experience,” said Holland.

Using AR to show content such as video, for example, which is not conducive to a 3D format, does not play to AR’s strengths. “Don’t try and do something [with AR] you could do with another technology… the other technology is probably the best for it. You’re going to be using AR as a gimmick at that point.”

This technology can, if not revolutionise, significantly impact the way retailers and consumers interact. If harnessed correctly, it could result in a windfall for companies that embrace the new technology wholeheartedly.

There are barriers to the implementation of AR, most notably the cost of rolling out and maintaining it. In that sense, smaller retailers with fewer resources will be at a disadvantage. However, for those that are willing and able to invest heavily into the technology, the possibilities for improving the customer experience are endless, and the financial rewards bountiful.

Developing nations lead the charge in tackling solar radiation

Posted on by ashton

While academics in Europe and North America have long discussed the efficiency of solar radiation management (SRM) to reduce climate change, scientists from developing countries are now demanding a seat at the table. On April 3, 12 scholars from countries in the Global South, including Bangladesh, Jamaica and Thailand, published a paper in science journal Nature. Their argument was that, since developing countries have the most to lose as a result of climate change, they should lead research on solar geoengineering.

SRM technology includes stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), where sulphate particles are injected into the atmosphere to reflect solar rays. The effect mimics that of a volcanic eruption, when gas and dust particles block incoming solar radiation. The technology is controversial, however, as it could prove difficult to shut down if long-term consequences turn out to be damaging.

The academic community has also expressed concerns that if a country implements SRM unilaterally, poorer countries that are more susceptible to the effects of global warming could suffer extreme side effects.

“There is no question that developing countries would bare disproportionate risks of experiments with SRM,” said Kasia Paprocki, Assistant Professor in in the Department of Geography and Environment at the London School of Economics. “This is particularly true for places like Bangladesh, where a significant portion of the population relies on agriculture for survival.”

If a country implements SRM unilaterally, poorer countries that are more susceptible to the effects of global warming could suffer extreme side effects

By sharing expertise on a global platform through collaborative projects such as the paper published in Nature, potential risks to developing nations should come to light before SRM is executed.

Hidden costs
The Copenhagen Consensus Centre – a think tank that researches solutions to global problems – suggested that it would spend an average of $750m per year over the next decade on SRM and air capture research, another form of climate engineering.

The SRM Governance Initiative (SRMGI), meanwhile, is currently offering $400,000 in funding, and has called upon scholars to apply for finance of up to $10,000 per grant as part of its Decimals Fund.

The exact financial cost of deploying SRM is difficult to pinpoint, as it depends on how much sulphate each country wishes to inject into the atmosphere. Andy Parker, SRMGI Project Director, told The New Economy : “One also has to factor in costs such as security for the SRM operations, backup delivery infrastructure as a safeguard against failure, monitoring costs to understand the climatic effects and some kind of compensation arrangement in case of claims for damages.”

On a positive note, however, experts have concluded that solar geoengineering is more cost-effective than lowering carbon emissions. According to academics from Miami University and Northern Arizona University, “every dollar spent on SAI will yield $25”.

Heated economy
In accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, advanced economies have jointly pledged to contribute $100bn a year by 2020 to address climate change in developing countries.

The Paris Agreement states that it will take developing countries longer to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Since lowering CO2 emissions is more expensive than solar geoengineering, developing economies such as China and India, which rely on fossil fuels, should invest in SRM research now to minimise future economic losses.

While academics have discussed that reducing CO2 emissions is a more pressing issue for policy makers than implementing SRM, some believe that the two strategies should be implemented in conjunction: “If SRM worked well and could be governed effectively, it could therefore reduce the impacts of climate change while humanity cuts its carbon emissions,” explained Parker. “It could then reduce losses to the global economy from climate change.”

There is still research to be done to conclude that solar geoengineering can reduce global warming. It is important that developing nations have their input in SRM research, especially if they are most at risk. As long as policy makers in developing countries regulate the reduction of carbon emissions alongside developing SRM technology, fossil fuel-dependent economies such as China and India won’t suffer as much in the long run.

Top 5 healthcare innovations shaping the industry’s future

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From X-rays to organ transplants, the field of healthcare has benefitted from a number of vital innovations over the years. Understandably, however, this is also an industry in which it’s not always easy to adopt new solutions.

Side effects, ethical dilemmas and a whole host of other issues have to be evaluated carefully when lives are on the line. Even though it might take a little longer compared with other industries, the health sector has no shortage of technological advances in the pipeline.

In recognition of World Health Day on April 7, The New Economy takes a look at five of the most promising healthcare innovations.

Gene therapy
Gene therapy is an experimental treatment whereby new genes are inserted into a person’s body to replace or deactivate malfunctioning genes. As well as targeting diseases such as Parkinson’s and cancer, gene therapy also offers a potential cure for hereditary disorders like degenerative blindness.

Regulations surrounding gene therapy are strict in many parts of the world and ethical concerns will prove to difficult to shift

Although encouraging, it must be stressed that the risks involved with gene therapy are not yet fully understood. Regulations surrounding the treatment are strict in many parts of the world and ethical concerns will prove to difficult to shift for a procedure that is essentially meddling with the building blocks of life.

Still, these hurdles have not prevented some ‘biohackers’ from taking matters into their own hands. There have been several documented cases of individuals injecting themselves with unregulated gene therapies in an effort to treat currently incurable diseases.

Virtual reality
Virtual reality seems to be perennially on the cusp of hitting the mainstream without quite managing to make it over the line. This is also true in the healthcare industry, where VR applications are being explored all the time, even if they’re not yet available at your local GP.

Although virtual reality has the potential to treat a broad spectrum of conditions, recent applications have focused on the technology’s psychological benefits.

For example, VR headsets are already being used to treat patients suffering from anxiety or stress-related disorders by creating an environment that safely exposes them to their anxiety triggers. The same approach has also shown promise when used on individuals with dementia or autism.

With the global augmented reality and virtual reality healthcare market forecast to be worth $5.1bn by 2025, there may be many more potential applications still to be discovered.

Immuno-oncology
From the moment that Edward Jenner administered the first smallpox vaccine in 1796, doctors have used the body’s own immune system in the fight against disease. However, because cancer cells are able to adapt and ultimately evade immune system responses, immunotherapy has not been widely used as a form of cancer treatment.

In recent years, however, major advances in the understanding of T cell checkpoints – molecules used to shut down the immune system’s white blood cells – have created a renewed interest in immuno-oncology.

Since 2015, there has been a significant increase in the number of immunotherapy drugs approved for cancer treatments. In fact, a report by GlobalData published last year predicted that immuno-oncology would become the fifth pillar of cancer treatment, alongside surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other targeted treatments.

Chatbots
Although chatbots are most often associated with frustrating attempts at customer service, they have recently been employed to improve people’s mental health. Woebot is a therapist unlike any other: accessible 24 hours a day online or via smartphone.

Created by a team of scientists, Woebot employs a “combination of natural language processing, therapeutic expertise, excellent writing, and sense of humour” to reduce depression and anxiety.

Although Woebot may not be able to take the place of psychiatrists or counsellors yet, that doesn’t mean it’s without merit. Many people remain unwilling to open up about their mental health issues and others simply don’t have the money to pay for professional support.

Woebot isn’t meant to replace existing professional channels, it simply aims to provide an additional resource for its users when in times of need.

Artificial intelligence
Lately, it seems as though the debate surrounding artificial intelligence is mostly focused on negatives – notably, job losses and killer robots. Amid all the scaremongering, it shouldn’t be forgotten that AI offers a number of benefits, including many in the healthcare sector.

Viz.ai, a company based in San Francisco, has created an AI system that can analyse medical imaging to deliver faster and more accurate diagnoses for stroke patients.

Using deep learning algorithms to analyse brain scans automatically, the technology then passes images to the relevant specialists, who in turn initiate the next stage of the patient’s care programme. For stroke victims, as with many other medical situations, time is of the essence. By speeding up specialist intervention, artificial intelligence could save a life.

Ghana selects thermal power plants to be privatised in sale

Posted on by ashton

In an interview published on April 4, James Demitrus, Head of Energy Monitoring at Ghana’s Ministry of Energy, said the country had identified the state-owned power plants that will be partly sold in an anticipated sale of the country’s thermal energy assets. The sale is intended to alleviate the heavily indebted energy sector.

The sale is intended to alleviate the heavily indebted energy sector

The facilities being sold include two plants owned by Volta River Authority, the main supplier of energy in the country, in the cities of Kpone and Tema, as well as another power station in Tema owned by the state pension fund. Together, the three plants are capable of producing 500MW of energy – roughly one third of the country’s thermal power capacity and enough to power around half a million households.

The government began planning the sale last year and has attracted numerous potential buyers, but has only now selected the plants it will offer to private entities. At the end of 2017, Ghana enlisted PwC and Fieldstone Private Capital Group to take point on managing the transaction.

Once completed, the deals should have the double effect of wiping out the $2.25bn debt accrued by state energy companies over the years and producing thermal power more efficiently. Currently, thermal facilities belonging to Volta River Authority are only operating at 50 to 65 percent capacity.

Financial losses and debt in Ghana’s energy sector have caused regional suppliers such as Nigeria to reduce the volume of gas it supplies to the West African country by just over half. Ghana has not been able to replicate its high hydroelectric productivity in the thermal sector.

Ghana is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, certainly the fastest in Africa, with a projected growth of between 8.3 and 8.9 percent for 2018. Growth in recent years, while explosive, has been blunted by power cuts due to inefficient energy production.

Facebook privacy scandal shows lax data controls can have financial consequences

Posted on by ashton

The recent data mining scandal at Facebook brings into focus the privacy concerns resulting from society’s increasingly tech-centric lifestyle. The public’s use of social media relies on a degree of trust being placed in such platforms. If that trust is compromised, social media companies can face massive financial consequences.

Following investigations by The Guardian and The New York Times, it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica – a political consulting firm – had obtained data from more than 50 million American Facebook users to create psychological profiles which were used to influence the 2016 US presidential election.

It is important to point out that this was not a data breach. There was no systemic hack of the company’s servers or theft of any data. The scandal happened as a result of the privacy policy Facebook had in place and its lax data controls.

The scandal happened as a result of the privacy policy Facebook had in place and its lax data controls

The incident has resulted in demands for tougher data regulations, but regulation on its own may be insufficient in the absence of changes in consumer behaviour. “Regulations cannot prevent these kinds of breaches,” said Atefeh Mashatan, Assistant Professor at Ryerson University’s School of Information Technology Management. “They definitely guide the industry to adapt best practices, but they are not enough.”

Data mining
Facebook laid the groundwork for its data to be misused in this way in 2007, when it began allowing developers to create apps such as games and quizzes in order to increase user interactivity. To draw in developers in large numbers, Facebook had to give them something in return: data from its users.

In 2014, a Cambridge University researcher named Aleksandr Kogan created a commercial enterprise called Global Science Research (GSR), which teamed up with SCL – Cambridge Analytica’s parent company – to harvest Facebook data through a quiz called ‘thisismydigitallife’.

At the time, Facebook still allowed apps to pull in data not only from the individuals that installed them, but from their friends as well. This meant that for each of the 320,000 people who took the quiz, around 160 others had their information pulled in as well, resulting in a total haul of over 50 million users’ data being harvested.

According to reports, Facebook was concerned about the volume of data that was being taken from the platform, but was reassured by GSR that it was only used for academic purposes. That same year, Facebook changed its policy to stop apps from pulling in data from users’ friends unless they also approved the app could do so.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company initially found out about the situation in 2015 after revelations from The Guardian, which reported Facebook data was being used to help US senator Ted Cruz’s campaign.

GSR had been not authorised to share the information it had gathered with Cambridge Analytica, and Facebook demanded legal certification from both parties to ensure that they had destroyed the data. Facebook received assurances from both parties, but it now appears Cambridge Analytica never followed through on its promise.

The bigger story broke in mid-March of this year when Christopher Wylie – an integral member of Cambridge Analytica’s data operations – blew the whistle to The Observer. Wylie claims that Facebook made “zero effort to get the data back” after it found out what had happened.

Zuckerberg took conspicuously long to respond to the revelations, finally posting on his personal Facebook page five days later: “We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t then we don’t deserve to serve you.”

https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10104712037900071

Misleading users
Facebook has a long history of controversies regarding its protection of user data. In 2011, the company settled charges from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over complaints that it had failed to keep its users’ information private and disclose how such information could be used.

Following an investigation in 2015, Facebook was fined €150,000 ($184,500) by France’s privacy regulator for not protecting user data and for tracking users’ internet activity through cookies, both on and off the site.

Last year, the EU fined the social media giant £94m ($132m) for a change in its privacy policy that allowed advertisers on Facebook and Instagram to use data derived from WhatsApp. The change was in direct violation of a pledge Facebook made in 2014 when it acquired the messaging app.

Compounding the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica affair, it recently came to light that Facebook collects records of phone calls and text messages from Android phones. Facebook defended this practice saying it is an opt-in feature used to connect contact books.

The collection of user data for the purpose of advertising is the bedrock of Facebook’s business model, however, many see the practice of giving away data to third parties as clashing with the company’s pledges to protect data. “I see it as fundamentally incompatible with privacy, but that is an absolutist position,” said Nora Rifon, Professor in the Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Retailing at Michigan State University. “[Government] privacy policy guidelines can be adhered to and consumers will still have their privacy violated because information will be collected and shared, often with third parties.”

According to Rifon, research shows that links to privacy policies or trust seals on a website tend to make users believe their information will not be shared. “We know that is not true in practice,” she said. “In my opinion, most social media owners take advantage of their users and use their information without their knowledge because the FTC privacy notice guidelines are meaningless and ineffective.”

Facing the consequences
The revelations have been a PR nightmare for the social network, and the backlash swift and heavy. The company has been hit by condemnation from the public, the media and governments alike.

Facebook’s stock value has dropped by over $94bn since the scandal broke. On March 16, shares were priced at $185 each; on April 2 they were worth $159. The scandal has so far slashed the company’s market cap by almost 20 percent, putting it at its lowest level since mid-2017. Fears of tightening regulations in the wake of the scandal are making investors wary of buying stock back, even though some believe the situation is only temporary and presents an opportunity to get cheap stock before it begins to rise again.

The response from the corporate sector and business leaders has been harsh. Fellow celebrity CEO Elon Musk took down the Facebook pages of Tesla and SpaceX, tweeting: “It’s not a political statement and I didn’t do this because someone dared me to do it. Just don’t like Facebook. Gives me the willies. Sorry.”

Brian Acton, Co-Founder of messaging app WhatsApp, who sold the company to Facebook for $16bn, also joined the chorus of those advocating for people to leave the site, tweeting simply, “It is time. #deletefacebook”.

https://twitter.com/brianacton/status/976231995846963201

Facebook has also come under pressure from lawmakers in both the US and the UK to explain why it allowed third parties to access information without users being made aware of how their data was being used. The company received a letter from the Committee on Energy and Commerce that communicated its intention to hold a hearing on the issue in the near future. On March 26, FTC also confirmed it had opened an investigation into Facebook’s data practices.

Broken trust
The site’s users know, to some extent, that by agreeing to use the platform they are consenting to Facebook collecting data on them. What sets this issue apart, however, is the lack of transparency on the part of the company. The fact that personal information was used in a way that users would not have agreed to – and that the company said little or nothing about it when it first found out in 2015 – may cause irreparable damage to the trust people put in the platform.

In reality, however, privacy fears may affect the choices of a small minority of users, but are unlikely to reach the critical mass. “I am a bit of a cynic regarding the propensity of consumers to give up benefits offered by social media to protect their privacy,” said Rifon. “The average user is unlikely to understand the scope of Facebook’s violations, and why or how these violations actually occurred.

“Without an understanding of how the data is collected and used, I suspect many users may dismiss this is a one-time accident rather than a result of standard operation procedures that are used for data mining.

“Users may not fully appreciate the value of the personal information that is collected and compiled. In addition, if users believe that Cambridge Analytica is completely to blame, then they might want to forgive Facebook and hope that it will not happen again.”

In theory, Facebook shouldn’t need to share data with other companies in order to help them advertise; marketers could instead be given the simple option of choosing their intended target via the platform. However, giving third parties actual data attracts developers, prompting them to do more business on the platform. Ultimately, users are not Facebook’s customers, but instead its product, used to serve the site’s advertisers.

Regulation change
The unavoidable question raised by the scandal is: ‘what regulations can be implemented to prevent this from happening again?’ The challenge for Facebook will be weighing up users’ privacy concerns with the company’s ability to do business, and the challenge for regulators is in determining whether preserving the latter is worth infringing on the former.

“The FTC has always used a clear and conspicuous standard for disclosure of practices,” said Rifon. “For social media, ‘clear and conspicuous’ needs to be reassessed. In addition, the technical details of what happens to information after it is collected, then disseminated and used needs more clear explanation.

“I would like to see the US Government take a stronger position on this and try to meet the standards that are in place in the European Union. That would be a start, but we need more. It is reasonable to ask ‘will anything we do now matter?’

“An attorney at the US Federal Trade Commission told me recently that the barn door is open and the horses have been let out. We can’t get them back. This is a sorry situation. Not sure it can be fixed [sic].”

New regulations may be a necessary step, but it is not a holistic solution. Companies can misuse data given to them, but only if it is given to them in the first place. The most effective solution to the problem likely starts and ends at the individual level. “The biggest mistake is to believe that there is such a thing as online privacy,” said Mashatan. “There is no online privacy. Another mistake is to rely on privacy laws to protect you and your data. Users should take it more seriously and proactively take steps not to divulge their private information online.”

Facebook has had privacy scandals before, but this one seems different. People tend to overlook their data being misused by people trying to sell them things – an act that doesn’t appear ostensibly harmful. However, the possibility that data is being used to influence people’s behaviour in something as consequential as an election is not as easily forgiven. Social media companies need to take into account that protecting their consumers’ data is not just a question of business ethics, but a financial consideration.

Facebook must reconsider its business model and brace for the possibility of lower – or alternative – revenue streams if a slowdown in the data flow to third parties translates into less profit for the site. No other case in the tech space has been as indicative of the potential financial damage a company can suffer from lax data policies. Facebook’s haemorrhaging market value should be a warning, not just to other social media sites, but to any service that handles sensitive data on its consumers.

Nokia wins contract to modernise Poland’s rail communications

Posted on by ashton

On March 29, Nokia announced it had won a contract to revamp Poland’s state-owned railway communications network. The contract is another step forward in the company’s diversification away from phones.

The five-year contract with PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe will see Nokia roll out GSM-Railway (GSM-R) technology to cover almost 14,000km of rail tracks across Poland. The project will bring the country’s rail system closer to complying with EU rail traffic management standards. Nokia will also install more than 11,000km of optical fibre for network connection.

Nokia expanded its reach into the telecommunications networks space in 2016 with its speedy acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent

“Nokia is proud and excited to be a trusted partner for Poland’s digitalisation, and building the railway communications network is a key part of this,” said Nokia’s Senior Vice President for Global Enterprise and Public Sector, Matthieu Bourguignon, in the statement.

“Based on our expertise as market leader in GSM-R and critical communications networks, our unparalleled experience in turnkey projects and our successful long-term history in large-scale network deployments in Poland, Nokia is a natural choice for this kind of ambitious rollout.”

This is not the first major contract landed by Nokia this month. On March 28, Nokia also announced it was chosen by China Mobile, a state-owned Chinese telecoms company, to develop advanced cloud services for both public and private use. The company also expanded its reach into the telecommunications industry in 2016 with its speedy acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent.

These moves mark the continuation a strategic shift away from what had been Nokia’s bread and butter business – smartphones – until the company sold its devices business in 2014 following the cratering of its share in the market.

In the last quarter of 2007, Nokia commanded just over half the smartphone market, but by the second quarter of 2013 it only had 3.1 percent.