Research confirms that Facebook, Twitter and Google are spying on users

big brother (Photo credit: Vince_Lamb)

Social networks: can robots violate user privacy?

ECM Plus +++ Recent news in the international media has revealed numerous Internet privacy concerns that definitely deserve attention and further investigation, which is why Geneva-based High-Tech Bridge  decided to conduct a simple technical experiment to verify how the 50 largest social networks, web services and free emails systems respect – or indeed abuse – the privacy of their users.

According to High-Tech Bridge, the experiment and its results can be reproduced by anyone, as we tried to be as neutral and objective as possible.

Mobile Content Revenues To Hit USD65 billion by 2016 – report

A variety of laptops, smartphones, tablets and ebook readers arranged. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Juniper Research says tablet purchases, direct carrier billing implementation to fuel growth

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Annual revenue generated from content delivered to mobile handsets and tablets is set to rise by nearly US$25bn over the next three years, reaching US$65bn by 2016, according to a new report from Juniper Research.

Half of firms suffering from cloudphobia – survey

Snoopers (sic) Paradise (Photo credit: the justified sinner)

Fear of governments snooping deters companies from using the cloud

ECM Plus +++ Almost half of IT experts are deterred from keeping sensitive data in the cloud because of fear of government intervention and possible legal action, according to a new survey from Lieberman Software which was released today.

ANALYSIS: The 50 Fastest Growing Online Job Trends In Q4 2012

Freelance artist

Web hosting rises as Android, IPhone ‘app fatigue’ and facebook, twitter social media confusion flatter to deceive

By ECM Plus

ECM Plus – Freelancer.co.uk has just released the Fast 50 report for Q4 2012, tracking trends in the online jobs market.

“The Freelancer Fast 50 report is a fairly unique leading indicator of the online economy”, said Matt Barrie, CEO of Freelancer.co.uk. “As the largest outsourcing marketplace in the world with almost 7 million users and over 4 million jobs posted to date, the Freelancer Fast 50 report is uniquely placed to provide insights into ups and downs in the demand for skills, technologies, products and performance of companies through analysis of over one hundred thousand jobs per quarter being posted online” he added.

Massive 65% rise in data centre power consumption – survey

Power requirements surging across globalised data centres – survey

Exponential gigawatts more energy being siphoned into globalised corporate data centres

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ In a sharp rise in expected power consumption by data centres used for cloud computing as a result of globalisation of the IT and corporatist sectors, research firm DCD Intelligence has just taken the wrsps off stark findings from its DatacenterDynamics 2012 Global Census report.

Chaos abounds as BYOD costs prompt confusion

Cost confusion and chaos in BYOD (Photo: s_falkow)

Fiercely divided opinion on BYOD despite ‘hype’

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ A new survey has revealed that fears are rising around the hidden costs of BYOD deployment – as well as ‘class divides’ and evidence that company managers are using BYOD to ‘pacify’  staff.

Moreover, some IT managers are even asking ‘is it worth surrendering control just to raise staff morale?’

Opinion is still divided when it comes to implementing ‘Bring Your Own Device’ strategies within businesses, with many at the top suggesting that such deployments create more problems than they solve.

Big Corporates Choking SMEs With Late Payment – Survey

On hold after dealing with automated system (Photo credit: Pahz)

Late payments debt high enough to put UK SMEs out of business

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ As the number of British small and medium-sized businesses facing late payments reaches more than a million – with a total aggregated outstanding debt of almost £36.4 billion, many SMEs are in danger of going under.

That’s the startling finding according to new research undertaken for payment specialists BACS.

According to the shocking findings, nationally, the average amount owed to one of Britain’s SMEs is £36,000 – yet 35 percent of SMEs reported that late payment debts of up to just £20,000 would be enough to put them out of business, in a survey by BACS Payment Schemes, the company the runs the Direct Debit system.

Businesses boot out banks as ‘trust’ collapses

(Photo credit: Truthout.org)

Survey finds SMEs divorcing bank managers

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ Bank managers are being ditched and divorced, as accountants, lawyers and finance directors become the most trusted financial advisers, according to new research into small to medium-sized enterprises.

The new research of 1,000 British small to medium-sized companies by Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance looked at SMEs attitudes and how they really felt about who they trust to keep their business on track.

Finance reports ‘out of date’ and ‘inaccurate’ – survey

Stack ’em high (Photo credit: ant.photos)

46 per cent of finance departments believe reports they produce are never used

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ Nearly half of managers and directors view reports produced by someone else no more than once per week. An alarming 46 per cent of finance professionals believe that they produce reports that are never used and 63 per cent believe that senior managers should make more use of financial information.

ISP finds British ‘bulldog spirit’ alive and well

Britons proud of being British – Plusnet ISP survey

Plusnet reveals eight out of ten people are proud to be British

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ Internet Service Provider Plusnet has revealed that 81% of the nation feel proud to be British.

Plusnet commissioned a survey, with focus groups and insights from psychologist Dr. Cliff Arnall, which found that 80% of Brits say family gives them sense of pride.

Plusnet CEO Jamie Ford said: “This year Plusnet changed its strapline to ‘We’ll do you proud’ which, by coincidence, has been a rather fitting move given the events of 2012.”

Added Ford: “We’re certainly a proud nation when it comes to our culture, sense of humour and our heritage. However, it is matters closer to home and the everyday actions of family that generates the biggest sense of pride and here at Plusnet, we’re committed to making our customers proud of the products and services we provide every day.”

 

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British businesses hurt by poor Internet coverage – survey

Jeremy Hunt preached the ministerial code (Photo credit: Gwydion M. Williams)

Government policy under fire as new survey reveals Internet strategy should focus on coverage not speed

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ A new report of 1,500 British small businesses reveals that 57 percent stated that the ‘poor quality of their internet access’ is now adversely affecting their ability to do business.

According to the findings, by Freelancer.co.uk, small businesses in Britain are now at odds with Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who reiterated in a speech at the Google Campus building that broadband speed is more important than coverage.

Smart grids at risk from cyber security in intelligent buildings

Intelligent building system – diagram.

Cyber attacks render smart grids intrinsically unsafe

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ Building owners and designers, and particularly members of the building services industry, are racing to implement intelligent buildings and smart grids, aaccording to new research from a London academic institution.

Paperless office still a pipedream – survey

Survey finds business still overrun with paperwork

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ Two-thirds of businesses regularly need to scan more than fifty pages a day to transfer information to a digital format.

That’s according to a new survey from Anoto, creators of digital pen and paper technology, whose results of a survey conducted across the USA and Britain focused on the state of scanning in business today.

Survey finds BYOD trend ‘counter-intuitive’

IT departments prompting enterprise BYOD adoption, driving tablet use and emergence of ‘three-screen reality’

By PAUL QUIGLEY

ECM Plus /London/ +++ According to a new research survey by open source software organisation Alfresco, mobile and tablet adoption is being led – not by users – but by IT departments.

Aflresco said this ‘proves counterintuitive’ to the general perception of the “consumerization of IT” trend that resourceful and driven employees bring consumer technology into the workplace, sneaking under the radars of unwitting IT departments that are resistant to change.

Social media shunned by Euro CIOs as 67% block content

Europe’s chief information officers banning YouTube, Facebook, Twitter

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /LONDON/ +++ European CIOs are shunning social media for business, according to a new study by Easynet and Ipanema Technologies.

The research study said that chief information officers are risking ‘alienating customers’, as well as ‘creating ineffective marketing strategies’, and ‘demotivating’ their staff and ‘eliminating’ their competitive edge.

British exports to ROW exceed EU

Trade exports to ROW now exceeds EU. Photo: Kaveri & Sameer

Trade figures find exports to ROW nations exceed European Union member states for the first time in 40 years as Europe ‘turns inward’.

By Alison Little

BRITAIN sent a defiant message to Europe yesterday after it emerged our trade is booming with the rest of the world.

Incumbents and Android set for doldrums – survey

Doomed?

Freelancer.co.uk reveals the 50 fastest growing online jobs for Q2 2012 – tables turn as Apple iOS accelerates, leaving Android in its dust; Google changes send Internet Marketing industry into panic; Businesses look to weather the economic downturn with BPO; Open Standards dominate the Fast 50 and Web; Facebook IPO fizzer spills over into fall in Social Media jobs.

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ According to outsourcing marketplace reelancer.co.uk in its latest  Fast 50 survey for the second quarter of 2012 reveals some startling changes taking place.

The Freelancer.co.uk’s Fast 50 pulls data from over 4 million users and over 2.3 million projects to highlight the 50 fastest moving online job categories, creating the most comprehensive insight into online job trends.

Yuan trade prospects good for Britain

Britannia on Plymouth Hoe

Hong Kong and England exchange would be good for future British prosperity as euro collapses

By PAUL QUIGLEY

ECM Plus +++ As Europe collapses under the strain of its top-heavy, over-debtedness and uber-bureaucratised idealism, the prospects for Britain are looking infinitely brighter in the light of recent exchange trade talks with the world’s second-largest economy, China.

Reports that the current British chancellor Osbourne is glad-handing the Chinese in the former British colony of Hong Kong comes as a welcome refrain for Britain’s social and economic prosperity, following the disintegration of the euro now taking place across the continent.

Data centres set for future multi-billion dollar mergers and acquisitions – survey

Eye on more M&A in data centre sector. Image: kevindean

Data centre M&A valued at over US$12.3 billion worldwide in 2011

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Mergers and acquisition activity in the datacentre sector for both businesses and property, generated more than US$12.3 billion in deal values globally in 2011.

The most active market is the USA followed by Britain and Australia, according to a review of finance and investment in the data centre sector, from research by consulting firm BroadGroup which assessed all publicly-available data across M&A and fund raising activity.

Assets finding safe haven in Britain – report

Safe as houses: assets bolt for Blighty's bricks

Economic jitters weigh heavy as property market indicators flatter to deceive

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ The latest ‘Property Snapshot’ by real estate analysts Colliers International reveals that the lack of robust property fundamentals continues to be more than offset by international economic and political fear.

According to Colliers, safe haven investment is now flowing into British property, in what it calls ‘a defining market feature.’

Key new findings for the economy, Colliers said that despite a positive Q3 of 2011 GDP outturn, uncertainty and concerns about Britain’s economic prospects, what it calls the ‘Eurozone fallout’ and financial issues continue to restrain capital investment and consumer spending substantially.

Banks failing to meet SME needs – report

Banks failing businesses - report

Banks around world failing to meet government commitments – VRL Financial News

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ In a new damning report ‘The Best Practices In SME Banking’ released today, top financial and professional services information provider VRL has found that despite demands over commitment by banks to lend more to small-to-medium sized enterprises, in real terms, lending is in fact ‘growing at a snails’ pace’ the report states.

Crisis? What crisis? Mid-life makeovers in paradigm shift

Crisis? What crisis?

Survery reveals middle-aged trends changing

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Men and woman in their forities and fifties are taking ownership of their existential questions and seizing the opportunity to take real life-changing and self-affirming steps in their life, according to a new survey carried out by OnePoll for credit monitoring firm Experian.

IBC 2011: Recorded Multiscreen TV trumps live – research

Cultural viewing habits changing in nations of western European

French broadband homes show strongest preference for multiscreen access to PVR content

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ New research from Parks Associates reveals that consumers in the west of Europe value multidevice access to recorded TV programmes over other new video services, including access to live TV.

WEEKEND PLUS: Politics in flux as democratic process shifts online

Power shifting online as established party support crumbles

Power to the people as Internet becoming ‘mainstream’ in political campaigning

BY ECM PLUS STAFF

ECM Plus +++ Looks like the era of the established poltical party is drawing to a close as cyper-campaigning takes over the reins of political power.

According to new research from the University of Manchester, the internet is challenging the dominance of traditional media as a campaign tool, despite the public’s renewed attachment to TV through the 2010 British General Election’s mainstream left-right paradigm party leader ‘debates’.

Credit crunch driving SMEs to ‘raid the family silver’

SME sector - the engine of economies

47 percent of Britain’s small business owners inject personal cash into their companies to stay afloat

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Rising business costs are adversely affecting the private lives and personal finances of many SME owners, according to a new study by Make It Cheaper and the Centre for Economic and Business Research.