Barcelona distances itself from sponsor's cryptocurrency aft
Barcelona distances itself from sponsor's cryptocurrency after backlash 3 hours ago Share Save Liv McMahon Technology reporter Share Save EPA The Spanish football giant Barcelona has told fans it has "no connection whatsoever" with the digital coin offered by its new crypto partner, following criticism over the deal. Clubs often pick up sponsors in unusual areas to bring in extra money - with Arsenal bringing in Persil as its fabric care partner in 2023, and Kellogg's becoming Manchester City's breakfast cereal partner that same year. But far less is known about Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP), which signed a three-year sponsorship deal in mid-November with Barcelona. ZKP then announced a cryptocurrency, prompting concerns Barcelona fans could be led to invest in it - leading the club to distance itself from the coin. "The club has no responsibility for, or involvement in, the issuance or management of this token, nor does it use the associated technology," the club said in a statement on its website. Little is known about ZKP, which also announced a similar sponsorship deal with Australian rugby league team Dolphins in early November. On its website, it says the project has been founded and developed by "a pseudonymous collective" based across "multiple jurisdictions". In other words, the firm is not revealing the names or locations of those behind it. University of Sussex professor Carol Alexander said the Barcelona brand gives enormous visibility to crypto firms like ZKP - but there is "substantial risk for supporters who buy the tokens". "Sponsorship creates an aura of credibility, even when the underlying project is opaque," she told the BBC - saying this meant fans and supporters should be "very cautious". "Before buying any crypto asset they should ask who controls it, where the documentation is, and what recourse they have if it fails," she said. "With ZKP, none of those answers are clear." 'Substantial risk' HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget ana
OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget analysis 1 day ago Share Save Jennifer McKiernan , Political reporter , Paul Seddon , Political reporter and Tom Gerken , Technology reporter Share Save BBC OBR boss Richard Hughes said he was "mortified" by the early release of Budget details The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has drafted in a leading cyber-security expert as it investigates how a document - containing key details of Wednesday's Budget - went live too early. Rachel Reeves's statement was thrown into chaos after the OBR's economic forecast appeared online around 40 minutes before she announced her policies. Even though the document was not listed on the OBR website, journalists - including those at the BBC - were able to access it by guessing its URL, which was very similar to one used in a previous official document. OBR chairman Richard Hughes said he was "personally mortified" by what happened and the results of a "full investigation" would be reported to MPs. OBR boss Richard Hughes said he was "mortified" by the early release of Budget details Patrick Burgess, cyber-security expert with BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, told the BBC that the incident "didn't appear to be a cyber-attack" but instead "a straightforward data-handling mistake". He added that whilst a review of the OBR's cyber-security could be "helpful", the solution was to "normalise and randomise file names" so that unpublished material could not be discovered earlier than intended. "This is a reminder that good cyber practice often starts with good digital housekeeping," he said. 'Technical error' Details of the Budget are supposed to be kept under wraps until the chancellor announces them in the House of Commons, due to them being market-sensitive. But early publication of the OBR's report effectively confirmed a number of new measures, including a pay-per-mile charge on electric vehicles, and a three-year freeze on income tax and National Insurance thresholds. The OBR quickly removed the forecast document from its website and apologised for the release, which it blamed on a "technical error". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Nvidia plays down Google chip threat concerns | HovicTech In
Nvidia plays down Google chip threat concerns 2 days ago Share Save Laura Cress Technology reporter Share Save Getty Images Nvidia has claimed it is "a generation ahead" of rivals in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry amid growing suggestions a rival may emerge to threaten to its market dominance - and multi-trillion dollar valuation. Shares in the chip giant fell on Tuesday, following a report Meta planned to spend billions on AI chips developed by Google to power its data centres. In a statement on X, Nvidia, the world's most valuable company, said it was the only platform which "runs every AI model and does it everywhere computing is done". In response, Google said it was committed to "supporting both" its own and Nvidia's chips. Nvidia's chips have become a critical part of powering the data centres behind many of the most popular AI tools, such as ChatGPT. In October it became the first company ever to be valued at $5tn (£3.8tn). The American firm has been looking to expand its reach further in recent months, announcing an agreement in October to supply some of its most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips to South Korea's government, as well as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai. 'Healthy' competition HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Ofcom vows to name and shame platforms over online sexism |
Ofcom vows to name and shame platforms over online sexism 3 days ago Share Save Zoe Kleinman Technology editor Share Save BBC Demi Brown, women's sport advocate and former Love is Blind UK contestant, says she has muted certain upsetting words on her social media accounts after experiencing trolling. The media regulator has published guidelines designed to make the internet safer for women and girls - and threatened to make it "absolutely clear to the public" which platforms are not adhering to them. Ofcom says it hopes the measures will make it easier to report and act on online abuse, acknowledging that those processes are currently "soul destroying." However, they are recommendations rather than legal requirements, with the regulator hoping the threat of platforms being outed for not complying with them will compel them to act. Critics say it and the government need to go further if they want to make the online world safer. "Until we have legally enforced mandatory code of practice, we don't think we'll really see a shift in tech platforms taking this issue seriously enough," said Andrea Simon, executive director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition. Influencer and women's sport advocate Demi Brown told the BBC she had been forced to "become resilient" in response to negative comments about her weight and appearance online. She said it was wrong that she had to use the block button to remove abuse and prevent trolling on her social media accounts. "I don't think that we should be worried about the online space, it should be a place where we can authentically be ourselves," she told the BBC. 'Small steps' Ofcom's new guidelines announced on Tuesday include asking firms to: put all account privacy settings in one place de-monetise content containing sexual violence allow abusive comments to be reported collectively, not one-by-one as is currently the case "It's about making reporting much easier so that you can report multiple accounts that are abusing you at the same time rather than having to do them one by one, which is absolutely soul destroying," said Ofcom boss Dame Melanie HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Cryptology firm cancels elections after losing encryption ke
Cryptology firm cancels elections after losing encryption key 3 days ago Share Save Laura Cress Technology reporter Share Save Getty Images A firm considered one of the leading global voices in encryption has cancelled the announcement of its leadership election results after an official lost the encrypted key needed to unlock them. The International Association for Cryptologic Research (IACR) uses an electronic voting system which needs three members, each with part of an encrypted key, to access the results. In a statement, the scientific organisation said one of the trustees had lost their key in "an honest but unfortunate human mistake", making it impossible for them to decrypt - and uncover - the final results. The IACR said it would rerun the election, adding "new safeguards" to stop similar mistakes happening again. The IACR is a global non-profit organisation which was founded in 1982 with the aim to "further research" in cryptology, the science of secure communication. It opened votes for three Director and four Officer positions on 17 October, with the process closing on 16 November. The Association used an open source electronic voting system called Helios for the process. The browser-based system uses cryptography to encrypt votes, or keep them secret. Three members of the association were chosen as independent trustees to each be given a third of the encrypted material, which when shared together would give the verdict. Whilst two of the trustees uploaded their share of the encrypted material online, a third never did. 'Irretrievably' lost HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Scammers hacked her phone and stole thousands - so how did t
Scammers hacked her phone and stole thousands - so how did they get her details? 3 days ago Share Save Joe Tidy Cyber correspondent, BBC World Service Share Save Getty Images Data breaches are getting so common that it can be hard to know how to react when it happens to you. It's often easy to shrug it off, but there's a risk. Being a victim of a data breach increases your chances of being targeted by criminals and scammers. Sue told the BBC how scammers went after her. We found her details had been leaked online. Sue had her digital life hijacked by scammers She was a victim of what's known as a Sim swap attack - where scammers trick a network operator into thinking they're the account holder to get a new Sim card for a mobile device. They used it to take over almost all her online accounts through her phone. She said the experience was "horrible". "The scammers took over my Gmail account and then locked me out of my bank accounts because they failed security checks," she said. Sue also had a credit card opened in her name and the criminals purchased more than £3,000 in vouchers. It took several trips to the branches of her bank and mobile phone provider to get her accounts back. And the thieves weren't done. "The criminals also did a sinister thing after breaking into my WhatsApp," she said. "They sent messages to horse riding groups I am in warning there were people on their way to stab the horses." We searched hacker databases using online tools like haveibeenpwned.com and Constella Intelligence to see if Sue's details were previously compromised. Her phone number, email address, date of birth and physical address were all exposed in data breaches at gambling platform PaddyPower in 2010 and email validation tool Verifications.io in 2019. Other compilations of hacked records also included her details. Hannah Baumgaertner, from cyber firm Silobreaker, said attackers likely used the personal data leaked in previous breaches to conduct the Sim swap attack. "Once they had access to Sue's phone HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Vinted blocks 'sickening' sexually explicit ads | HovicTech
Vinted blocks 'sickening' sexually explicit ads 8 days ago Share Save Shiona McCallum Senior Tech Reporter Share Save Getty Images Online marketplace Vinted says it has removed sexually explicit adverts, after a mum reported seeing a video depicting what she believed to be a pornographic scene while browsing for clothes. Kirsty Hopley, 44, from Carlisle, said she was searching the app for a dressing gown when the ad popped up. She was sitting next to her teenage daughter at the time. Ms Hopley reported the content to Vinted and later contacted Ofcom. She told BBC News the video, which started playing automatically, showed a "sickening" graphic and violent sexual encounter. The law and criminology teacher said she had installed content filters on her home internet and was shocked to see such material on the e-commerce platform. "I probably won't buy anything from there again, which is disappointing as I love Vinted," she said. "But I don't want to see content like that." The platform, which has no age restrictions, has recently faced scrutiny in France after reports that some sellers were using the site to direct users to adult content. Kirsty Hopley Kirsty Hopley told the BBC the experience meant she would no longer allow her teenage daughters to use Vinted HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Teens plead not guilty over TfL cyber-attack | HovicTech Ins
Teens plead not guilty over TfL cyber-attack Thalha Jubair and Owen Flowers were charged with conspiring to commit unauthorised acts under the Computer Misuse Act Two teenagers accused of being involved in hacking Transport for London's computers have both pleaded not guilty to computer hacking charges during a hearing at Southwark Crown Court. Thalha Jubair 19, from East London, and Owen Flowers, 18, from Walsall in the West Midlands spoke only to confirm their names and enter pleas at the brief hearing. They are both charged with conspiring to commit unauthorised acts against Transport for London (TfL) under the Computer Misuse Act. In addition, Mr Flowers is accused of attempting to hack computer systems belonging to California-based Sutter Health and another US company, SSM Healthcare Corporation. HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Graduate jobs under threat from AI, PwC boss says | HovicTec
Graduate jobs under threat from AI, PwC boss says 8 days ago Share Save Nick Marsh Business reporter, Singapore Share Save Watch: 'It is a different set of people we are hiring now' The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) may eventually lead to fewer entry-level graduates being hired, the boss of accountancy giant PwC has told the BBC. However, global chairman Mohamed Kande said AI was not behind recent job cuts at the firm, adding that the company actually needed to hire hundreds of new AI engineers but was struggling to find them. But some observers say the technology itself threatens thousands of junior jobs across the professional services industry. Speaking on the sidelines of a business summit in Singapore, Mr Kande also said big changes in the global economy, such as US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, had been good for the firm's consulting business. He also addressed the company's suspension in China last year over its work on the collapsed property giant Evergrande, promising that the same mistakes "would not happen again". Headquartered in London, PwC is one of the Big Four accountancy firms. It provides a range of services, such as financial auditing, consulting and tax advice for business clients around the world. According to Mr Kande, advising them on how to integrate AI into their operations will be at the heart of the firm's future business strategy, even as the rapidly advancing technology affects its own hiring plans. Firms who would have previously hired PwC consultants to sift through data and documents may now use AI models instead, turning weeks of costly work into mere minutes. Every year, the company hires thousands of new graduates in entry-level positions - including 1,300 in the UK and 3,200 in the US last year - but it recently dropped long-term plans to continue increasing its headcount. In 2021, PwC said it wanted to hire 100,000 people over the course of five years - but Mr Kande said this would no longer be possible. "When we made the plans to hire that many people, the world looked very, very different," HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Streaming platform Twitch added to Australia's teen social m
Streaming platform Twitch added to Australia's teen social media ban 8 days ago Share Save Lana Lam Sydney Share Save Getty Images Twitch is the latest platform to be included in Australia's teen social media ban Twitch, a streaming platform popular with gamers, has been added to Australia's teen social media ban that starts next month. It joins other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat that must ensure under-16s cannot open accounts and that existing ones are closed from 10 December. Australia's internet regulator overseeing the ban said Twitch - owned by Amazon -had been included as its main purpose was "online social interaction" where users were encouraged to chat to each other about posted content. A Twitch spokesperson said Australians under 16 will not be able to open a Twitch account from 10 December and that from 9 January existing under-16s accounts will be deactivated. On her reasons why Twitch had been included, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said it was "a platform most commonly used for livestreaming or posting content that enables users, including Australian children, to interact with others in relation to the content posted". No more platforms are expected to be added to the ban before the start date next month, Ms Inman Grant said. The government has previously said the ban was aimed at reducing the "pressures and risks" children can be exposed to on social media, including harmful content. Founded in 2007, Twitch is a popular livestreaming platform, where people typically play video games while chatting to viewers. Last year, it launched plans to share more of its revenue with creators as part of a shake-up, allowing streamers to make money through fans subscribing to their channel. The revenue is split equally between Twitch and the creator, after fees are paid. Twitch's policy forbids anyone under 13 to use its platform, and users aged between 13 and the legal age of adulthood in their country can only join if they have permission from their parent or guardian. HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Why an AI 'godfather' is quitting Meta after 12 years | Hovi
Why an AI 'godfather' is quitting Meta after 12 years 20 November 2025 Share Save Liv McMahon Technology reporter Share Save Getty Images Prof LeCun is known for advancing the deep learning field of AI, and for his jazzy bowties Just a couple of weeks ago, one of the "godfathers" of artificial intelligence was in St James's Palace being handed an award from King Charles for his work in artificial intelligence (AI). Professor Yann LeCun was being honoured along with six other recipients for his contributions to the field, which have been credited as advancing deep learning. But Mr LeCun is at odds with some of the AI world over the future of the generation-defining technology. And now he is going all-in on his idea of "advanced machine intelligence" after announcing he is leaving his role as Meta's chief AI scientist to start a new firm. During his 12 years at the company, Prof LeCun won the prestigious Turing Award and witnessed several flurries of excitement around AI - not least the most recent boom in generative AI accelerated by rival OpenAI's launch of ChatGPT in late 2022. But his departure comes amid speculation the AI boom could meet an abrupt end should the so-called "AI bubble" of ballooning valuations and soaring spending burst. Investors, analysts and even big tech bosses like Google's chief executive Sundar Pichai have said a market correction to the AI sector would ripple across the wider economy. What LeCun thinks the AI world gets wrong Prof LeCun announced his planned departure from Meta on Wednesday after more than a week of rumours and reports of his exit. In a series of posts on Threads, he thanked the company's founder Mark Zuckerberg and highlighted its Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) lab as his "proudest non-technical accomplishment". "As many of you have heard through rumours or recent media articles, I am planning to leave Meta after 12 years: 5 years as founding director of FAIR and 7 years as Chief AI Scientist," he wrote. "The impact of FAIR on the company, on the field of AI, on the HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Deepfake 'nudify' site fined £55,000 over lack of age checks
Deepfake 'nudify' site fined £55,000 over lack of age checks 20 November 2025 Share Save Liv McMahon Technology reporter Share Save Getty Images The operator of a so-called "nudification" site has been fined for failing to put in age verification measures, which are required under online safety laws. The regulator Ofcom investigated Itai Tech Ltd, which provides AI tools allowing users to edit images to seemingly remove someone's clothing. On Thursday, Ofcom said it had fined the company £50,000 for its age check failings, plus an additional £5,000 for not responding to its information requests. BBC News has contacted Itai Tech Ltd for comment. The nudity website it runs is currently not accessible from a UK IP address., and documents on Companies House show Itai Tech Ltd recently applied to strike itself off the UK register of companies. Ofcom said its fine accounted for the company's decision to make its site unavailable to UK users, which it said occurred shortly after the investigation started in May. "The use of highly effective age assurance to protect children from harmful pornographic content is non-negotiable and we will accept no excuses for failure," said Suzanne Cater, director of enforcement at Ofcom. "Any service which fails to meet their age-check duties under the Online Safety Act can expect to face robust enforcement action, including significant fines." HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Ford boss: 'Now is not the time to tax electric vehicles' |
Ford boss: 'Now is not the time to tax electric vehicles' 20 November 2025 Share Save Josh Martin , business reporter and Sean Farrington , business presenter Share Save Ford UK boss says 'now is not the time' for pay-per-mile tax on electric vehicles Taxes on electric vehicles may put drivers off buying them at a time when demand has "lost momentum", Ford's UK boss has warned. It comes after the BBC reported Chancellor Rachel Reeves could be considering new levies on EVs in the upcoming Budget. Ford UK's managing director Lisa Brankin told the BBC: "It's certainly not the right time to do it." A Treasury spokesperson said: "Fuel duty covers petrol and diesel, but there's no equivalent for electric vehicles. We want a fairer system for all drivers." The chancellor has been reported to be considering a new pay-per-mile charge for electric vehicles from 2028. Ms Brankin told the BBC's Big Boss Interview podcast: "That [policy], in the face of really fragile demand for electric vehicles, is just another brake." The admin task of calculating their mileage would put potential EV owners off making the switch, she says. "It's really easy to sell people things they want," she says. "It's hard to sell people things they don't want. "Electric vehicles in some instances have gone from being a great thing to being something that we're trying to push people into." Reuters The chancellor has been reported to be considering a new pay-per-mile charge for electric vehicles Ford sells the UK's most popular vehicle, the Ford Puma, while its commercial van the Transit holds the second-most-sold ranking. For years its Focus model was the UK's most-popular, but the US company axed the hatchback and the last Ford Focus rolled off factory lines in Germany last week. It employs around 6,000 people in the UK, with an engine plant in Dagenham and a transmission factory in Halewood. It hasn't manufactured a vehicle here since 2013. Like other car makers Ford is under pressure to meet the UK's net zero plan, part of which says 80% of new car sales must HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Lack of online age verification sparks concern | HovicTech I
Lack of online age verification sparks concern 20 November 2025 Share Save Ammar Ebrahim Jersey political reporter Share Save BBC A review by politicians has found age verification restrictions introduced in the UK did not protect children in Jersey Politicians have expressed concern for children's safety after a review found there was no age verification on adult sites in Jersey. The UK introduced age verification on porn sites in July to make it harder for under-18s to see explicit material. The review by the education scrutiny panel found assumptions UK regulations would indirectly protect children in Jersey were not wholly correct, meaning "children in Jersey may now face fewer barriers to accessing inappropriate content than their UK counterparts". Responding to the review, Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel said legislation was being drafted that would allow people to have harmful content removed. Deputy Morel had told the children's scrutiny panel in May the government had not been looking at introducing age verification for adult sites in Jersey. "The reality is that, if the UK brings in age verification for pornography or any sites, anyone in Jersey wanting to access them is probably going to have to engage with that UK age verification system of where we sit today," he said. "That is the truth of it." In a speech to the States Assembly about the review on 11 November, deputy Catherine Curtis said: "On the day that age verification measures came into force in the UK, we checked whether they were also in place in Jersey and they were not. "The evidence shows that due to children's curiosity they will access this sort of thing at a young age. "Surveys show that one in 10 children will have accessed adult porn sites by the time they are nine years old." Responding, Morel said online safety was important and the review was "incredibly helpful". "There is legislation in progress within the government and one of those pieces of legislation... will enable people of all ages to be able to have harmful content removed," he said. Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
Major League Baseball signs deals with Netflix, ESPN and NBC
Major League Baseball signs deals with Netflix, ESPN and NBCUniversal The three-year agreements will help the league expand its reach, said Baseball Commissioner Robert D Manfred Jr. Media companies ESPN and NBCUniversal also have acquired rights to other MLB-related programmes. Netflix, the world's largest streaming service, will air special baseball events that draw millions of viewers each year. These include the league's opening night exclusive and its Home Run Derby, where players compete to hit the most home runs. America's Major League Baseball (MLB) has signed a slew of deals with broadcast and streaming giants to show select games for the next three seasons. Starting with the 2026 season, the new deal will grant ESPN the rights to MLB.TV, its on-demand service that lets viewers watch teams outside their local region, said MLB on Wednesday. It did not give details on the expected subscription fees for MLB.TV or on the value of the three agreements. Comcast-owned NBCUniversal, meanwhile, will take over the Sunday night games, bringing back regular games to its network for the first time in a quarter of a century. As part of the deal, Netflix will also air the World Baseball Classic in Japan. The agreements will spread MLB coverage across a variety of platforms. Fox Sports will continue to air the World Series and other games, while Apple TV will stream Friday Night Baseball's back-to-back matches. The deals were a result of ESPN reportedly opting out of the final three seasons of its contract this year, which would have given the channel the rights to many of these MLB programmes. The contract would have cost ESPN more than $1.5bn (£1.15bn) over the next three seasons. ESPN's opting-out led to drawn-out negotiations with the league and multiple platforms to show its matches. HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
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How OpenAI’s Changes Sent Some Users Spiraling | HovicTech I
How OpenAI’s Changes Sent Some Users Spiraling OpenAI adjusted ChatGPT’s settings, which left some users spiraling, according to our reporting. Kashmir Hill, who reports on technology and privacy, describes what the company has done about the users’ troubling reports. By Kashmir Hill, Alexandra Ostasiewicz, Melanie Bencosme, Joey Sendaydiego and James Surdam November 23, 2025 HovicTech Analysis: This insight highlights emerging trends in technology and business innovation, providing unique expert perspectives for readers.
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