Industry Round-Up for the W/E 10th February 2012

Another week, another set of Anonymous exploits. Here is our weekly round-up of the industry news for the week ending February 10th:

• Help Your Business Avoid Social TMI
• Regional cybercrime hubs launched across England
• AA to launch sat-nav tech tracked insurance policy
• Apprenticeships an important route to the IT profession
• Multiple monitor use on the rise despite declining desktop PC sales
• V for Vendetta and Anonymous

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Help Your Business Avoid Social Media TMI

TMI, or too much information, can sink ships – or careers.

Experts are saying that interest needs to be balanced with safety – as organisations expand their presence on social networks and as company executives raise their social profiles, they will need to increase their attention and resources to managing the message – and the messengers.

Read the complete article here.

Regional Cybercrime Hubs Launched Across England

Raising the stakes in the fight against cybercrime, three regional team are being launched to the tune of £6m, reports the BBC.

You have to smile though, last week a conference call between the Met and the FBI was itself the victim of hackers.  One British detective was quoted as saying:

“We’re here to help. We’ve cocked things up in the past, we know that.”

AA to Launch Sat-Nav Tech Tracked Insurance Policy

Big brother is watching with a new insurance policy from the AA that uses sat-nav technology to monitor your driving.

Malcolm Tarling, from the Association of British Insurers said:

“You may say you don’t want a ‘spy in the car’ as some call them, but others may say that if this is one way of making my premiums reflect my safety on the road, this will be of interest.”

“Telematics” isn’t new technology and has been used by niche insurers for several months.  Rival Direct Line is also piloting it’s own scheme.

Read the complete article here.

Apprenticeships an Important Route to the IT Profession

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, supported Apprenticeship Week as it believes that IT apprenticeships are key in encouraging people to join the IT profession.

David Clarke, MBE, CEO, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:

‘The IT profession is constantly growing and for many organisations, being able to recruit the right people with the necessary skills has proved a challenge. IT apprenticeships provide a very real and vital route into the profession that allows on-the-job training as well as a recognised qualification at the end.’

Multiple Monitor Use on the Rise Despite Declining Desktop PC Sales

The act of running multiple monitors from a single computer was once reserved for diehard enthusiasts and IT professionals but a new article from The New York Times suggests that computer users are adopting multiple monitors at a quickening pace.

A study by the University of Utah found that productivity among individuals working on editing tasks was higher with two monitors than with one.

V for Vendetta and Anonymous

Strangely quiet in the UK media, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) treaty has become the focus of activists associated with the Anonymous hacking network because of concerns that it could undermine internet privacy and aid censorship.

Alan Moore’s creation V for Vendetta has become an inspiration and identity to Anonymous; the mask being worn not only at protests that are springing up all over Europe, but also in parliament.

If you’d like to know more about ACTA and why people are taking it to the streets, try this video published on YouTube by Anonymous.