Inline Insights

The Government responded earlier this month to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee’s recommendations on ‘immersive and addictive technologies’. While it establishes a commitment to proportionate and enabling regulations for the virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) industry, both the Committee and the Government miss a trick by failing to see beyond initial gaming applications. Greater understanding of the broad scope that the technology potentially offers will be critical if the UK is to sustain its status as a leader in the space.

The COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on mobility, from local transportation choices to the availability of long-haul travel and freight options. As the EU works to implement its ambitious climate policies, the pandemic and the resulting economic crisis are complicating the road to a sustainable European transport sector.

As the UK prepares some of the most ambitious online harms legislation in the world, the unprecedented efforts taken by tech companies to curb the spread of COVID-19 falsehoods have raised a number of questions for regulators and policymakers. The UK may need to adapt its original stance on online harms in order to face the ‘new normal’.

Covid-19 and the concerted push by European governments to develop contact-tracing apps has revealed the difficult trade-offs between privacy and public health. Like in previous debates, policymakers and Big Tech find themselves on opposite sides of the argument, although their roles have reversed, with US giants now positioning themselves as the guardians of their users’ privacy by refusing to facilitate centralised apps.

Strengthening and deepening the Single Market is a key strategic priority for the 2019-24 European legislative cycle. Following the publication of the European Commission’s Single Market Enforcement Action Plan in March 2020, we look at the role and importance of the EU Single Market Transparency Directive in addressing market barriers, promoting the growth of the single market, and supporting a more harmonised regulatory environment for businesses.

The tech sector, as all other sectors of the economy, has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, but not necessarily in a negative way. The pandemic could in fact represent an opportunity for five key tech sub-sectors to innovate their business models and show policy makers the potential of new technologies for good during (and beyond) global crises.

The EU has set great ambitions around artificial intelligence, seeking to accelerate innovation and foster a much more competitive environment. But as the example of the copyright directive shows, much can go wrong for Europe’s AI businesses if they do not pay attention to what will be proposed.

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak is forcing companies to turn to technology solutions, given that a significant part of their workforce has switched to working remotely. This abrupt shift in workforce and workplace organisation makes both the benefits and challenges of “people analytics” evermore relevant to business leaders and policymakers alike. 

The spread of tiny chips into more and more everyday items promises a cumulative leap in convenience for consumers and productivity for businesses. Yet as ever more consumer devices become hooked up to the internet and the line between hardware and software blurs, the question of consumer protection and the need for new consumer regulations will receive greater attention.

The grand-scale struggles of power between international superpowers might appear a far cry from the everyday business of a technology company. However, in reality, geopolitics has very tangible implications for corporates within the tech sector, and the tug of war taking place over the direction of industry standards is a prime example.

The European Union is working on a new regulatory framework for artificial intelligence that seeks to ensure better consumer protection, while enhancing Europe’s technological competitiveness. The risk is for it to become but a duplication of already-existing practices and regulations.

As Europe begins the year in a state of relative stability with the EU Commission firmly in place as well as new governments in the UK and Spain, all eyes are on how policymakers will now respond to popular demand for changes to our liberal order. The tech sector could be in for a rough ride.

Once the political decision about Brexit is settled, the focus will move swiftly to the precise nature of the new relationship between the UK and the EU. The question of regulatory alignment or divergence will then take centre stage - with an uncertain outcome and potentially far-reaching implications for the tech sector.

Facial recognition technology is controversial amongst consumers, and a lack of clear rules about how to apply it has caused concerns amongst both the public and regulators. However, the benefits in certain contexts are there for all to see, and the race is on between business and lawmakers to shape the regulatory landscape.

The European Parliament has resumed its work after the summer break and the 2019-2024 term will include a range of policy areas impacting the digital economy. Download Inline Policy's free updated guide to the new Parliament and the people and issues matter for the tech sector.

In recent years, the regulation of policy areas like privacy, genetically modified foods and pollution has shown that different countries can take wildly divergent approaches. The regulation of noise is a similarly subjective issue of great relevance to the emerging tech of electric vehicles and drones, in particular.

Under long-standing EU rules online service providers enjoyed liability exemptions in many instances, but concerns about developments in the digital economy have led the European Commission to question these exemptions and consider new rules.

The confirmation of Ursula von der Leyen as the next President of the European Commission for the 2019-24 term has significant implications for the tech sector. The Commission President has the ability to shape the EU’s policy agenda through providing ‘political guidance’ to the Commission and overseeing its work.

Inline’s Data Policy Tracker covers the key political and regulatory changes, trends and developments impacting the data sector. We look at the latest interventions from regulators, policymakers and politicians within the context of this evolving data policy landscape.

The Finnish Government's work programme for its Presidency of the Council of the EU includes important positions on EU technology policy, platform regulation, the digital economy, Mobility-as-a-Service and digital taxation. Our briefing document outlines the implications for the tech sector.