The Digital Briefing by Digitalis
Friday 15 December 2023
Introduction
Welcome to December’s Digital Briefing, which as usual is packed with news and developments from the digital world, to help you stay one step ahead in managing your reputation online and keeping on top of trends and challenges in an ever-evolving landscape. ?
This month, in light of Ofcom’s publication of its latest Online Nation report, we examine online trends and internet safety in a world where we’re continuing to spend more time connected to technology, despite online search and digital journeys being more efficient than ever. Online literacy in younger generations is now almost universal, and the way they search for and consume content online is changing, making young people more susceptible to consuming misinformation. We also consider the increase in exposure to harmful content, as young people circumvent age restrictions on the sites and apps they use, and consider the implications for the future of online search and internet safety. ?
Next, we turn to the green energy transition, investigating the reputational challenges for businesses sourcing the minerals required for the production of many new green energy technologies. As companies increasingly require access to minerals including lithium, copper, nickel and cobalt, which are only available from a limited supply chain, we examine the problems and reputational risks they encounter when navigating the mining sector and its environmental and human rights practices.
We also take a look at surveillance capital, delving into the ways tech companies collect and use our data as we carry out our business (and leisure) online. We consider the impact that big tech companies have in shaping our behaviours, preferences and online interactions, as they personalise our online experience based on our activity and choices. With technology use integral to our daily routine – from our smartwatches tracking our sleep patterns, to our TVs, personal assistants and even mobile phones “listening in” to some extent – we investigate the ways our activity is tracked, the influence big tech has as a result of collecting our data and how we can establish boundaries to safeguard our privacy. ?
Finally this month, we spend a few minutes talking to Digitalis’s Head of Research & Thought Leadership, Carys Whomsley, in our Ask the Expert feature. Carys answers some questions on technology’s increasing impact on democracy in the context of forthcoming elections, discussing the challenges posed to democracy and social stability by AI, and considering how we can navigate the risks.
We wish you a happy and peaceful festive season, and look forward to continuing to work with you in 2024.
CEO
IN THE AI OF THE STORM: ONLINE CONTENT TRENDS AND INTERNET SAFETY
Ofcom’s recently-published Online Nation report provides fresh insight into the way we’re using the internet, the content we consume, and the amount of time we spend online. We take a look at some of the key findings of the report and consider the implications for the future of online search and internet safety.
Director Barney McCarthy considers
Barney is a Director in Digitalis’s Client Services team, advising large corporates, high-net-worth individuals and governments on how to protect their reputations online, identify potential threats and devise effective digital risk management strategies.
Prior to joining Digitalis, Barney spent a decade in corporate communications representing a diverse range of companies, specialising in financial and professional services, property and tech-based start-ups. He began his career as a personal finance journalist and has edited publications in both England and Australia.
MINERALS AND THE GREEN ENERGY TRANSITION: THE REPUTATIONALCHALLENGES FOR BUSINESSES
Minerals including lithium, copper, nickel and cobalt are critical for the production of many green energy technologies. As we transition to green energy, reputational challenges are faced by companies who operate in, work with, and purchase from the mining sector responsible for procuring these minerals. We examine the challenges companies face relating to the supply chain, environment, and human rights, as well as the associated reputational risks and how to address them.
Senior Associate Heather Grace examines
Heather is a Senior Associate in Digitalis’s Digital Risk team, specialising in complex multijurisdictional investigations. Fluent in Russian, Heather has extensive experience in leading enhanced due diligence, asset tracing and online investigations into entities and high-net-worth individuals for clients in the financial and legal sector, with a focus on Russia, Kazakhstan, and the CIS region. Prior to joining Digitalis, Heather worked as an anti-money-laundering specialist at the Financial Conduct Authority, and an Associate at Kroll in their compliance, risk, and diligence division, with a focus on Russia and the CIS region.
EVERY CRUMB BECOMES A COOKIE - NAVIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF THE SURVEILLANCE ECONOMY
The data we leave behind daily from our digital interactions broadens the far-reaching impact of big tech in influencing our online behaviours and preferences. In the surveillance economy, our online behaviour is tracked, and the resulting data is used to craft hyper-personalised experiences that shape and echo our digital landscape. We examine the growth of the surveillance economy and its influence on the content we consume, and consider the consequences of data misuse for privacy, security and democracy.
领英推荐
Managing Director Jessica Shelver explores
Jessica Shelver is a Managing Director and Head of the Client Advisory Team at Digitalis. A highly experienced corporate advisory professional, Jessica advises governments, HNWIs, FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, as well as their boards and senior executives across the UK, Europe, Middle East, and North America on privacy and online reputational risks and digital risk management strategies.
She is also the lead on Digitalis Insights, a technology platform launched in 2023 to provide clients with direct access to intelligence that helps them manage their online risk and reputation.
Jessica has more than a decade’s experience in government, public affairs, politics, policy analysis, lobbying, media relations, corporate intelligence, and reputation management, as well as general brand, corporate reputation and image management.
DIGITAL RISK DIRECTOR, CARYS WHOMSLEY, ANSWERS OUR QUESTIONS ON TECHNOLOGY'S INCREASING IMPACT ON DEMOCRACY.
In this month’s Ask the Expert interview, Digitalis’s Digital Risk Director, Carys Whomsley , answers our questions on technology’s increasing impact on democracy in light of next year’s elections. She discusses the threats presented by AI to democracy and social stability, the tools available to counter these threats, and the ways people can navigate the information landscape in the coming year.
Carys is the Head of Research and Thought Leadership at Digitalis, and a Director on the Digital Risk team, leading open-source and digital investigations for clients across the legal, government and financial sectors. She specialises in multi-lingual, cross-border investigations for international disputes. She also advises private individuals and companies on mitigating security, privacy and reputational threats originating online.
Prior to joining Digitalis, Carys worked on the corporate intelligence team for S-RM in London, conducting financial crime and compliance investigations across Europe, Russia and the CIS region.
Carys holds a Certified Forensic Investigation Practitioner (CFIP) qualification. She completed a BA in French and Russian at University College London, and an MA in International Relations at the University of Manchester.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
By Eve Bolton
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