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Did government allow 15-21 JUNE 2021 Post Office to sack forensic accountants to cover up scandal?

How Discovery Inc spots great ideas

How Rightmove is moving ahead with digital transformation Editor’s comment Discovering Buyer’s guide to managing great ideas paper processes

How GCHQ proposes to implement and use ethical AI

Will the incoming How collaborative software National Security and helped the owner of the Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? Discovery Channel create a culture of innovation

Downtime WAGNER_MD/ADOBE computerweekly.com computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 1 NEWS IN BRIEF

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News EU privacy chief investigates NHS Digital delays data use of US cloud services collection plans until September Did government allow The European Union’s (EU’s) NHS Digital has postponed its Post Office to sack forensic accountants privacy watchdog has opened two proposed collection of GP data for to cover up scandal? investigations into the use of US-based two months, to allow more time for cloud services by European public the public to understand the process How Discovery Inc sector organisations to see whether and opt out if wanted. The delay to spots great ideas they are protecting citizens’ personal the controversial and highly criticised data effectively. The European Data programme was announced by Jo How Rightmove is moving ahead with Protection Supervisor will look at the Churchill, minister for public health, digital transformation use of cloud services provided by primary care and prevention. “Patient

Amazon Web Services and Microsoft data is owned by the patient and we NITO/ADOBE Editor’s comment across the bloc’s public sector bodies are determined to take people with and agencies under Cloud II contracts. us on this journey,” she said. We Open Tech supports Buyer’s guide to managing non-binary and paper processes Triggered dormant bug sees BEIS confirms rogue umbrellas Fastly CDN cut to the quick will be covered in clampdown trans security pros How GCHQ proposes Content delivery network (CDN) The Department for Business, A cyber community designed for people to implement and use ethical AI provider Fastly boasts that some of Energy and Industrial Strategy of marginalised genders, including the world’s leading companies count (BEIS) has clarified that its plans to non-binary people, trans and cis women,

Will the incoming on its services, but those businesses create a single enforcement body and trans men, has been set up to support National Security and were left reeling last week by an tasked with protecting workers from the careers of security professionals Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? internet outage caused by a hitherto rogue employers and workplace and aspiring future cyber talent of undiscovered software bug. These malpractice will provide support systematically oppressed genders. The Downtime included the sites of a number of for umbrella company contractors. We Open Tech initiative aims to provide the world’s leading firms, such as It plans to create a “powerful” mentoring, professional development, Amazon, Reddit, The Guardian and watchdog that will see HMRC career opportunities and support. the UK government’s Gov.uk website. tackle workers’ rights violations.

❯Catch up with the latest IT news online. computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 2 NEWS IN BRIEF

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News Oracle and CCS renew Google plots a course to memorandum of understanding address AI in manufacturing Ministry of Defence Did government allow Oracle and the UK government’s A survey conducted by Harris Poll Post Office to sack launches digital strategy forensic accountants Crown Commercial Service (CCS) on behalf of Google Cloud found the to cover up scandal? have renewed a memorandum of pandemic was driving up adoption of The Ministry of Defence has launched understanding such that the supplier artificial intelligence (AI). The global a 10-year digital strategy, focusing How Discovery Inc will facilitate access to its cloud survey of 1,154 senior manufacturing on creating a digital backbone and spots great ideas infrastructure as well as its suite of executives found that 66% of enabling the department to exploit data cloud-delivered applications. manufacturers used AI on a daily basis. and innovation. The strategy includes How Rightmove is moving ahead with plans to establish a “digital foundry”, digital transformation QTS Realty Trust acquired NCSC updates ransomware a federated ecosystem of digital in $10bn datacentre deal guidance for schools amid surge innovators and developers. Editor’s comment Datacentre operator QTS Realty Trust A renewed surge in ransomware has been sold to investment firm attacks against schools, colleges Buyer’s guide Blackstone in a deal valued at about and universities across the UK has to managing paper processes $10bn. Blackstone said it would provide prompted the National Cyber Security resources and consistent access to Centre (NCSC) to update existing MARTIN/ADOBE How GCHQ proposes capital to support the growth of QTS. security guidance offered to the sector. to implement and use ethical AI BT claims £2m in savings Unit 42 warns of emergent

Will the incoming with Qlik data analytics Prometheus ransomware National Security and BT has secured £2m in cost savings A ransomware operation called Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? by putting Qlik data analytics in the Prometheus is making waves among ❯ Lack of communication over NHS GPDPR ‘astonishing’. hands of 1,200 BT Consumer workers. organisations in the government, ❯ Microsoft fixes seven zero-days for Patch Tuesday. Downtime The telecoms supplier said it had been financial services and manufacturing, ❯ EC launches digital identity framework. relying on Excel for data analysis, and has claimed victims on a global ❯ Klarna takes on credit card providers with app feature. using just 5% of the data from its basis, according to research by Palo 30 million customers. Alto Networks’ Unit 42 team. n

❯Catch up with the latest IT news online. computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 3 ANALYSIS

Home News Did government allow Post Office to sack Did government allow Post Office to sack forensic accountants forensic accountants to cover up scandal? to cover up scandal?

How Discovery Inc Whatever the Post Office told the government about its decision to sack investigators examining subpostmaster spots great ideas prosecutions for theft could identify whether the government was part of a cover-up. Karl Flinders reports

How Rightmove is moving ahead with digital transformation lawyer has questioned the government’s role in It is described as the biggest miscarriage of justice in UK modern attempts to cover up the Post Office scandal, which saw history and it ruined the lives of hundreds of families. Editor’s comment Asubpostmasters’ lives destroyed after they were wrongly A multimillion-pound High Court group litigation, brought by blamed and punished for branch account shortfalls. 555 former subpostmasters against the Post Office, found in Buyer’s guide Barrister Paul Marshall of Cornerstone Barristers, who December 2019 that the subpostmasters were right in their claims to managing paper processes represented subpostmasters appealing against wrongful that the computer system contained errors that could cause the convictions, said what the Post Office told the government about losses. Since December 2020, 47 former subpostmasters have How GCHQ proposes its decision to sack investigators examining subpostmaster had their criminal prosecutions, which were based on evidence to implement and use ethical AI prosecutions would shed light on its role in delaying justice. from the Horizon system, overturned and hundreds more are The Post Office scandal saw hundreds of subpostmasters expected to appeal.

Will the incoming prosecuted for financial crimes due to unexplained accounting But the truth could have been found much earlier. In 2012, as National Security and shortfalls caused by errors in the Horizon retail and accounting part of an external review triggered by pressure from MPs, forensic Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? computer system used in branches. accountancy company Second Sight was hired by the Post Office A total of 736 subpostmasters were convicted of financial crimes to look into allegations that errors in the Horizon system were Downtime such as theft over a 15-year period after the Horizon system was causing unexplained shortfalls. introduced in 2000. Some were sent to prison or served non- Over a three-year period, Second Sight investigated about 140 custodial sentences, while others who were not prosecuted had individual cases of subpostmasters who had suffered unexplained to make up cash shortfalls, leading to bankruptcy for many. losses. It examined thousands of documents and created a

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 4 How much did the government know about the Post Office’s decision to sack Second Sight? ANALYSIS

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Did government allow Post Office to sack forensic accountants to cover up scandal?

How Discovery Inc spots great ideas

How Rightmove is MISTERVLAD/ADOBE moving ahead with digital transformation

Editor’s comment structured, evidential database of more than 34,000 individual saved millions of pounds in legal costs to taxpayers and former documents. It identified 19 thematic issues that were common to subpostmasters, who would have been vindicated years earlier. Buyer’s guide many of the cases and cross-referenced each case to others with In a webinar discussing the legal ramifications of the Horizon to managing paper processes similar characteristics. scandal, Marshall raised the question of what the government Second Sight said the Post Office had not properly investigated knew about the Post Office’s decision to sack Second Sight. How GCHQ proposes the causes of the shortfalls and had ruled out Horizon errors from The Post Office is wholly owned by the government. It falls to implement and use ethical AI the start. It also said there was inadequate evidence to prosecute within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial subpostmasters for theft. Strategy (BEIS) and a government representative sits on its board.

Will the incoming But in 2015, a month after it began raising concerns and Marshall, who alongside Flora Page, a barrister at 23 Essex Street, National Security and requesting access to full subpostmaster prosecution files, Second represented three subpostmasters in successfully appealing Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? Sight’s contract was terminated by the Post Office. The firm was against criminal convictions at the Court of Appeal, said that from asked to complete remaining cases during its month-long notice the moment Second Sight’s contract was terminated until the Downtime period and carried out separate work until July 2015. High Court judgment in 2019, the Post Office “adopted a policy of Although the Post Office had stopped prosecuting denial, concealment and obfuscation”. subpostmasters by 2015, had Second Sight been given what it Evidence has since emerged that the Post Office knew of Horizon needed, it would have got to the truth earlier. This would have issues all along, but still prosecuted subpostmasters for theft and

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 5 ANALYSIS

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News false accounting, based on Horizon evidence. It claimed money with it, nonetheless; the offer by the prosecution to remove the from thousands of subpostmasters who suffered shortfalls. charge of theft was used to put pressure on the defendant to Did government allow In the webinar, Marshall said: “Is it plausible that the Post plead guilty to the false accounting charges and to make good the Post Office to sack forensic accountants Office sacked Second Sight in March 2015 without briefing the alleged losses; the threat of proceeding with a charge of theft was to cover up scandal? government, which owns it and pays its bills, on the reason for primarily to assist in the recovery of losses, and not in the interest doing so? I think it is unconceivable that it did not do so. of justice; and the prosecution insisted that, as part of the agree- How Discovery Inc “Assuming the Post Office did brief the government on its rea- ment to drop the charge of theft, no mention of alleged problems spots great ideas sons, the Post Office either gave a truthful account of the reasons with the Horizon computer system would be made. for sacking Second Sight and withdrawing from the mediation, or it How Rightmove is moving ahead with gave an incomplete and misleading explanation. If the Post Office digital transformation gave a truthful explanation, that would arguably make the govern- “I am of the view there almost ment complicit in the cover-up of tremendous, unprecedented and certainly was a cover up ho Editor’s comment widespread injustice. On the other hand, if the Post Office gave - . W a misleading explanation to government, why has there not been was involved remains to be seen” Buyer’s guide the slightest suggestion of this from the government? to managing aul arshall ornerstone arristers paper processes “I am of the view that there almost certainly was a cover-up. P M , C B Who was involved remains to be seen.” How GCHQ proposes “The new facts that have come to light as a result of examining to implement and use ethical AI Getting close to the truth a single complete legal file have identified a number of issues that Second Sight was getting close to the truth in 2015 and had indicate possible misconduct by a prosecutor on behalf of the

Will the incoming requested further evidence, including all the prosecution files Post Office and a possible miscarriage of justice,” said Henderson. National Security and for subpostmasters taken to court by the Post Office. Second Sight was sacked a month later, with the Post Office Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? Ian Henderson, co-founder of Second Sight, said: “At the request saying that the mediation scheme had run its course. of the Parliamentary Select Committee, I provided further evidence Conservative peer James Arbuthnot said he is in little doubt Downtime justifying our need for access to the full prosecution files.” that Second Sight was getting too close for comfort to the truth In February 2015, Henderson wrote to MPs with his reasons for of what was going on in the Post Office. “That – and the refusal the request. He explained that the prosecution knew there was to give them access to the documents and data they needed, in insufficient evidence to support a charge of theft, but proceeded breach of the Post Office’s agreements with them and with MPs

❯Post Office scandal inquiry begins after chances to address problems were ignored. computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 6 ANALYSIS

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News – were clearly all part of the journey towards covering the whole scandal up and hoping the subpostmasters would go away,” he The Post Office Did government allow said. “It failed spectacularly, of course, but at huge human cost.” scandal saw Post Office to sack A Post Office spokesperson said: “The Post Office publicly hundreds of forensic accountants subpostmasters to cover up scandal? announced in March 2015 that it was putting all remaining prosecuted [subpostmaster] cases in the scheme forward for mediation, How Discovery Inc except those which were the subject of previous court rulings. The spots great ideas scheme’s working group set up to assess whether cases should move forward to mediation was therefore closed. Second Sight’s How Rightmove is moving ahead with engagement with the Post Office continued to enable them to digital transformation finalise remaining case reviews that were ongoing at that stage. “Concerns had been expressed by the Post Office and by Editor’s comment applicants that the scheme was taking longer than those involved would have liked. These delays were acknowledged by Sir Anthony Buyer’s guide Hooper in a letter to the then minister for employment, consumer to managing paper processes affairs and equalities, Jo Swinson MP, in December 2014.” At the time when the Second Sight contract was terminated, How GCHQ proposes Angela van den Bogerd, Post Office head of partnerships, said: to implement and use ethical AI “This has been an exhaustive and informative process which has confirmed that there are no system-wide problems with our

Will the incoming computer system and associated processes. We will now look to National Security and resolve the final outstanding cases as quickly as possible.” Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? A BEIS spokesperson said: “The Complaint Review and Mediation scheme was independent of government and the Post Office took Downtime the decision to close the scheme at the time. We would expect the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry to look at these issues to ensure that we get to the bottom of where mistakes were made, so that

something like this cannot happen again.” n JOHN CORRY/ADOBE

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 7 CASE STUDY

Home News How Discovery Inc spots great ideas Did government allow Post Office to sack forensic accountants to cover up scandal? Many people talk about creating a culture of innovation, but this can take a lot of effort for organisations to achieve. Cliff Saran looks at the approach taken by Discovery Inc How Discovery Inc spots great ideas here is a common misconception about how to foster a Facebook,” says Irene Scardia, EMEA innovation and internal How Rightmove is moving ahead with culture of innovation. While innovation can and does communications senior manager at Discovery Inc. digital transformation Toccur in the head offices of businesses around the world, The company began a power phase of using Workplace from says Stephen Lee, vice-president of Europe, Middle East and Facebook in 2016. “We wanted to create a sense of belonging,” Editor’s comment Africa (EMEA) product strategy and innovation at Discovery Inc, says Scardia. “We began with the Facebook-like interface, but innovation occurs everywhere. when we started using it, other potential uses of Workplace from Buyer’s guide In Lee’s experience, most ideas seem to come from the smaller, Facebook came out.” to managing paper processes quieter parts of an organisation. The big challenge for business is how to crowdsource innovation, create a culture that encourages Stay in touch How GCHQ proposes people to submit ideas, and then have a process to collect and The importance of having a collaborative tool for employee to implement and use ethical AI give feedback on these submissions. communications was essential during the coronavirus lockdowns. The Covid-19 pandemic forced organisations worldwide Being a global company, its Asian offices closed first, says Lee.

Will the incoming into remote working. Many adopted collaboration tools to aid “Discovery Inc was able to equip people to work from home. National Security and communication with teams as a priority. Although this may have Workplace was a huge driver,” he says, adding that it gave the Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? helped to maintain short-term productivity levels, it risked siloed business a discrete collaboration environment, enabling people regional and global offices and stifled innovation and insight from to stay in touch without having to physically be in an office. Downtime across many businesses. “The whole company is online and we have the ability to make Discovery Inc is the company behind the Discovery channel intercompany groups,” says Lee. For instance, the Discovery and the recently launched Discovery+ video on demand (VOD) React group on Workplace by Facebook is used to share news and service. “We could not imagine this year without Workplace from stories about people doing things for a common good.

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 8 CASE STUDY

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News To capture ideas, Discovery Inc has integrated a tool called Sideways 6 into Workplace from Facebook. The tool is being Did government allow used to encourage innovation and ideas from across EMEA, Post Office to sack forensic accountants departments and people, bringing it all together in one place. to cover up scandal? “It is always a challenge to find needles in hundreds of haystacks,” says Lee. “We can find those gems – and the quietest offices, with How Discovery Inc the least power, are submitting the most ideas.” spots great ideas While senior company executives may previously have focused on the priority offices, Workplace from Facebook with Sideways 6 How Rightmove is moving ahead with is surfacing people’s voices from different regions, says Lee. digital transformation Chatbot collects ideas Editor’s comment Sideways 6 effectively provides a chatbot for collecting ideas, and it is the first chatbot in Discovery Inc. Discovery’s Spark Buyer’s guide Innovation programme is the company’s dedicated innovation to managing paper processes platform, hosted on Workplace from Facebook. Along with information on how the initiative works, it also hosts articles to How GCHQ proposes inspire innovation, and people are encouraged to submit their to implement and use ethical AI ideas via the chatbot. Scardia explains: “When you go on the group to post an

Will the incoming idea along with a short description, you start a conversation National Security and with the chatbot, which is connected to the Sideways ideas Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? management platform.” The chatbot will typically ask questions such as “Why is your Stephen Lee, Discovery idea great?” and “How many resources do you need?”. Then, Downtime Inc: “It is always a once it has been collected, the idea is routed to the people making challenge to find needles decisions and is scored. The submitter receives an email on the in hundreds of haystacks” status of their idea.

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 9 CASE STUDY

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News Previously, employees submitted their ideas via email, says Scardia points out that the company launched Discovery+ Scardia, adding: “The chatbot feels like you are talking to someone. during the pandemic, launching in the UK in November 2020. By Did government allow Engagement increased fourfold.” February 2021, Discovery had grown to 12 million subscribers. Post Office to sack forensic accountants Discovery Inc has been using Workspace from Facebook for “The whole thing was developed remotely,” she says. “We used to cover up scandal? more than five years, and Lee says there has been a definite Workplace from Facebook every month to have a global town hall culture shift across the organisation during this time. “We see meeting with the CEO.” How Discovery Inc a flattening of hierarchy, with people moving across boundaries Scardia added that the company has been able to measure the spots great ideas without any barriers,” he adds. success of breaking down old organisational silos. One example is a content club hosted on Workspace from How Rightmove is moving ahead with Facebook, which Lee says acts like a book club, but for previews digital transformation of new shows. “We watch a show in preview and have external “We used Workplace from interviews. In the documentary about Pope Francis, we had a Editor’s comment direct chat with the director,” he says. Facebook every month to Such events touch the whole workforce. “Anyone in the company have a global town hall Buyer’s guide can join in,” adds Lee. to managing paper processes meeting with the CEO” Return on investment Irene Scardia, Discovery Inc How GCHQ proposes One of the challenges that organisations face with collaboration to implement and use ethical AI tools is how to measure the return on investment. This will become increasingly important as staff start returning to offices. With 274 idea submissions (up from 63 in 2019), the ideas from

Will the incoming For Scardia, while some aspects of a collaboration tool may be the Spark Innovation programme have demonstrated how crowd- National Security and intangible, some things can be measured, such as the volume of sourcing innovation can make a real impact. Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? new ideas being submitted through crowdsourcing, and it can be From addressing sustainability concerns with evergreen used to “measure employee satisfaction”. T-shirts for the company’s annual volunteering day, encouraging Downtime Changing the organisational culture certainty does not happen employees to think outside of their day-to-day role, and – most overnight, and Scardia says it took three years to create a culture importantly – making workers feel a valued part of the company, of innovation. Now, Workplace from Facebook is used as an the Spark Innovation programme has encouraged community- innovation tool in the organisation. driven change across Discovery Inc. n

❯Collaboration tools have exploded in the pandemic. Now they expand their remit. computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 10 INTERVIEW

arah Lourens, chief product and technology officer Planning for change (CPTO) at Rightmove, is on a mission to use digital technology to create a range of products and services Rightmove’s chief product that help the company improve the experience of the Thomeowners and clients that rely on its services. and technology officer, Rightmove is the UK’s largest online real estate portal and Tarah Lourens, tells property website and is listed on the FTSE 100. Experienced tech Mark Samuels how chief Lourens joined Rightmove in April 2019 after having led she is working to create technology for finance firm Wonga and held senior managerial fresh data-led services positions at luxury retailer Harrods. Two years into the challenge she’s loving the opportunity. and products, growing “Rightmove ticked a lot of boxes – it’s an extremely popular the team and building site and a recognisable brand, but there were three other key capacity and capability reasons the role appealed. First, it has a great culture, which is very important to me – being able to lead in a supportive rather than an authoritarian way, and for people to feel empowered, is key,” she says. “Second, it’s a company that has built a successful brand, and it’s still ambitious and keen to do new things. Third, it is a dual technology and product role. I’ve done both roles before, but always separately. I’d never had both together and I’m loving the opportunity to fulfil that dual role.”

Setting new priorities On joining Rightmove, Lourens assessed the IT organisation, its capability and systems, then put together a plan for change. The aim of her long-term strategy is to help the business create fresh data-led services and products, and to develop the in-house talent to make that business transformation happen.

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computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 11 INTERVIEW

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News “We’re growing and hiring 45 new roles into the team and and reminding them of the properties they might have been starting to build products in new areas that we’re keen to explore interested in, so we did a big relaunch campaign,” she says. Did government allow and know we can make a difference in, but we haven’t had the That process involved making sure Rightmove’s users knew that Post Office to sack forensic accountants capacity to do so until now,” she says of the plans for technology- the market had reopened. It was a challenging task that involved to cover up scandal? led business transformation. a complex set of processes to reach These plans for change come out to users with the right type of How Discovery Inc after what has been a challenging fter the first lockdown content. However, digital capacity spots great ideas “A 12 months due to the restrictions and capability helped Lourens introduced in response to the we picked up the roadmap again and her team approach the task How Rightmove is moving ahead with Covid-19 pandemic. Like other and we achieved the vast with confidence – and now they’re digital transformation CIOs, Lourens had to place some – looking to make the most of those of her transformation plans on majority of what we originally lessons learned as they innovate Editor’s comment hold during the first lockdown. The through 2021. priority at that time, rather than set out to achieve in 2020” “We contacted about three Buyer’s guide innovating, was making sure that million consumers, which helped to to managing Tarah Lourens, Rightmove paper processes the business was still serving its generate interest back into estate clients effectively. agents and helped them build their How GCHQ proposes “The team pivoted to building a suite of features to help our pipelines again. That work involved rapid product delivery and it to implement and use ethical AI customers given the circumstances of the lockdown,” she says. was time-sensitive; if those things dropped too late, they were “We built these features within a six-week period, which was pointless. And launch dates weren’t predictable, because it was

Will the incoming incredible. You weren’t allowed to complete a home-buying all against a backdrop of uncertainty, which meant we just had to National Security and transaction, so we built a video-viewing platform to help keep go as quick as possible,” she says. Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? users searching and expressing their interest.” “After the first lockdown, with home-moving interest at highest- ever levels, we got on with those longer-term things that we’d Downtime Overcoming additional challenges been planning before lockdown. We picked up the roadmap again When the first lockdown ended and the market reopened, Lourens – and we achieved the vast majority of what we originally set out and her team made another rapid switch. “This change was about to achieve in 2020, which is just phenomenal, considering we’d helping consumers catch up with what they might have missed lost three or four months of the year.”

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 12 INTERVIEW

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News Transforming the business Lourens’ pioneering plans for digital-led change continue apace. Rightmove’s long-term aim is to help turn what is often a Did government allow Like her other senior business colleagues at Rightmove, she has range of paper-based communications, phone calls Post Office to sack forensic accountants big plans for transformation – and technology sits at the heart and emails into a truly digital experience to cover up scandal? of that strategy. “We want to help the industry as a whole, and home movers, to have a much better experience. In two or three How Discovery Inc years’ time, I’d like us to be known not only as ‘the place I found spots great ideas my property’, but also ‘the place that helped me move in’, which is quite a big shift,” she says. How Rightmove is moving ahead with That process, says Lourens, will involve working on its clients’ digital transformation behalf. In many cases, that means streamlining a series of things that might be seen as overheads today. She says the long- Editor’s comment term aim of the business is to help turn what is often a range of paper-based communications, phone calls and emails into a Buyer’s guide truly digital experience. to managing paper processes “If letting agents, for example, don’t have to wait days for a reference and don’t have to spend time calling the reference How GCHQ proposes provider repeatedly for updates, they can spend more time on to implement and use ethical AI other activities,” she says. “Ultimately, that’s an approach that will deliver more value to them through making things more efficient.”

Will the incoming When it comes to her own technology team, Lourens’ National Security and aspiration is to continue building a high-performing, very tech- Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? led culture that is, as she says, “a great place to code”. While all businesses in all sectors have huge demands for digital talent, Downtime Lourens wants to make sure that Rightmove creates an enticing offer to any talent that’s on the market. “I want to help us be known for being a wonderful place to work, where you can be part of something really meaningful and to enjoy RIGHTMOVE

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 13 INTERVIEW

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News coming in and working with your colleagues. As an organisation, that staff feel connected and content. On that front, Lourens we want to be recognised for what we do, what we have done and says her business has been extremely supportive. Parents, for Did government allow the success of that work,” she says. example, were given 10 extra days’ holiday to use to help with Post Office to sack forensic accountants “Everyone will move home at some stage, and [working here] home schooling. to cover up scandal? you’re part of a company that’s helping to shape that experience. “We’re very mindful of those who are having a particularly We’re appealing to an individual’s need to have an impact wider hard time. We’ve done lots of things at company and team levels, How Discovery Inc than themselves, which – for the younger generation in particular such as a virtual pub, Christmas party and regular quizzes – spots great ideas – is so important.” just giving people lots of places to connect into,” she says. “Another How Rightmove is moving ahead with Engaging with staff “I want to help [the tech team] thing we’ve done is increase the digital transformation Lourens recognises that the past mental health support available year has required a very new be known for being a wonderful across the company. We’ve just Editor’s comment approach when it comes to keeping place to work, where you can launched a new campaign, where staff motivation high. Working from people can access additional help if Buyer’s guide home has become the new normal be part of something really they’re struggling with their personal to managing paper processes for employees across the globe. She resilience in getting through this believes the key to keeping people meaningful and enjoy working situation. Coaching sessions How GCHQ proposes happy and motivated is creating and collaborative workshops are to implement and with your colleagues” use ethical AI a strong sense of purpose, with a available to help staff deal with focus on regular communication. Tarah Lourens, Rightmove various situations.”

Will the incoming “Because of the wider impact National Security and on people that this situation has had, we’re doing more to help Leading from the front Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? people with their own well-being. Working remotely does mean CIOs who want their organisations to emerge on a strong footing that managers need to do a lot more proactive communication in the post-Covid age must continue to push digitisation in the Downtime because people can become isolated quite quickly,” she says. coming months. Lourens’ engaged approach to talent is, in many Avoiding any sense of isolation is crucial, as it will have an ways, representative of her wider approach to digital leadership. impact on happiness and motivation. Experts recognise that Rather than being a traditional IT director, with a focus on back- organisations and senior executives must work hard to ensure end systems and processes, Lourens is keen to use technology

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 14 INTERVIEW

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News to make a difference where it matters most – in terms of To actually deliver the tech, digital leaders have to understand the delivering a great experience to customers. business and, therefore, they should play a bigger role in helping Did government allow This focus on customer-led products and services helps to to shape what the business is trying to do,” she says. Post Office to sack forensic accountants explain why she’s taken the title CPTO rather than CIO or head This is something she’s been able to do at Rightmove. “I like to cover up scandal? of IT. Lourens says that grabbing the opportunity to be a CPTO having responsibility for both technology and product because means she can help the business to really take advantage of the that dual role means I’m a big part of the commercial side of the How Discovery Inc game-changing opportunities that modern technology offers. business and shaping what we’re trying to do, and then I can also spots great ideas “It’s about recognising that, ultimately, almost everything we’re help get it done because I also know how to execute. So for me trying to do now is delivered through technology. Assuming that personally, this role is great – I can both help shape what we’re How Rightmove is moving ahead with technologists only help you deliver the tech is a very limited view. doing, and I can get it done really quickly.” n digital transformation

Editor’s comment

Buyer’s guide to managing paper processes

How GCHQ proposes to implement and Tarah Lourens is aiming to use ethical AI help Rightmove create fresh data-led services and products, Will the incoming and to develop the in-house National Security and talent to make that business Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? transformation happen

Downtime SEAN GLADWELL/GETTY

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 15 Computer Weekly, 25 Christopher Street, London EC2A 2BS EDITOR’S COMMENT HOME General enquiries 020 7186 1400 Home Editor in chief: Bryan Glick 020 7186 1424 | [email protected] News Managing editor (technology): Cliff Saran 020 7186 1421 | [email protected] Open source maintainers deserve reward DidInvestigations government editor: allow Bill Goodwin 020Post 7186 Office 1418 | [email protected] sack forensic accountants to EMEAcover content up scandal? editor: Karl Flinders recent study has put the spotlight on a worrying trend in software development. Open source project maintainers are not being 020 7186 1423 | [email protected] paid for their work. Or, if they do get paid, they can expect to earn on average $1,000 to $10,000 a year. At the upper end of HowSenior Discovery editor, UK: Inc Caroline Donnelly the scale, for some, this is a welcome bonus. But the fact is, these people are not being paid by their employer. They maintain 020spots 7186 great 1411 | ideas [email protected] A open source code in their own time and receive very little reward for doing so. Why does this matter? Open source is not like Instagram, Security editor: Alex Scroxton 020 7186 1413 | [email protected] YouTube or other platforms for posting user-generated content. Code released as open source finds its way into larger and larger How Rightmove is movingNetworking ahead editor: with Joe O’Halloran projects. Enterprise IT is built on a foundation of open source and a lot of the most innovative work is being done at the grassroots level. 020digital 7186 1425transformation | [email protected] The study from Tidelift should be of concern to anyone in a position of authority who Management editor: Lis Evenstad wants to use open source to help their organisation be more innovative. The research 020Editor’s 7186 1425 comment | [email protected] found that more than half (59%) of maintainers surveyed have quit or considered Those who maintain open Storage editor: Antony Adshead quitting maintaining a project. The more projects a maintainer is responsible for, the 07779 038528 | [email protected] source projects are the Buyer’s guide more likely it is that they have considered quitting. More than two-thirds (68%) of to managing Business applications editor: Brian McKenna paper processes those who managed 10 projects or more have quit or considered quitting. 020 7186 1414 | [email protected] poets and philosophers Open source project work is stressful. Those who maintain the codebase have Business editor: Clare McDonald 020How 7186 GCHQ 1426 | [email protected] to maintain code. This means dealing with irate users who contact them when of the digital age to implement and Senioruse ethical reporter: AI Sebastian Klovig Skelton something breaks. Less than a quarter of their time is spent actually writing new 020 7186 1432 | [email protected] code. A maintainer has to maintain the project, which means they spend about one-fifth of their time reviewing contributions, issues and

WillProduction the incoming editor: Claire Cormack generally responding to users. Around 14% of their time is spent resolving conflicts and handling bugs. With projects that have run for a 020National 7186 1461 Security | [email protected] and while, the maintainer also ends up dealing with managing technical debt and improving existing code. For many, all of this is done for free. InvestmentSenior sub-editor: Act dampen Bob Wells datacentre growth? Clearly, there is a very slim chance to become exceedingly rich, as was the case with the founders of Instagram and YouTube, but 020 7186 1462 | [email protected] somehow, enterprise open source doesn’t seem to attract the same kind of kudos. One could argue the case that open source has Senior sub-editor: Jaime Lee Daniels 020Downtime 7186 1417 | [email protected] become as significant as the written word. Those who maintain open source projects are the poets and philosophers of the digital age. Should we not reward these individuals? n Senior sub-editor: Ryan Priest 020 7186 1420 | [email protected]

Vice-president of sales, EMEA: Jat Hayer Cliff Saran, managing editor (technology) 07557 433681 | [email protected]

❯Read the latest Computer Weekly blogs. computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 16 BUYER’S GUIDE TO MANAGING PAPER PROCESSES | PART 1 OF 3

loud adoption has seen explosive growth over the Selecting a cloud past year. Cloud infrastructure has proved essential in helping businesses adapt to remote working and printing platform enabling them to become flexible and resilient during a Cvery unpredictable time. Louella Fernandes reveals how businesses With businesses accelerating their cloud migration, edge can mitigate risks and improve efficiency computing adoption is also expanding. As a result of the growing internet of things (IoT) landscape, hyperscale providers such by shifting print infrastructure to the cloud as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft and Google have developed products and services that aim to distribute their cloud capabilities closer to the edge. Besides those that have gone entirely paperless, print services is one of the IoT edges that almost every organisation will need to manage. Such organisations can mitigate risk and improve efficiency by shifting their print infrastructure to the cloud. In fact, as organisations look to assess the effectiveness of the existing IT infrastructure, particularly as offices start to reopen, there are opportunities to make significant efficiency and cost savings by shifting the print infrastructure to the cloud. Quocirca’s Cloud print services 2021 report reveals that 72% of organisations are planning to increase their use of cloud print management between now and 2025. As IT teams are faced with managing print across a hybrid workplace, cloud printing platforms can provide an effective way of tracking, monitoring and securing print in the office and home environment. With untrusted devices such as home printers posing a threat to enterprise security, it becomes imperative

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News that businesses implement robust cloud print platforms that In smaller organisations that have very few workstations or support the zero-trust environments that more organisations are printers, a serverless model may be a better approach to saving Did government allow beginning to operate. This helps to reduce their vulnerability to money on print server costs and overheads, or at least creating a Post Office to sack forensic accountants cyber attacks and minimise the malicious or accidental loss of more predictable cost base for ongoing print-related issues. It can to cover up scandal? information by employees. also appeal to enterprises that are consolidating servers, looking to control print costs and lower the IT administrative burden. How Discovery Inc Navigating the cloud print services market For organisations not looking to completely eliminate their spots great ideas Selecting the right cloud print service provider and platform print servers, or which may have security concerns, a hybrid is critical to success. However, the market is complex and approach may be the better choice. It can be deployed under a How Rightmove is moving ahead with still evolving, with many different single management platform digital transformation approaches available. Some print and provide ease of use for manufacturers offer a fully managed electing the right cloud administrators while still allowing Editor’s comment cloud print service, while independent S for consolidation and cost savings. software providers are a good option print service provider and Another factor to consider is Buyer’s guide for organisations operating a mixed whether to select a multi-tenant to managing paper processes fleet environment or those not using platform is critical to success or single-tenant platform. a fully outsourced managed print Single-tenant hosting is more How GCHQ proposes service (MPS). expensive and provides better to implement and use ethical AI Quocirca recommends that buyers evaluate how cloud print overall control and nominal security capabilities, but it can also service providers can support their specific cloud journey. A create availability risks due to the need to run manual maintenance

Will the incoming portfolio that offers private, public and hybrid models will enable and update processes. National Security and organisations to transition as their on-premise and cloud needs A multi-tenant platform is generally highly configurable and Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? adapt. For those already on their cloud journey, choosing a includes solid security managed by the service provider. Multi- provider that will be able to keep pace with the organisation’s tenancy options also keep costs down as the platform is con- Downtime pace will be crucial. stantly evolving to support a multitude of individual tenants. The Among the myriad options available, one of the choices for an cloud platform should deliver continuous updates and feature organisation is whether to adopt a serverless or hybrid model for releases to all customers along with a defined uptimeservice- print management. level agreement (SLA).

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News It is also worth bearing in mind that, as a customer, it is impor- installation, and management on desktops and mobiles. It can tant to remain informed about the release schedule for new also create an unnecessary security weakness as the VPN Did government allow functionality and changes that are planned to be introduced into provides access to the whole on-premise network should it be Post Office to sack forensic accountants the platform. There needs to be sufficient time prior to the new compromised in any way. to cover up scandal? releases to allow for user education. In terms of document security, the print platform should allow either compression of print jobs, or local handling of at least some How Discovery Inc Managing print security part of the job. This avoids sending all the data and metadata spots great ideas Some cloud printing solutions are hosted on a cloud server, around print jobs to the cloud to be spooled. but still require a virtual private network (VPN) tunnel into the A cloud-based platform can keep print jobs on the local network How Rightmove is moving ahead with network, limiting accessibility. Using a VPN service to enable behind the firewall. Preferably, any data that is sent between the digital transformation users to connect to the print platform adds significant overheads client and the cloud should be encrypted to prevent the stream in terms of performance of the connection, cost of the VPN, being captured via a man-in-the-middle attack. Editor’s comment

Buyer’s guide to managing paper processes Any data sent between

How GCHQ proposes the client and the cloud to implement and use ethical AI should be encrypted to prevent

Will the incoming the stream being captured by National Security and Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? a man-in-the-middle attack

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News Some cloud printing platforms offer identity and access platforms are closely integrated with MFP embedded platforms management (IAM) and multifactor authentication (MFA). which can support digital workflow processes, and also monitor Did government allow These enable users to authenticate at any device using either and track scanning activity. Post Office to sack forensic accountants smartcard release, other forms of near-field communication such Finally, assess the reporting and analytics capabilities as part to cover up scandal? as Bluetooth, biometrics, or through PIN printing. of the selection criteria for cloud-based print management. Identity management is becoming a much stronger focus Traditional print management solutions offer extensive reporting How Discovery Inc as enterprises evaluate zero-trust security models. Look for on printer utilisation, device performance, consumables usage spots great ideas integration with IAM platforms such as Okta and Ping Identity. (toner, paper) and service information. At a bare minimum, MFA systems Some cloud printing platforms How Rightmove is moving ahead with should be implemented, preferably – particularly those based on digital transformation using mobile device-based apps. For Some cloud printing serverless or direct IP printing – organisations using Microsoft Azure platforms do not offer do not offer extensive reporting Editor’s comment Active Directory, look for a cloud capabilities so look for integration printing platform that integrates extensive reporting capabilities with analytics solutions. Reporting Buyer’s guide with Universal Print by Microsoft. of home printing can also be to managing paper processes so look for integration with managed by edge appliances – some Other considerations analytics solutions cloud print providers offer these How GCHQ proposes Native driver support is something as an alternative to installing data to implement and use ethical AI else to think about when choos- collection agents on PCs. ing a platform. While a universal print driver (UPD) can offer Ultimately, through flexibility and scalability, a cloud printing

Will the incoming simplicity, buyers should consider a print management platform platform enables organisations to future-proof their business National Security and that offers native driver support, which can use the full function- and provide a multi-layered approach to security to help Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? ality of the multifunction printer (MFP). If this is not possible, them safeguard the hybrid work environment from potential look for UPDs that offer the best support for the functionalities print vulnerabilities. n Downtime most used by your users, such as double-sided printing, colla- tion, best-fit, colour/black and white, and so on. This article is based on the Quocirca Cloud print services 2021 report, which can be Beyond cloud printing support and management, consider if downloaded here. Louella Fernandes is a director at Quocirca, with expertise in the print, the platform supports document capture processes. Many cloud imaging and managed services industry.

computerweekly.com 15-21 June 2021 20 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

n early March 2021, GCHQ released a whitepaper outlining its plans for the future. In response to the escalating threats faced online, the government intelligence and security organisation will increasingly use automated systems. IThe amount of data generated, in particular from social media posts and online forums, is increasing exponentially. It is now reaching levels where it is impossible for humans, no matter how large the team, to effectively monitor the online world. Conventional artificial intelligence (AI) tools were initially used to support GCHQ staff, but these carried historical biases from the data they were trained on. This was exemplified in Deloitte’s recent study, State of AI in the enterprise, in which a significant number of respondents expressed concerns around ethical risks associated with AI. “While this unprecedented technological evolution comes with great opportunity, it also poses significant ethical challenges for all of society, including GCHQ,” says Jeremy Fleming, director of GCHQ. Ethical AIs are intelligent systems with codes of conduct that ensure an automated system makes decisions in a fair How GCHQ proposes to and unbiased way. Utilising an ethical AI that is unimpeded by historical bias ensures that the AI’s outcomes are fair and rational. This will provide GCHQ with a clearer picture of what implement and use ethical AI is happening in the UK. “When you have any part of government that is dealing in GCHQ invests in automated threat detection and response systems to things like counter-terrorism and cyber security, it is important meet rising threats against the UK, and looks to liaise with the private to stay within the boundaries of what we understand as basic sector for the first time.Peter Ray Allison reports frames of legality, privacy, data protection, non-discrimination

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News and human rights,” says David Leslie, ethics theme lead and content that is deliberately misleading or false, such as some ethics fellow at the Alan Turing Institute. posts recently published by anti-vaccine campaigners. Did government allow The UK is currently facing escalating threats, both within Ethical AI provides GCHQ with the ability to detect botnets Post Office to sack forensic accountants and outside its borders. From external threats to democratic of machine-generated social media accounts. Through this, it to cover up scandal? processes, to the growing problem of human trafficking, recent can identify the sources generating misinformation, thereby events have illustrated the scale of threats that GCHQ now faces. allowing online operations to directly counteract these How Discovery Inc GCHQ is currently focusing on ethical AI for use in three key malicious accounts. spots great ideas areas – these are: foreign state disinformation, child abuse, and human trafficking. Child abuse How Rightmove is moving ahead with Child abuse is one of the most insidious threats facing society. digital transformation Foreign state disinformation In the UK alone, it has been estimated that there are 300,000 Hostile actors sponsored by other countries have used AI people who present a threat to children. Editor’s comment to conduct disinformation campaigns, typically through Through analysing past accounts, AI can be trained to identify automating the production of fake content to undermine public potential grooming behaviour within direct messages and chat Buyer’s guide discourse. Such content can include deepfake videos and audio rooms. They can also be used to detect the exchange of illegal to managing paper processes material designed to mislead listeners, as well as automated images, as well as tracking disguised identities of offenders social media accounts (bots). AI can also be weaponised to across multiple accounts. AI can also be used to search for illegal How GCHQ proposes analyse specific users, thereby activities on the dark web and to implement and use ethical AI enabling personalised political enable law enforcement agencies targeting, as occurred with the From external threats to to infiltrate rings of offenders. Cambridge Analytica scandal. With AI tools trained to Will the incoming democratic processes, to the National Security and As a defence against these analyse intercepted imagery and Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? disinformation campaigns, growing problem of human messages, as well as detecting AI-enabled tools can be deployed chains of contact, they can support Downtime for automated fact-checking, trafficking, recent events have investigators in identifying and verifying information against illustrated the scale of threats protecting victims and discover known trusted sources. Social any accomplice offenders. Also, media companies use this to flag that GCHQ now faces the use of AI to analyse content

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News and metadata protects GCHQ’s analysts from unnecessary exposure to disturbing material. Did government allow Post Office to sack Artificial intelligence can provide forensic accountants Human trafficking to cover up scandal? More than 350,000 individuals are estimated to be involved assistance in plotting the next steps in serious organised crime (SOC) in the UK, at a huge cost to to take down organised crime rings How Discovery Inc the economy. spots great ideas Most SOC groups are involved in multiple types of trafficking, such as drugs, weapons and human trafficking, which in turn How Rightmove is moving ahead with enable other crimes, such as identity theft and bribery. digital transformation SOC’s use of technology is increasingly sophisticated, involving the use of encryption tools, the dark web and virtual assets – Editor’s comment such as bitcoin – to conceal transactions. AI can help GCHQ map the complex networks, both nationally Buyer’s guide and internationally, that enable trafficking. This is achieved by to managing paper processes identifying individuals, as well as their associated accounts and transactions, to reveal criminal groups and their associations. How GCHQ proposes It can also be used to analyse large-scale chains of financial to implement and use ethical AI transactions, as payments are made and received online. Information obtained using ethical AI could provide geographi-

Will the incoming cal information on illicit activity, enabling the analysis of multiple National Security and sources of imagery, messaging and sensor data to predict when Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? and where the delivery of illegal cargoes will take place. “It is undeniable that these data-driven technologies are being Downtime used on all sides right now,” says Leslie. “To carry out their responsibility, they are going to need to understand and combat the various threats that are out there, using these types of digital

data-driven technologies.” FEODORA/ADOBE

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News Challenges ahead Data fairness A common misconception about the use of AI within the intel- One of the core challenges in developing an AI system is ensur- Did government allow ligence services is that it will replace human analysts, but this ing it is fair, in that it makes equitable and reasonable deci- Post Office to sack forensic accountants has never been the intention. Rather, AI would augment existing sions, and is not biased. Key to this is data fairness, as many to cover up scandal? teams by automating processes, organisations historically have thereby allowing analysts to focus inadvertently relied on skewed How Discovery Inc on the important tasks that require “When you have these massive datasets for training AI systems. A spots great ideas human judgement. AI can trawl consequence of this is that the AI masses of data for patterns of sus- machine learning and AI either unfairly supports a particu- How Rightmove is moving ahead with picious activities, something that programmes churning away, lar demographic or actively dis- digital transformation would otherwise be impossible criminates against others. A prime by conventional methods using they are working at such a high example is how speech and facial Editor’s comment human analysts. recognition systems fail to work However, training AI is challeng- dimension of variables that effectively with significant parts Buyer’s guide ing, and more so when it needs to of society. to managing simply out-distances human- paper processes be ethical. Advanced AI method- There also needs to be out- ologies can make it impossible for scale understanding” come fairness, in that an AI can How GCHQ proposes humans to fully assess the factors be biased if it fails to treat indi- to implement and David Leslie, Alan Turing Institute use ethical AI that the AI took into account. viduals equally. If an AI were given This carries the risk of it becom- an unacceptable goal, based on

Will the incoming ing a black box, where AI produces the answer, but we have unsupported assumptions (such as the ethnicity or gender of National Security and no way of understanding how it came to that conclusion. This targets), the AI system would achieve this goal, but in so doing Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? has significant implications for accountability in the overall it reinforces discrimination. decision-making process. Finally, there needs to be design fairness, particularly in Downtime “When you have these massive machine learning and AI providing data. Regardless of good intentions, if everyone on the programmes churning away, they are working at such a high design team comes from a western, educated, industrialised, dimension of variables that simply out-distances human-scale rich, democratic (Weird) background, the AI will pick up their understanding,” says Leslie. subconscious biases and assumptions.

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News As part of its approach to AI ethics, GCHQ will be informed and support startups based around its other offices through by the framework, Understanding artificial intelligence ethics accelerator schemes. Did government allow and safety, created by the Alan Turing Institute in 2019. This Little has been announced about how the industry-facing Post Office to sack forensic accountants framework is designed to help organisations create ethical AI laboratory or accelerator schemes will operate, or what GCHQ to cover up scandal? capabilities that are fair, non-discriminatory and justifiable to is looking for. However, GCHQ has said interested companies stakeholders. It will also take into account the findings from the should “follow us on Twitter”. How Discovery Inc recent RUSI project into national security and AI. Ultimately, by using ethical AI and collaborating with the UK spots great ideas tech industry, GCHQ will pioneer a new kind of security for the Future collaborations future. Instead of reacting to national security threats, GCHQ How Rightmove is moving ahead with Because of the sensitive nature of its work, GCHQ has wants to prepare for potential threats in the future through digital transformation traditionally been reticent about working with external parties. gaining new insights. But due to the inherent challenges of training ethical AI, GCHQ “We keep exponentially increasing the amount of data we Editor’s comment has made the ground-breaking decision to approach the UK’s AI are producing with the accelerating development of cyber sector to work alongside it. physical systems,” says Leslie from the Alan Turing Institute. Buyer’s guide Central to this will be its new office in Manchester, which will “Responsibly utilising auxiliary tools, such as AI systems, to managing paper processes incorporate an “industry-facing” lab, dedicated to prototyping to help us manage the corresponding risks seems to be the projects to help keep the country safe. GCHQ will also mentor right direction.” n How GCHQ proposes to implement and use ethical AI

Using AI systems intelligently can Will the incoming National Security and enable a step in the right direction Investment Act dampen to best handle increasing threats datacentre growth?

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ndustry watchers are already predicting another record- Will new law dampen breaking year of take-up for the European datacentre market, as demand for colocation capacity – particularly in London – continues to soar. And as is the often the case for datacentre growth? Ia market that is going through a sustained period of productivity and growth, any shift in the legislative or economic landscape that The incoming National Security and Investment Act will give the could disrupt the status quo is bound to be greeted with caution. UK government enhanced powers to pre-screen and intervene That is certainly the case for the UK government’s incoming on datacentre M&A deals, writes Caroline Donnelly National Security and Investment Act (NSIA). This new law is set to come into effect later this year. It will give the UK government greater powers to intervene and pre-screen business transactions involving domestic and overseas investors on national security grounds. And data infrastructure providers are among the firms included within its scope.

Opinion divided The act secured Royal Assent in late April 2021, and could be subject to further tweaks before it officially comes into force, but it is already dividing opinion among market watchers about how disruptive it could be for datacentre investors and operators. Real estate consultancy CBRE saw fit to briefly flag a concern about the potential impact the act could have on datacentre mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in London in its latest quarterly update on the state of the European colocation market. Technology trade body TechUK has suggested that the act’s pre-screening elements could have a “chilling effect” on the UK’s high-growth tech market as a whole, and create unnecessary delays to business transactions involving datacentre operators.

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News The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in many operators seeing the Crypto authentication technologies, meanwhile, are an essential lead times on their new datacentre builds lengthen due to sup- for ensuring sensitive data remains off limits to unauthorised Did government allow ply chain disruption and staffing issues, from which many of them parties and cannot be tampered with. Post Office to sack forensic accountants bounced back unscathed. Even so, the sector remains under pres- In all cases, it is not hard to see why the government is introduc- to cover up scandal? sure to ensure there is sufficient datacentre capacity as demand ing an act that seeks to ensure the business assets and intellec- from UK enterprises for cloud and internet-hosted services con- tual property of the companies in these sectors do not fall into the How Discovery Inc tinues to rise. “We are concerned the legislation may slow the wrong hands. The act aims to do this by making it mandatory for spots great ideas movement of investment capital domestic and overseas investors to and add disproportionate delays to notify the government of any M&A How Rightmove is e are concerned the moving ahead with datacentre developments which are “W they are planning that involve com- digital transformation under intense time pressure to meet legislation may slow the panies from any of these 17 sectors. capacity demand,” says Emma Fryer, Specifically, investors will need to Editor’s comment TechUK’s associate director of data- movement of investment capital notify the Investment Security Unit centres. “Datacentre development within the Department for Business, Buyer’s guide and building development timescales and add disproportionate delays Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to managing paper processes are unbelievably short, so adding to datacentre developments before the transaction takes place, [at least a] month’s delay to that is ” and failing to do so could result in How GCHQ proposes non-trivial.” Emma Fryer, TechUK that deal being ruled null and void. to implement and use ethical AI The data infrastructure sector, And that’s not all – failing to comply including datacentres, is one of 17 sectors covered by the act, but with the terms of the act could result in the individuals involved

Will the incoming there are other tech-related ones as well, including artificial intelli- facing up to five years in prison, and the possibility of sizeable National Security and gence (AI), communications, computing hardware, cryptographic financial penalties. The entity responsible for breaching the act Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? authentication and quantum technologies. AI and quantum have could face a fine of up to £10m or 5% of its worldwide turnover, been flagged in the past by the government as critically important depending on which sum is higher. Downtime to the UK’s future prosperity from an innovation perspective. In the light of these penalties, TechUK’s Fryer says there is a Other sectors, such as communications, computing hardware concern that deal completion deadlines could be pushed back and data infrastructure, have a more fundamental role to play in because of the sheer volume of notifications BEIS ends up having keeping the wheels of our increasingly digital economy turning. continued on page 29...

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News Narrowing the range of datacentre entities in scope of NSIA Did government allow Post Office to sack forensic accountants In response to industry feedback on an early draft of the National knowing the sensitivity of the data that is being processed by their to cover up scandal? Security and Investment Act, shared during a three-month customers, and they don’t ask those questions.” consultation that ran from November 2020 until January 2021, The consultation garnered 94 responses, 45 of which were How Discovery Inc the range of datacentre entities in scope of the act has markedly supplied by members of the data infrastructure community, spots great ideas narrowed – a development that has been warmly welcomed by prompting the government to exclude leaseholders and TechUK, among others. landowners from the entities considered in scope of the data How Rightmove is moving ahead with In its previous form, the proposed legislation included infrastructure sector. digital transformation datacentre landowners, property investors and leaseholders as “An entity is now captured only if it knows by virtue of a direct entities within the data infrastructure sector whose activities contractual relationship with a critical sector entity it stores, Editor’s comment should be monitored by the act. Their inclusion is known to processes or transmits relevant data,” states the government in have been widely contested by respondents to the government its consultation response. “We have also narrowed the number Buyer’s guide consultation on the grounds that none of these entities would of sectors considered to hold relevant data in the draft definition. to managing paper processes have access to the data stored within a facility nor would they These changes will make it easier for businesses to self-access have any involvement in the way they were managed or operated. whether they are subject to mandatory notification.” How GCHQ proposes Another feature of the draft legislation that was also contested In terms of what that means, Marc Israel, a partner at interna- to implement and use ethical AI was the suggestion that datacentre service providers and opera- tional law firm White & Case, says: “There needs to be a direct tors always know what kind of data is stored in their facilities. contractual relationship with a critical sector entity, so that could

Will the incoming “The scope was initially set so wide and what wasn’t clear was be with the Ministry of Defence or the police or something like National Security and what the government were trying to prevent happening. Were that, whereas before it could have been any datacentre where Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? they trying to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data or try- they might have been storing some of that information, and ing to prevent somebody being able to compromise access to that sometimes you might not even know. [As the] freeholder of a

Downtime data through some form of denial of service attack?” says TechUK datacentre, you don’t necessarily know what data is in there. At associate director of datacentres, Emma Fryer. “The second major least with the consultation they’ve narrowed it down so there concern was that the operators have not necessarily any means of needs to be a contractual relationship, which is good.”

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News ...continued from page 27 “And those are the things that [investors] need to be able to to wade through. “There is a concern that there could be a lot of see: where do I fit into this landscape, because having examples Did government allow precautionary reporting when it is not really necessary from over- that people can point to and say, ‘Oh he’s like me, therefore…’ is Post Office to sack forensic accountants cautious investors not wanting to fall foul of the law, although we always much more helpful in this type of scenario.” to cover up scandal? need to absolutely make sure that those who need to notify do The government already has the power to scrutinise M&A deals so,” she says. on national security grounds through the Enterprise Act 2002, How Discovery Inc And while the government has shared details of how the act but changes to the technological, economic and geopolitical land- spots great ideas will work in practice, until it comes into force, there is no real way scape in recent years mean they are long overdue a revamp, says of knowing how disruptive its imple- the government, which is billing the How Rightmove is moving ahead with mentation will prove to be. act as the biggest shake-up of the digital transformation Fryer’s colleague Neil Ross, head “You don’t want the UK to UK’s investment screening regime in of policy at TechUK, tells Computer two decades. “This landmark law not Editor’s comment Weekly: “The point we’ve made to get a reputation for having a only significantly upgrades our dec- government is that you don’t want difficult system that people and ades-old investment screening pow- Buyer’s guide the UK to get a reputation for hav- ers, but gives investors additional to managing paper processes ing a difficult system that people investors find unwieldy to use” certainty and clarity as we enshrine and investors find unwieldy to use our status as a global champion of Neil Ross, TechUK How GCHQ proposes and that puts people off [investing free trade and investment,” says to implement and use ethical AI in datacentres], but we won’t know Kwasi Kwarteng, secretary of state at about any of that until we really know how [the act] will be oper- BEIS. “The UK faces continued and broad-ranging hostile activ-

Will the incoming ated in practice.” ity from those who seek to compromise our national security and National Security and For this reason, Fryer says it would be useful for the government that of our allies. Such behaviour, left unchecked, can leave Britain Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? to share some example deals that are liable to raise red flags once vulnerable to disruption, unfair leverage and espionage. It is cru- this new investment screening regime comes into play. “If you’re cial that the government has the tools at our disposal to combat Downtime divesting seven large sites in Docklands, then I suspect that’s these threats coming from ever more determined overseas actors. obviously going to need reporting, but if you’re divesting a legacy “We are sending a crystal clear message to overseas investors: site in Wolverhampton that stores people’s shoe sizes from 1972, the UK is open for business, but if you seek to threaten the safety maybe you’ll be in the clear,” she says. of the British people, we will move to protect our interests.”

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Did government allow Post Office to sack forensic accountants to cover up scandal?

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digital transformation SCANRAIL/ADOBE

Editor’s comment The UK government is far from alone in wanting to update As well as making it mandatory for investors to flag transactions Buyer’s guide its national security investment screening regime, as the US, involving companies operating within the 17 sectors covered to managing paper processes Australia, Japan and Germany have all made similar moves in by the act, entities outside these sectors will be encouraged to recent times. Therefore, the introduction of the National Security voluntarily supply the government with details of any deals that How GCHQ proposes and Investment Act is an action by the government to ensure its might pose a national security risk. to implement and use ethical AI investment screening procedures are in line with the precautions Also, the act also will confer powers on Kwarteng to “call in” other countries are taking. non-notified deals on national security grounds that concern

Will the incoming “There is a general trend towards much greater control of foreign takeovers of land and tangible movable property, as well as National Security and direct investment across the world – this act is really just one the acquisition of ideas, information and techniques that have Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? example of that,” Marc Israel, a partner at international law firm industrial, commercial or economic value. White & Case, tells Computer Weekly. “There is definitely a trend Downtime towards greater oversight of these sorts of deals. There used to Trigger events be a government focus on the ownership of critical or important There are three types of “trigger events” described in the legisla- manufacturing sites. Now, of course, everything’s data-driven and tion that could compel Kwarteng (or whoever holds the role of big tech because data is the key to everything.” secretary of state for BEIS in the future) to call in such a deal.

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News The first depends on the “nature of the target” being acquired event centres on how much of a risk the acquirer is thought to and whether this entity operates in an area of the economy where pose to the UK’s national security overall. Did government allow a risk to national security is more likely to arise. “Whether or not the parties have given a voluntary notification, Post Office to sack forensic accountants The second concerns the type and level of control being acquired the secretary of state has the power to call in a trigger event which to cover up scandal? and how this is likely to be used in practice, while the final trigger has taken place up to six months after they became aware of it, so

How Discovery Inc spots great ideas Greater regulatory focus on datacentres How Rightmove is moving ahead with digital transformation The data infrastructure sector’s inclusion in the National Security by-product of this increased visibility within government would and Investment Act comes hot on the heels of a series of other result in more regulation for the sector, says Fryer. “It is inevita- Editor’s comment developments that point to a growing awareness within govern- ble as night follows day and in a way that’s welcome because it ment of how important datacentres are to the UK economy. means the government recognises that datacentres do some- Buyer’s guide These include the creation of the Data Infrastructure Resilience thing useful, so we had to anticipate a much greater level of scru- to managing paper processes Team (Dirt) within the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and tiny. I think that was just a matter of time,” she says. “Covid-19 Sport (DCMS) during the early stages of the Covid-19 coronavi- might have been the catalyst, but it was always on the cards.” How GCHQ proposes rus pandemic back in Spring 2020. This was a significant mile- That’s a view shared by Israel, who makes the point that the to implement and use ethical AI stone for the datacentre community, as prior to this point there National Security and Investment Act was first mooted several was no one specific government department tasked with ensur- years before the onset of the pandemic in “2016 to 2017”, so it is

Will the incoming ing the sector got a say on policy-related matters. likely that the datacentre sector would have found itself within its National Security and The government also expanded the key worker list of occupa- scope regardless. “Governments and regulators are well aware Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? tions to include data infrastructure workers, so those employed that there’s so much information and data out there and how in the sector could continue to access childcare during lockdown important it is, and there are high-profile hacking and data leak-

Downtime despite the widespread closure of educational facilities. age cases that have made everyone very aware [of that too],” he While these developments have been hugely welcomed by told Computer Weekly. “So we would have ended up here with or the datacentre community, it is somewhat inevitable that a without the pandemic.”

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News long as it is done within five years of the trigger event occurring,” about your deal now, but it might say, ‘This is not something we’re says the government in its policy statement. “Where the acqui- going to be interested in [scrutinising further]’, but they might be Did government allow sition was subject to mandatory notification, the five-year time – and you can prepare for that.” Post Office to sack forensic accountants limit does not apply.” The government projects that each deal that is flagged to the to cover up scandal? Another thing investors and acquirers of datacentre assets Investment Security Unit will be processed within 30 working need to take note of is that the act is retrospective in nature. This days, and has gone on record to say that it expects that the “vast How Discovery Inc means any deals that have closed between 12 November 2020 – majority of acquisitions” will require no intervention. spots great ideas the date the National Security and Investment Bill was first intro- This is reinforced elsewhere in the act’s statement of policy duced to Parliament – and the act’s final commencement date will intent, in which the government says the use of the secretary of How Rightmove is moving ahead with be within its scope. “People doing deals state’s call-in powers will be governed digital transformation in the datacentre space today need to by the “principles of necessity and pro- be thinking about this because, if you “People doing deals in the portionality” and will not be used “arbi- Editor’s comment are a buyer, your deal could be looked at trarily to interfere with investment”. retrospectively once the law comes into datacentre space today need It also goes on to say: “[The secretary Buyer’s guide force,” says Israel. of state’s powers are not] designed to to managing to be thinking about this” paper processes Computer Weekly understands that, limit market access for individual coun- while the BEIS Investment Security Unit Marc Israel, White & Case tries; the transparency, predictability How GCHQ proposes is still under development, investors and clarity of the legislation surround- to implement and use ethical AI or businesses can contact the department to inquire about any ing the call-in power is designed to support foreign direct invest- deals they may have closed since November 2020. ment in the UK, not to limit it.”

Will the incoming This is an offer that datacentre operators would be wise to take Israel is similarly confident that there will be no significant delay National Security and up in the interests of getting a bit of “comfort and insight” in the to deal completion dates for any datacentre acquirers or inves- Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? meantime, says Israel, but doing so now may stand investors in tors whose deals are considered notifiable under the terms of the good stead in the long term, too. act, based on feedback he has received from individuals who have Downtime “While the legislation provides for a five-year retrospective already flagged their deals to the team at BEIS. cooling period, which is a very long time, if the government is “What we’ve heard from the department is that out of the 60 aware of the deal, then that process cuts down to six months,” to 70-odd inquiries they’ve had so far, they haven’t identified a he says. “So not only do you get a bit of comfort by speaking to it single case where they’ve thought, ‘Oh yes, we’re going to want

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News to investigate that one afterwards’,” he says. “There will be a big Steve Wallage, managing director of datacentre strategy change, but I don’t think there’s going to be lots of intervention.” consultancy Danseb Consulting, says the act is not “very high” on Did government allow Even so, investors need to prepare themselves for one of three the investor agenda at the moment, but is being talked about with Post Office to sack forensic accountants outcomes once they have notified BEIS about a deal, or had a “hope” that the “vast majority of deals” will be of no concern to to cover up scandal? transaction called in by the secretary of state. national security. The deal they are planning could be blocked from proceeding “It tends to be lumped in with other potential threats to UK How Discovery Inc or could be allowed to proceed providing certain conditions are competitiveness to be aware of, which also includes areas such as spots great ideas met. In the best-case scenario, it could be given the go-ahead to future UK laws and regulations in relation to the European Union, complete as planned with no interruptions. such as the General Data Protection Regulation and the prospect How Rightmove is moving ahead with So while trade associations and legal types await details of of Scottish independence,” he says. digital transformation when exactly the National Security and Investment Act will come “The UK is considered very attractive at the moment by global into force, for the datacentre investor community, it is very much datacentre investors, and – generally – the invest view of the UK is Editor’s comment a case of “business as usual” in terms of their continued appetite that it is a fairly light-touch economy when it comes to regulation, for M&A deals. and that Brexit is likely to make it even more business-friendly.” n Buyer’s guide to managing paper processes

How GCHQ proposes to implement and use ethical AI

Will the incoming National Security and Investment Act dampen datacentre growth?

Downtime SCANRAIL/ADOBE

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News Work different Did government allow Apple CEO Tim Cook’s call for his employees to return to their Post Office to sack forensic accountants offices at least three times a week by September has been met to cover up scandal? with a detailed response that effectively tells him, “Nah.”

His initial memo offered little more explanation as to the need SULLIVAN/GETTY JUSTIN How Discovery Inc to revert to old working ways than something Alan Sugar would spots great ideas fart out for The Sun to preserve his city property portfolio. “I know I’m not alone in missing the hum of activity, the energy, How Rightmove is moving ahead with creativity and collaboration of our in-person meetings and digital transformation the sense of community we’ve all built,” said Cook, seemingly unsatiated by Apple’s revenues jumping 50% year on year. Editor’s comment He was probably banking on the kind of people working for him being so intoxicated by the cult of Apple, so warped by Buyer’s guide “motivational” Instagram accounts that won’t rest until everyone to managing paper processes is guilted into grafting for 18 hours a day, that they wouldn’t notice how in the past year they’ve been able to, in their words, live How GCHQ proposes “unconstrained by the challenges that daily commutes impose” to implement and use ethical AI and “take better care of ourselves and the people around us”. But the capitalist propaganda that implies those unwilling to take

Will the incoming part in the traditional rat race must be feckless freaks is a bit harder National Security and to perpetuate at Apple, a company that has incessantly promoted Investment Act dampen datacentre growth? itself as the coolest cat in Cupertino. As Cook read on to find his staff using that against him, he must have prayed they wouldn’t be Downtime ruthless enough to go as far as invoking you-know-who: “We’ve been a remote-communication necessary company for some time, a vision of the future that Steve Jobs himself predicated in an interview from 1990.” These people really want to WFH. n

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