Cambridge Analytica did work for Leave.EU on the EU referendum, according to emails published by a House of Commons committee, even though the company never received payment for it. Brittany Kaiser, the former director of business development at the shuttered political consultancy, supplied the emails to the digital, culture, media and sport committee. She argued that […]
If Damian Collins was ever connected to Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook, it is safe to say he has been unfriended. The MP for Folkestone and Hythe since 2010, who chairs the House of Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, concluded an 18-month investigation into disinformation and "fake news" with the publication of a damning […]
An influential British parliamentary committee wants to probe Facebook’s controversial new cryptocurrency over fears that the social media giant’s move into the financial sector will grant it too much power. Damian Collins, chair of the House of Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, told Financial News he is concerned about the launch of Libra, and […]
Prepare your best * unsurprised face *: Facebook is being accused of contradicting itself in separate testimonies made on both sides of the Atlantic. The chair of a U.K. parliamentary committee that spent the lion’s share of last year investigating online disinformation, going on to grill multiple Facebook execs as part of an enquiry that coincided with […]
Placing men dressed as British soldiers in Belfast to commemorate World War One carried "huge risks" that were worth taking. That was the finding of a Westminster committee report looking into lessons from centenary events. The memorial project called 'we're here because we're here' was found to be ultimately "hugely successful". The report was published by the […]
The powerful boss of Parliament’s media committee has demanded the Met formally withdraws the chilling threat to prosecute journalists for reporting the contest of secret memos. Speaking to The Sun, Damian Collins also called for Scotland Yard to issue a fresh statement to reassure newspapers that they are free to report leaked documents. And the chairman […]
Video game 'loot boxes' are as bad as roulette wheels and are encouraging children to gamble, MPs have said. Members of the Culture Select Committee accused the Government of being “complacent” over the features, which they said were exposing children "to all the emotions of gambling". In an at times tense hearing, digital minister Margot James told […]
Witnesses who refuse to give evidence before parliament could be fined or face a “real-world sanction” in the future, a select committee chair has warned. Writing in the Observer days after the presenter Jeremy Kyle chose not to appear before his committee’s inquiry into reality television, Damian Collins, the Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe, says new powers are […]
The Jeremy Kyle Show's bosses have been criticised by MPs for putting guests through lie detector tests without knowing how accurate those tests were. Damian Collins MP, chair of the House of Commons culture select committee, said the producers' lack of expert knowledge was "astonishing". The committee opened an inquiry after Kyle's show was axed […]
ITV chiefs came under fire today in Parliament over alleged “exploitation” of guests on the Jeremy Kyle Show. The Commons digital, culture, media and sport committee demanded answers over how participants were selected, the accuracy of lie detector tests and guests reportedly signing away their rights over how they were represented on the show. ITV had asked the […]