Thursday newspaper round-up: Google, ex-BA exec, Direct Line
Google will no longer allow political advertisers to target voters based on their political affiliation, the company announced Wednesday, in a move that will increase pressure on Facebook to limit micro-targeting. Google also plans to “clarify” its ad policies around false claims to explicitly ban doctored video and images known as “deepfakes”, misleading claims about the census, and “demonstrably false claims” that could undermine trust in elections or the democratic process. – Guardian
A jury trying two men accused of fraudulently trading tens of thousands of tickets for events such as Ed Sheeran concerts and the Harry Potter & the Cursed Child play has been told: “There is nothing illegal about reselling tickets”. Peter Hunter and David Smith – who traded as Ticket Wiz and BZZ - used multiple identities and computer bots to buy £4m-worth of tickets, selling them on secondary ticketing websites such as Viagogo for £10.8m, Leeds crown court has heard. – Guardian
Investment in UK tech firms has more than doubled since the Brexit vote, surging to a record £9bn this year and putting the country far ahead of rivals in Europe. Data collected by venture capital firm Atomico shows Britain has retained its place at the head of the continent's league table, despite fears over an exodus of start-ups and established technology firms as the country leaves the European Union. – Telegraph
A former British Airways executive took more than $5 million in bribes from a contractor to help it to win work with the airline, American prosecutors have claimed. The executive, Steven Clark, has been indicted on bribery, money laundering and conspiracy charges over allegations that he engaged in a “clandestine scheme” that earned him $18,000 a month and a stake in the contractor. – The Times
Direct Line pledged yesterday to slash annual costs by £50 million a year through increased use of automation and self-service tools. Before a presentation to investors today, Penny James, who stepped up to be chief executive of the car and household insurer in May, said that she aimed to cut operating expenses to below £590 million, from £644 million. – The Times