Welcome to ICYMI – a weekly snapshot of European news stories that have given me pause for thought. ICYMI is a chance for you to go beyond the front-page headlines and find out what other stories may be worthy of your attention.
At Tyto, one of our core values is “Perfect Partnership”, which means that we make decisions with the best interests of all our stakeholders in mind and play an active role within the communities in which we operate. These include the tech sector, PR & comms, as well as journalists and the media industry. That’s why each year we pay close attention to the annual Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to understand more about how journalists are being treated around the world.
According to the latest report, press freedom around the world is under increasing pressure, with a significant drop in the political dimension of the index. Governments are less willing to guarantee press freedom, leading to more political interference in journalism. The upcoming year is expected to bring even more political pressure, as over half of the world’s population will vote in 2024.
Certain regions saw their Press Freedom score improve: for instance, the Netherlands rose to the top five in the index, thanks to an improved safety score. But the conditions in other parts of the world are worsening: the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia (excluding West Asia) are among the worst-performing regions on the index. Additionally, specific areas like the Palestinian Territories were deadly for journalists, with over a hundred Palestinian journalists killed in recent months. The Ukraine conflict has also affected press freedom, with repression increasing in countries within Russia’s sphere of influence.
It’s important for the PR industry not to take press freedom for granted and to consider how we can support journalists in their vital work.
Move over Silicon Valley
As mentioned above, the tech sector is a key community in which we operate. The media discourse about the sector often feels very downcast, especially in the UK, with stories about ongoing economic and political uncertainty affecting tech businesses.
However, new data from the accountancy firm RSM claims that the number of tech companies officially registered in the UK surged by 11% in Q1 to reach a five-year peak. This positive news story was picked up by several outlets including UKTN.
With the UK fortifying its position as a global tech hub, it’s possible that we could see a new media narrative beginning to emerge, one that flips from focusing on funding droughts to new business opportunities.
App-tastrophe
It’s a question that often leads to heated debate: which is better, Apple of Android?
A news story over the weekend has likely dented the appeal of Android. According to a report by French publication 01net, a significant security vulnerability in Android devices has been uncovered.
Last week, tech giant Microsoft wrote a blog post informing readers that a security flaw had been discovered in Android’s app communication system. Microsoft has identified several applications – including apps which have more than four billion installations – which are vulnerable to a “Dirty Stream” attack on the Play Store, which allows a malicious app to steal data and take control of legitimate applications.
This story is a reminder of just how important – and vulnerable – are our data and apps, especially at a time when cyberattacks are on the rise. From a PR perspective, this topic could be incredibly relevant for any app, mobile or security clients. It is especially relevant ahead of the biggest sporting event of the year – the Paris Olympics – where organisers anticipate a huge swell in cyberattacks. How can organisations keep public events like the Olympic Games safe, when the mobile phone of any attendee could represent a security threat? There is clearly scope for clients with security expertise to weigh in.
