scholarly journals Resisting Digital Surveillance Reform: The Arguments and Tactics of Communications Service Providers

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 517-532
Author(s):  
Wil Chivers

Communications surveillance in the UK has been an increasingly contentious issue since the early 2000s. The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is the result of a long series of attempts by the UK government to reform communications surveillance legislation. The consultations on this legislation—and on its precursor, the Draft Communications Data Bill 2012—offer unique insight into how such efforts generate resistance to surveillance. This article draws attention to the role of communications service providers (CSPs)—who are increasingly being responsibilised to collect and retain communications data—within a multi-actor network of resistance. It also identifies the reasons CSPs gave for resisting these proposed reforms. Content analysis of the consultation documents reveals three themes that were central to the CSPs’ arguments: technology, territory, and trust. The article concludes by considering the implications for understanding resistance to contemporary digital surveillance.

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2020-001455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Blair Thomas Herron ◽  
K M Heil ◽  
D Reid

In 2015, the UK government published the National Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) 2015, which laid out their vision for the future roles and structure of the UK Armed Forces. SDSR 2015 envisaged making broader use of the Armed Forces to support missions other than warfighting. One element of this would be to increase the scale and scope of defence engagement (DE) activities that the UK conducts overseas. DE activities traditionally involve the use of personnel and assets to help prevent conflict, build stability and gain influence with partner nations as part of a short-term training teams. This paper aimed to give an overview of the Specialist Infantry Group and its role in UK DE. It will explore the reasons why the SDSR 2015 recommended their formation as well as an insight into future tasks.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e047632
Author(s):  
Helen Humphreys ◽  
Laura Kilby ◽  
Nik Kudiersky ◽  
Robert Copeland

ObjectivesTo explore the lived experience of long COVID with particular focus on the role of physical activity.DesignQualitative study using semistructured interviews.Participants18 people living with long COVID (9 men, 9 women; aged between 18–74 years; 10 white British, 3 white Other, 3 Asian, 1 black, 1 mixed ethnicity) recruited via a UK-based research interest database for people with long COVID.SettingTelephone interviews with 17 participants living in the UK and 1 participant living in the USA.ResultsFour themes were generated. Theme 1 describes how participants struggled with drastically reduced physical function, compounded by the cognitive and psychological effects of long COVID. Theme 2 highlights challenges associated with finding and interpreting advice about physical activity that was appropriately tailored. Theme 3 describes individual approaches to managing symptoms including fatigue and ‘brain fog’ while trying to resume and maintain activities of daily living and other forms of exercise. Theme 4 illustrates the battle with self-concept to accept reduced function (even temporarily) and the fear of permanent reduction in physical and cognitive ability.ConclusionsThis study provides insight into the challenges of managing physical activity alongside the extended symptoms associated with long COVID. Findings highlight the need for greater clarity and tailoring of physical activity-related advice for people with long COVID and improved support to resume activities important to individual well-being.


2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-157
Author(s):  
Caleb Gordon ◽  
Hannah Malcolm

This article analyses the growing participation of UK Christians in climate initiatives over the last five years. In many cases, climate science is cited as a necessary consideration for the fulfilment of already-existing Christian commitments. This represents a significant shift in the ways UK Christians understand the role of dialogue between theology and the sciences; previous science and theology dialogue has usually been treated as an area of expert concern, primarily offering insight into apologetics or specific ethical problems. By contrast, the dialogue between climate science and theology has seen the emergence of non-technical leadership amid the expectation that climate science plays a critical role in re-examining the meaning of Christian life, both for individuals and as communities.


Author(s):  
Michael Hardman ◽  
Mags Adams ◽  
Melissa Barker ◽  
Luke Beesley

With the concept of Urban Agriculture (UA) growing in popularity, more cities and towns are exploring opportunities to enable the practice and transform neglected spaces into havens for produce. This chapter provides an insight into one such town, Todmorden and its Incredible Edible movement, located in the heart of England. This chapter adopts a qualitative approach to critically exploring the IET movement and to understand its impact on Todmorden. We engaged with key actors and the public in order to ascertain views towards the schemes, analysing the positives and negatives of the model. Findings revealed that the scheme has an overwhelmingly positive impact on the town, with social, environmental and economic benefits. Furthermore, it was made clear that IET is helping to create a more just food movement in Todmorden, particularly through its free for all philosophy. However, some negatives were also highlighted during the course of the research, predominately around maintenance issues and a lack of perceived inclusivity in parts. Overall, the scheme was highly valued and seen as a powerful method for growing the wider UA movement; recommendations centred on further replicating the model and helping local food to prosper in similar locations globally.


2005 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J. Luthert ◽  
Cynthia Medford Langley

Norman Ashton, the first ophthalmic pathologist in the UK, spent his career furthering the understanding and treatment of eye disease and exercising the political acumen to garner the funding necessary to advance this new field. His demonstration of the obliteration of growing retinal endothelial cells caused by the excessive administration of oxygen in premature infants is perhaps his best–known work. Apart from this, his casts of the choroidal and trabecular meshwork circulation and Schlemm's canal were the first to display the exact anatomy of these structures to the ophthalmic community. Studies of the pathogenesis of cotton wool spots, neovascularization and microaneurysms and the behaviour of retinal vessels contributed lastingly to the understanding of retinal vascular disease. With associates he demonstrated the role of the endothelium in the blood–retina barrier. Investigation of diabetic, hypertensive and other retinopathies provided fundamental contributions to the comprehension of these conditions. Original studies established an insight into amoebic ocular infections, ocular toxocariasis, nosematosis and a collection of eye diseases in animals and fish. Fight for Sight and the European Ophthalmic Pathological Society owe their beginnings, in large part, to his foresight and energy. He is remembered as a worthy researcher, a witty speaker, a respected supervisor and a kind man.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Jozefowicz ◽  
Merlin Stone ◽  
Eleni Aravopoulou

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain the rise of geospatial data, its importance for business and some of the problems associated with its development and use. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews a certain amount of previously published literature but is based mainly on analysis of the very large number of responses to a consultation paper on geospatial data published by the UK Government. Findings The findings are that while there is strong appreciation of the potential benefits of using geospatial data, there are many barriers to the development, sharing and use of geospatial data, ranging from problems of incompatibility in data definitions and systems to regulatory issues. The implication for governments and for providers and users of geospatial data relates to the need to take a long-term approach to planning in resolving the issues identified. Research limitations/implications The research findings are limited to the UK, but similar findings would be likely in any other large Western country. Practical implications This paper confirms the need for a strong and coherent approach to the planning of geospatial data and systems for the establishment of a clear basis for the different parties to work together and the need to clearly separate the roles of the government in establishing frameworks and standards and the role of the private sector in developing applications and solutions. Social implications Society is increasingly dependent on the use of geospatial data, in improving living standards and dealing with social problems. The recommendations identified in this paper, if followed, will facilitate these improvements. Originality/value The value of this paper is the tight synthesis that it provides of a wide ranging and complex range of responses to the UK Government consultation and placing these responses in the wider context of the development of geospatial data.


2005 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su Maddock

PurposeProposes that arguing for greater access for women is essential but not sufficient to drive equality or the spirit of diversity.Design/methodology/approachExplores the role that women and others can play in broadening agendas and in transforming managerial and regeneration practices.FindingsA few innovative chief executives are leading the way and showing what transforming leadership is about in practice. In spite of this the intransigent lack of diversity within decision‐making bodies produces a brake on positive social change.Originality/valueProvides an insight into the leadership role of women in social regeneration.


Author(s):  
Dan Lewer ◽  
Tom Bourne ◽  
Abraham George ◽  
Gerrard Abi-Aad ◽  
Clint Taylor ◽  
...  

IntroductionElectronic healthcare records from the UK are accessible to researchers via a number of platforms, but these platforms typically include data from a limited subset of health and care services. The Kent Integrated Dataset (KID) aims to provide insight into system-wide health and care utilisation for the whole population of Kent and Medway. MethodsThe KID uses pseudonymisation-at-source to link patient-level records from services including general practices, hospitals, community health services and social care. The design and governance of the dataset is led by local authorities, health commissioners and service providers. ResultsA population-level dataset has been developed, including data from April 2014 onwards. Data providers add new data on a monthly basis. The KID has been used to understand the costs associated with frailty, estimate the prevalence of rare conditions and compare the risk of non-elective hospitalisation between general practices. ConclusionThe KID is a unique and rich dataset available to researchers who are investigating a broad range of public health questions. It provides system-level insight into patient journeys and care utilisation and supports commissioning based on patient needs.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Wright-Bevans ◽  
Alison Stephanie Walker ◽  
Emma Vosper

In order to be age-friendly, communities need adequate public health support. Community consultation is increasingly favoured as a means of ensuring public health services adequately meet the needs of the populations they serve yet research has highlighted the frequency of inadequate and tokenistic consultation. Our aim was to address the gap in understanding of the subjective benefits of community consultation by being the first study to examine these events in a disadvantaged British city. A naturalistic world café study was co-designed with a community engagement service in the UK. Adults aged 68 to 91 years (n=103) participated in one of two world cafés which aimed to investigate the subjective benefits of consultation forums. Qualitative findings demonstrated how consultation through forums can support age-friendly communities in a variety of expected and unexpected ways. Understanding of the added value of consultation forums may incentivise service providers to facilitate more meaningful consultation.


2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yemisi A. Bolumole

Outsourcing, the strategy in which organizations employ the services of external providers, has attracted growing interest. Academic and industrial attention has also focused on the role of seamless supply chain processes in achieving and sustaining competitive advantage. This research is based on petrol retailers in the UK that have adopted logistics outsourcing strategies for implementing supply chain solutions to their convenience‐goods operations. Its aim is to identify the factors, which influence outsourcing decisions and the nature and supply chain implications of outsourcing strategies. Research findings indicate that the capability of service providers to facilitate supply chain solutions is largely influenced by four main factors, which in turn substantially determine their role in the supply chain: the strategic orientation of the outsourcing organization; its perception of service providers' role within the logistics strategy; the nature of the resultant client‐provider relationship; and, the extent to which the logistics process is outsourced.


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