Issues around data security/management/usage etc constantly provoke debate and strong opinions. Yesterday, at an event organised by Google, this was certainly the case as co-founder Larry Page highlighted the benefits of storing user data vis-à-vis the predicting of potential pandemics. However, he felt that their ability to do this – using Google Flu Trends – would be dramatically weakened if search data had to be erased after six months (a desire of the European Commission). In fact, Mr Page went so far as to say that the less data that companies like Google were able to hold the “more likely we all are to die”. Strong stuff, eh?

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For those that have followed the politics of climate change the biggest game in town is the US-China playoff. In the past neither of the two biggest carbon emitters have been willing to commit to any significant reduction scheme in any sort or form (nor the Kyoto Protocol). That may now be changing. An article in the Guardian today reports that senior government leaders met in “the final months of the Bush administration for secret backchannel negotiations aimed at securing a deal on joint US-Chinese action on climate change”. Wow, how about that, straight out of left field.
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No. Well, that’s the answer according to Ernst & Young. Let me explain.

As noted last week on this blog, the Government published a variety of documents setting out proposals for the roll-out of smart meters across Britain; their estimated cost of this huge undertaking is £7bn - £9bn. However, according to E&Y’s calculations, the true cost is £13.4bn (according to The Times, this works out at £515 per household). To ensure buy-in from the public (and also the media), it will be crucial to ensure that the full cost of roll-out is known (including manufacturing, installation and maintenance costs etc) – and kept under control.

We all know that technology is evolving faster than we can keep track of; for example, web 2.0 solutions are just being implemented across the economy on a wider scale, but ‘techies’ are already developing and debating web 4.0. No doubt the future will enable us to do so much more with the help of technology. However, part of this future depends upon reliable and tested identity management processes. I, for one, do not want four other “Jon’s” running around using my identity and money simply because technology enables them to.

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09:35 I’m sitting here at the Tower with a couple lovely ladies from the National Archive Office and a gentleman from Steria (also lovely). Compared to last year, it’s now a lot easier to have a chat with my fellow attendees as we are sat in cabaret style (instead of theatre style) in a giant hall at the Guoman Tower Hotel. Flat screen televisions around the room so that everyone in the back can see what’s on the screen. Nice air-con. Just about ready to get going.

09:40 John Higgins (Intellect’s director general) steps up to the stage following a funky, trance music intro. Scattered grooving throughout the room (to the music).
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Believe it or not, but away from the plugs, pools and paddocks, and all the other items related to the parliamentary expenses disclosure, our legislators are still busy at work. Just before 9.25pm last night, the Report Stage of the Postal Services Bill was completed. This is, of course, the Bill that will enable, amongst other things, the restructuring of Royal Mail Group. The Bill has stirred up lots of passions, not least from one peer, a former postal union leader, who had attempted to kill off the Bill by declining to give it a second reading.
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So, imagine for a moment that you are a major airline and need a new website built. What do you do? Well, issue a tender, get the suppliers to bid, pick your favourite one, get them to build it, shake hands and pay the money. (I appreciate this is a rather crude, dumbed-down summary but bear with me, there’s a point to come.) However, what if, rather than paying them for the output – the building of the website – they are paid for the outcome - selling as many tickets as possible? That way, your aims and the aims of the supplier are aligned, potentially leading to a better and more profitable business partnership for both parties.
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Three years after first announcing its intention to roll out smart meters across Great Britain, the Government has finally published plans setting out how it is going to happen. In brief, smart meters will dramatically change the way that meter readings are taken, see an end to bills based on ‘estimated’ consumption and enable householders to see exactly how much energy they are using. This final point is particularly interesting. One easily could have imagined the smart meter being in the same place as where meters currently reside; in a cupboard somewhere! However, the Government are proposing that alongside a meter, a free-standing display will be included to ‘provide real-time, near instantaneous feedback on consumption (in terms of energy, money or CO2)’. It will be interesting to see if innovative companies can link this requirement into existing technology, so the information could be displayed on a mobile phone, a television or a laptop, for example. It’s even possible to receive updates about your home’s energy usage via Twitter.

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MPs’ expenses were back on the agenda this week, with the publication of the Cabinet’s expense claims since 2004 in the Telegraph. Gordon Brown has blamed “the system” for the apparent discrepancies that have emerged, one of which related to his own expenses in 2006, when he claimed twice for a plumbing bill. While Brown obviously believes the governance and structure of the MPs’ claims system needs to be overhauled, one can also wonder to what extent a decent IT system—both in ministers’ offices, and the House of Commons fees office—could have prevented such mistakes from occurring.

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There is an excellent article in the latest issue of Computing about the impact of the downturn on the ability of financial services firms to innovate. Although one might think that the economic slowdown would impact negatively on the levels of innovation occurring, it’s clear that many firms realise the benefits of investing in new or existing ideas to help push their businesses forward during these difficult times.

The three ‘innovation winners’ highlighted in the article are mobile banking, customer networking and ‘un-sexy innovation’. The last of these can be summed as efficiency projects that, although they don’t grab the headlines, improve the customer experience and deliver results. In light of some of the results announced this morning, this would be a wise move.

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