Critics dismiss new data legislation

22 October 2013 Last updated at 10:59 ET

Critics have said new European data-protection laws have loopholes that could render the legislation useless.

The rules are the first attempt to create strong data-protection laws for Europe's 500 million citizens.

They include a clause to strengthen online privacy in the wake of whistleblower Edward Snowden's allegations about US spying.

They also set out ways citizens can erase their personal data - the so-called right to be forgotten.

Industry lobbying

Lawmakers have toughened the initial draft regulation, prepared by the European Commission, to make sure companies no longer share European citizens' data with authorities of another country, unless explicitly allowed by EU law or an international treaty.

This is a direct response to allegations from former intelligence analyst Edward Snowden about the US National Security Agency (NSA) snooping on European citizens' data.

Another clause seeks to limit user profiling, requiring companies to explain their use of personal data in detail to customers and to seek prior consent.

To ensure that the regulation is properly applied, most businesses would have to designate or hire data-protection officers.

After 18 months of fierce industry lobbying, the legislation was passed with a 49-3 committee vote, with one abstention.

The European Parliament still needs to hold another vote and seek agreement with the EU's 28 member states though — which is likely to result in some changes.

"Tonight's vote sends a clear signal - as of today, data protection is made in Europe," said EU justice commissioner Viviane Reding.

But French consumer group La Quadrature du Net was disappointed with the draft law.

"There are some big loopholes that could void the effectiveness of the whole legislation," said Jeremie Zimmermann, from the organisation.

He said vague wording such as "legitimate interest" could allow businesses to "exonerate themselves from the legislation".

"A business could say that it is a legitimate interest to collect data in order to provide a better service for consumers or to enable it to make money," he said.

He was also surprised that the rules around data profiling were not tougher.

"Machines that crunch data are used to make important decisions such as who can get a job, who can get a loan, who can get insurance," he said.

"This legislation allows firms to continue to collect and process more data and profile individuals."

Comfort blanket

Bridget Treacy, partner and head of UK privacy and cyber-security at law firm, Hunton & Williams thinks that companies will have to ring the changes in order to comply with the legislation.

"It enhances consumer rights and means businesses are going to have to focus on making sure they know what data they've got and what they do with it," she said.

"One of the requirements of the legislation is that companies only collect the minimum amount of data that they require for a specific purpose. Firms are going to have to be much clearer about what data they are collecting and why."

"It means that they will not be able to hold on to data as a bit of a comfort blanket," she added.

Companies that fail to comply with the new law could be subject to a fine of up to 5% of their annual turnover — which could be hundreds of millions of dollars, or even a few billion dollars for internet giants such as Google.

Now begins a long process during which the approved legislation will be debated among between the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council.

It is expected to be concluded in March.

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Apple suspends HMV app from AppStore

By Amelia Butterly and Jonathan Blake
Newsbeat reporters HMV re-launched its digital strategy with apps for iOS and Android

Apple has suspended the new HMV iPhone app days after its release.

On Monday HMV's owner, Hilco, said Apple wanted the retailer to remove a feature which allowed users to download music, giving them until 6pm that evening to make the changes.

HMV chairman Paul McGowan said Apple had "approved the exact same version" last month and was unable to explain why they had changed their minds.

Continue reading the main story

It's about the fact that there were two hundred million digital downloads last year and HMV didn't have one of those

James Coughlan Managing director, HMV Digital

Apple confirmed the app was removed for violating App Store guidelines.

In a statement Hilco said: "HMV stressed that Apple's removal of the app only prevents further iPhone users from downloading the app and those who have already downloaded the app will continue to be able to use the app as before and will not notice any changes to the experience."

They said the app has been downloaded more than 10,000 times since it was released on 17 October.

"HMV's developers are working around the clock to deliver an updated version of the iOS app for Apple's approval," the company added.

Hilco claimed Apple had earlier approved the app but then raised concerns the day after it became available.

Continue reading the main story

Those who have already downloaded the app will continue to be able to use the app as before and will not notice any changes to the experience

Hilco

HMV launched the iOS app alongside an Android version, both allowing users to identify songs using image and sound recognition software.

Restructuring company Hilco bought HMV in April, after it fell into financial trouble earlier in the year.

The HMV app was seen as a potential challenge to Apple's iTunes service, Amazon and others.

"It's about the fact that there were two hundred million digital downloads last year and HMV didn't have one of those," said James Coughlan, managing director of HMV Digital.

In February, Apple announced it had sold 25 billion songs via its iTunes store.

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Facebook in death clip policy U-turn

23 October 2013 Last updated at 05:33 ET By Leo Kelion Technology reporter

Facebook has removed a video clip showing a woman's decapitation and issued new rules about what can be shared on its site.

The U-turn comes two days after it was revealed the firm had dropped a ban on clips showing extreme violence.

The BBC understands that Facebook did this in July after issuing new guidance to staff, but did not think the public would be interested to know.

The British prime minister has accused the firm of being "irresponsible".

Facebook's own safety advisers have also voiced concerns.

The US firm now says it will still allow some graphic content but will take a more comprehensive look at its context.

This time Facebook outlined its revised policy in a press release.

"First, when we review content that is reported to us, we will take a more holistic look at the context surrounding a violent image or video, and will remove content that celebrates violence," it said.

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A Facebook page that hosted a decapitation video now says it is unavailable

"Second, we will consider whether the person posting the content is sharing it responsibly, such as accompanying the video or image with a warning and sharing it with an age-appropriate audience.

"Based on these enhanced standards, we have re-examined recent reports of graphic content and have concluded that this content improperly and irresponsibly glorifies violence. For this reason, we have removed it."

At time of writing other decapitation videos could still be found on the site without warning messages.

'Community standard'

The announcement follows a series of flip-flops by the company.

On May 1, when questioned about death clips being shared on the site, the firm told the BBC that its users had the right to depict the "world in which we live".

However, less than two hours after the BBC published an interview with one of the firm's safety advisers - who raised concerns about the harm this could cause teenagers - it announced a change of tack.

"We will remove instances of these videos that are reported to us while we evaluate our policy and approach to this type of content," it declared.

The company promised at the time to announce its decision when the review was completed.

But at the start of this week the BBC was contacted by one of the social network's members who had complained about a clip uploaded on 16 October, which the company was refusing to take down.

"The video shows a woman having her head cut off by a man in a mask," the user wrote.

"She is alive when this happens. Looking at the comments a load of people have reported this to Facebook and had the same reply."

An Australian police force was among those who had complained. It said it had been told by Facebook's moderators that the video "did not violate our community standard on graphic violence".

When questioned on Monday, a spokeswoman for Facebook confirmed that the ban had indeed been dropped and that the company had introduced a new rule: such material could be posted and shared on the site so long as the original post did not celebrate or encourage the actions depicted.

This prompted David Cameron to tweet on Tuesday: "It's irresponsible of Facebook to post beheading videos, especially without a warning. They must explain their actions to worried parents."

Stephen Balkam, the chief executive of the Family Online Safety Institute (Fosi) charity - who sits on the network's Safety Advisory Board - said he was "unhappy" at the move, which he had not been told about in advance.

Many of the site's users also questioned why it allowed such extreme footage but banned images and videos showing a woman's "fully exposed breast".

Facebook subsequently added an alert to the video, replacing the banner image with the words: "Warning! This video contains extremely graphic content and may be upsetting."

But last night it changed its policy again, and visitors to the page are now told: "This content is currently unavailable."

In response Mr Cameron tweeted: "I'm pleased Facebook has changed its approach on beheading videos. The test is now to ensure their policy is robust in protecting children."

Mr Balkam also welcomed the move.

"The Family Online Safety Institute is encouraged by the changes that Facebook announced today to the posting of graphic or disturbing material," he said in a statement.

"In order to protect young people in particular, it is imperative that Facebook - and all other social media sites - have in place a review process for this type of material and provide warnings where appropriate."

London-based Childnet International, another of Facebook's safety advisers, said it still wanted more information.

"If they've taken it down I welcome that," said the charity's chief executive Will Gardner told the BBC.

"But I want to find out more and look into this further."

Age limits

Google's rival Google+ social network has more restrictive guidelines on graphic content: "Do not distribute depictions of graphic or gratuitous violence," it states.

There are videos on its YouTube service in which people discuss beheadings and provide links to explicit footage, but the firm has removed videos showing the act of murder from its own site.

"While YouTube's guidelines generally prohibit graphic or violent content, we make exceptions for material with documentary, or news value," a spokesman added.

"In cases where a video is not suitable for all viewers, we're careful to apply warnings and age-restrictions to safeguard people using our site."

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Blackberry resumes BBM rollout

22 October 2013 Last updated at 05:51 ET

Blackberry has resumed a phased rollout of its BBM messaging app for Android and Apple devices after September's botched launch.

The free app is now available for download on Google Play, the App Store and selected Samsung App Stores.

But users had to register an email address after downloading the app then wait in line until they were told they could begin using it, Blackberry said.

Last month Blackberry had to delay the launch after the software was leaked.

The company said that "in just seven hours [following the leak], about one million Android users were using the unreleased version of BBM for Android".

This had caused unspecified "issues" for the launch, it said.

About six million people had signed up for information abut BBM at BBM.com, the company said.

"To help manage this unprecedented pent-up demand for BBM, we are implementing a simple line-up system to ensure a smooth rollout," wrote company spokesman Andrew Bocking.

Continue reading the main story

Blackberry Messenger began life as a simple instant messaging tool offering owners of the firm's handsets a free alternative to SMS texts.

Over the years, the company has added functions including sending pictures, audio messages and other files as well as making voice and video calls, all over the internet.

In addition it offers a Groups facility, which allows users to share photos, lists and calendar appointments with trusted contacts.

A recent addition is Channels - a feature allowing brands and celebrities to send news and status updates to users who want to follow them through the app.

Those who had already signed up for information about BBM were able to start using the app straight away, he said.

Others would have to wait in line, but the company did not specify how long the wait might be.

Struggling

The botched launch was the latest in a run of bad news for the struggling Canadian firm, which is cutting 4,500 jobs, made a net loss of $965m (£600m) in the second quarter of 2013, and has agreed a $4.7bn sale to a consortium led by Fairfax Financial.

Blackberry has failed to keep pace with Apple and devices running Google Android or Microsoft's Windows Phone operating systems.

In September, there were reports that it was exiting the consumer market to concentrate on providing services to business customers - reports it has since played down.

But the Blackberry Messenger product - known as BBM - has proved very popular, particularly with younger users.

The software offers an alternative to SMS messages - which cost money on some subscription plans - as well as other voice and screen-sharing capabilities.

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Nokia reveals phablets and tablets

22 October 2013 Last updated at 11:18 ET By Leo Kelion Technology reporter

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Nokia's Stephen Elop: "Our challenge is to get more and more people to try those devices and spread the word amongst their friends"

Nokia has unveiled its first phablets - extra-large phones - as well as its first tablet computer.

The Windows Phone handsets introduce the ability to change which objects in a photo are in focus after it is taken.

The Windows RT tablet has a 4G data chip, unlike Microsoft's recently unveiled Surface 2.

Nokia World in Abu Dhabi is likely to be remembered as the Finnish firm's last major event before it completes the sale of its hardware unit.

Microsoft agreed to buy the business for 5.4bn euros ($7.4bn; £4.6bn) in a deal which the companies have said should be finalised by early 2014.

Nokia's former chief executive Stephen Elop, who resigned to become head of the company's devices and services division until his transfer to Microsoft, admitted to the BBC that choosing Windows Phone rather than Android as an operating system had presented the company with "a very difficult challenge."

"It's been hard. It's a very difficult challenge; it's a very competitive environment, but we're pleased with the fact that we're building momentum," he said.

'Jarred'

One analyst said the sale should aid the US firm's efforts to promote its mobile platforms against the market leaders, Google Android and Apple iOS.

Continue reading the main story

It's been hard. It's a very difficult challenge; it's a very competitive environment, but we're pleased with the fact that we're building momentum."

End Quote Stephen Elop Microsoft

"For the last two years Microsoft and Nokia's marketing efforts have jarred against each other at times - having one big effort should be better than two smaller ones," said Martin Garner, from the consultancy CCS Insight.

"Microsoft can also spend a lot more marketing the devices than Nokia could. That does seem to be a key criteria - both Samsung and Apple's spends are very high indeed."

Microsoft's share of the handset and tablet markets is growing but from a relatively low level, according to market research firm Gartner.

Windows Phone took a 3.3% share of smartphone sales in the April-to-June quarter, said the firm, with Nokia proving the most popular brand.

It also forecast that about 1.7% of all tablets shipped over 2013 as a whole would be powered by either Windows RT or the full Windows 8 operating system.

Big phones

Nokia showed off two phablets at the UAE launch.

Both the Lumia 1520 and Lumia 1320 feature 6in (15.2cm) displays, allowing extra rows of apps to be displayed on their home screens than possible on smaller models.

The firm said that the extra space would also make it easier to use the phones' touchscreen keyboards, suggesting this would appeal to business users who used productivity software.

A new Beamer app will allow the phones to stream the contents of their screens onto to a web browser on a separate display. It works by sending data via Nokia's computer servers.

Another new app - Refocus - lets owners determine which parts of a photograph are in focus and which are blurred after it is taken. The phones achieve this by taking a series of images in quick succession at different focus lengths rather than replicating the light field effect captured by a Lytro camera.

Blackberry is among the other companies to have recently launched a phablet, but one expert said doubts about the Canadian firm's future meant that its existing users might be tempted to switch.

"There's definitely a chance for Nokia to gain ground, of course everyone else is interested in that space too," said Mr Garner.

"It's not a slam dunk, but Microsoft is as well placed as others - better in some respects."

First tablet

The Lumia 2520 becomes the only Windows RT tablet made by a manufacturer other than Microsoft.

Dell, Asus, Lenovo, Acer and Samsung had all initially backed the platform only to later change tack.

The operating system runs on an ARM-based chip allowing it to offer superior battery life to the full Windows 8 system running on tablets powered by x86 processors, but it does not support as many programs.

Nokia's tablet is slightly more compact than Microsoft's version and also distinguishes itself by supporting an optional 4G Sim card.

However, bearing in mind Microsoft has already taken a $900m writedown after weak sales of its original Surface RT tablet, one analyst questioned whether the firm would want to produce two competing models.

"I don't think that having two devices in that space makes a lot of sense," said Carolina Milanesi, consumer devices analyst at Gartner.

"I believe Microsoft may keep the Nokia model on as a cheaper consumer-targeted device focused on media consumption and gaming in order to capture more market share, and also keep on the more expensive Intel-based Surface Pro - but it will phase out the Surface 2 RT model."

More Ashas

Nokia also added three models to its Asha range of low-end handsets targeted at emerging markets and shoppers on a budget. They run Nokia's proprietary Series 40 OS rather than Windows Phone.

The most expensive of the devices, the Asha 530, now supports 3G data in addition to 2G, allowing faster internet access.

"It's important for Nokia and Microsoft to connect the next billion people," said Mr Elop, suggesting that Microsoft would find Asha's popularity a convenient way to promote other services such as its Skydrive cloud storage product.

But one market watcher questioned Asha's future.

"There's still quite a lot of demand for Asha in developing markets where the phones offer brand-value against other low-cost mass-market handsets," said Chris Green from the Davies Murphy Group consultancy.

"So, there's no sense to killing the business while it remains highly profitable.

"But will it be a core focus? Absolutely not. It will be a distraction and Microsoft will be keen to migrate users to the Windows Phone platform."

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US agency 'hacked French diplomats'

22 October 2013 Last updated at 13:36 ET

The US National Security Agency has spied on French diplomats in Washington and at the UN, according to the latest claims in Le Monde newspaper.

NSA internal memos obtained by Le Monde detailed the use of a sophisticated surveillance programme, known as Genie.

US spies allegedly hacked foreign networks, introducing the spyware into the software, routers and firewalls of millions of machines.

It comes a day after claims the NSA tapped millions of phones in France.

The details in the latest Le Monde article are based on leaks from ex-intelligence analyst Edward Snowden, through Glen Greenwald, the outgoing Guardian journalist, who is feeding the material from Brazil, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris.

It comes on the day the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, is in London meeting foreign counterparts to discuss Syria.

'Spy implants'

The Le Monde report sets out details of Genie, an NSA surveillance programme in which spyware implants were introduced remotely to overseas computers, including foreign embassies.

Continue reading the main story

US allies on spying claims

• US agencies accused of spying on leaders of Brazil and Mexico; Brazil's Dilma Rousseff cancels state visit, Mexico's Enrique Pena Nieto says US has promised an inquiry
• US allegedly runs bugging operations on EU mission in Washington and other European embassies; France objects, Germany cancels surveillance agreement with US and UK
• Le Monde claims NSA snooped on millions of phone calls in France; US ambassador in Paris summoned to explain

It claims bugs were introduced to the French Embassy in Washington (under a code name "Wabash") and to the computers of the French delegation at the UN, codenamed "Blackfoot".

The article suggests that in 2011, the US allocated $652m (£402m) in funding for the programme, which was spent on "spy implants". Tens of millions of computers were reported to have been hacked that year.

A document dated August 2010 suggests intelligence stolen from foreign embassy computers ensured the US knew ahead of time the positions of other Security Council members, before a UN vote for a resolution imposing new sanctions on Iran.

The US was worried the French were drifting to the Brazilian side - who were opposed to implementing sanctions - when in truth they were always aligned to the US position, says our correspondent.

The intelligence agency quotes Susan Rice, then-US ambassador to the UN, who praises the work done by the NSA: "It helped me know... the truth, and reveal other [countries'] positions on sanctions, allowing us to keep one step ahead in the negotiations."

On Monday, Le Monde alleged that the NSA spied on 70.3 million phone calls in France between 10 December 2012 and 8 January 2013.

At a breakfast meeting with the US secretary of state on Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius demanded a full explanation.

Continue reading the main story

'Genie' Surveillance Programme

• The document in Le Monde outlines techniques used to spy on the communications of the French diplomats
• "Highlands" was the name for the hacking of computers through cookies that were implanted remotely
• "Vagrant" was a term used for capturing information from screens
• "PBX" was a bug which allegedly infiltrated telephone conversations, eavesdropping on conversations in much the same way as one would listen into a conference call

Referring to a telephone call between the French and US presidents, Mr Fabius told reporters: "I said again to John Kerry what Francois Hollande told Barack Obama, that this kind of spying conducted on a large scale by the Americans on its allies is something that is unacceptable."

Asked if France was considering reprisals against the US, government spokeswoman Najat Vallaud-Belkacem replied: "It is up to Foreign Minister Fabius to decide what line we take but I don't think there is any need for an escalation.

"We have to have a respectful relationship between partners, between allies. Our confidence in that has been hit but it is after all a very close, individual relationship that we have."

Both French officials made their comments before the latest revelations appeared in Le Monde.

Mr Snowden, a former NSA worker, went public with revelations about US spying operations in June.

The information he leaked led to claims of systematic spying by the NSA and CIA on a global scale.

Targets included rivals like China and Russia, as well as allies like the EU and Brazil.

The NSA was also forced to admit it had captured email and phone data from millions of Americans.

Mr Snowden is currently in Russia, where he was granted a year-long visa after making an asylum application.

The US wants him extradited to face trial on criminal charges.

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Apple shows off thinner iPad Air

22 October 2013 Last updated at 15:34 ET

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The BBC's Richard Taylor has a look at Apple's latest tablet

Apple has unveiled a top-of-the-range tablet called the iPad Air that is 20% thinner than the previous version.

The 9.7in (24.6cm) computer is 7.5mm (0.3in) thick and weighs 1lb (469g), which the firm claims is the lightest full-sized tablet on the market.

It is powered by the same A7 chip found in the company's iPhone 5S.

The launch comes at a time when some analysts have suggested that Google's Android is about to overtake Apple's iOS as the bestselling tablet platform.

Apple also announced a new version of its iPad Mini.

Its 7.9in (20cm) screen has been upgraded to feature 2048 by 1536 pixels - the same as the larger model. It is being branded as "retina" to highlight the increased resolution.

Amazon and Google have already announced small tablets - the Kindle Fire HDX and Nexus 7 - with similar high definition displays.

"We've got the retina upgrade to the smaller iPad that many thought should have been there in the first place," Tony Cripps, principal analyst at tech consultants Ovum, reflected after the announcement in San Francisco.

"Market share slip is inevitable because so many rival devices are coming out, which is not necessarily a bad thing as the overall sector is growing.

"Apple does now have a cheaper model thanks to it offering the original iPad Mini at a lower price - but the firm doesn't really want to go to the low-end because that's not where the greatest profit is extracted."

Apple also announced that the latest version of its Mac operating system, Mavericks, would be offered at no cost to owners of computers already running any version of OS X released since 2009. It is the first time the company has not charged for a major Mac OS upgrade.

By contrast the full version of Windows 8.1 is sold for about £100, although it is free to existing Windows 8 users.

Linux-based Ubuntu has always been offered without charge. Chromebook computers also get free upgrades for Google's PC operating system.

New laptops, productivity and leisure apps were also unveiled. However, Apple did not show off a new TV set-top box as some had speculated.

Tablet competition

The California-based firm's most recent financial release said that its iPad range accounted for $25.8bn (£17.6bn) worth of sales in the nine months leading up to July.

That represented 19% of its revenue for the period.

However, Apple acknowledged that the amount of money it was making from the product line was growing three times slower than the growth in unit sales since many customers were opting for its cheaper iPad Mini and iPad 2 models rather than its top-of-the -range "retina display" versions.

It also faces the fact it is losing market share to rivals.

Apple's iOS operating system accounted for 53.9% of all tablets shipped in 2012, according to Gartner.

The tech research firm forecasts that Android will become the market leader with a 49.6% share, versus Apple's 48.6% this year, adding that it expects that gap to widen further in 2014.

However, consultants at IHS iSuppli said those figures needed to be put in context thanks to Apple's success at making money by taking a cut of app sales.

"It is in terms of revenue per active device where Apple's lead is strongest," said the firm's mobile media analyst Jack Kent.

"An iOS device generates around three to four times as much app revenue through Apple's App Store as an Android device through Google Play.

"Apple has so far offered a more compelling range of tablet-specific content, but Google is clearly looking to address this."

He added that many Android tablets, including Amazon's Kindle and most products sold in China, did not have Google's store pre-installed.

Apple's chief executive Tim Cook noted there were now 475,000 apps designed for iPads available through its online marketplace.

But another market watcher suggested that Apple's priority remained securing a "premium" margin on the shop price of its hardware, and that add-on software sales were of secondary interest.

"Some players, like Amazon, can afford to slash prices because they have a different business model based on content and commerce," said Thomas Husson, from the tech industry analysts Forrester.

"While Apple has shared $13bn to developers since 2008, it has made less than $6bn out of apps.

"It's a huge stat, but low in comparison with Apple's quarterly results."

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Mobile users win penalty-free switch

23 October 2013 Last updated at 06:02 ET

Mobile phone customers will be able to leave their contracts mid-term without paying a penalty if their provider puts up prices, the regulator has confirmed.

Ofcom said that customers must be given 30 days' notice of any price rise in their monthly subscription - even if it is within the level of inflation.

A provider must then allow a customer to exit their contract without a penalty.

Mid-term price rises are allowed, but must be made clear to consumers.

Favouring providers

There are no specific changes to the rules, but the way they were interpreted has differed among providers.

The regulator decided to offer guidance to providers to make it clear exactly how they should behave, and encourage competition.

This will take effect in three months' time and will apply to any new mobile, landline and broadband contracts, including some bundled contracts, entered into from that point in time.

"Ofcom is today making clear that consumers entering into fixed-term telecoms contracts must get a fairer deal," said Claudio Pollack, Ofcom's consumer group director.

"We think the sector rules were operating unfairly in the provider's favour, with consumers having little choice but to accept price increases or pay to exit their contract.

"We are making it clear that any increase to the monthly subscription price should trigger a consumer's right to leave their contract - without penalty."

The consumer group Which? has campaigned for clarity from the regulator.

"Consumers told us price hikes on fixed contracts were unfair, and now people will be able to leave these contracts and switch to a cheaper provider without being hit by extortionate exit fees," said Richard Lloyd, executive director at Which?.

Ernest Doku, of price comparison website Uswitch, which could benefit from consumers shopping around for deals, said: "Hopefully it will make providers think twice about increasing prices - they won't want to lose customers two months into a 24-month contract.

"But even if this move does not stop prices going up, at least consumers will be able to vote with their feet and say no to higher bills by moving to a new deal."

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Ebay aims for one-hour delivery

23 October 2013 Last updated at 07:41 ET

Ebay has announced it is to acquire start-up Shutl in a bid to bring one-hour delivery to the UK.

The service will be offered when both seller and buyer are in the same area.

The online auction site already has a similar service in San Francisco and New York, and hopes, with Shutl, to add more than 20 other US cities next year.

The UK service will start in London. Speedy delivery is seen as a key growth area for retailers, with rivals such as Amazon also rolling out new services.

Its AmazonFresh offering, which is so far only available in Los Angeles or Seattle, sources products from grocery shops, restaurants and other local businesses - essentially acting as a enhanced courier service.

Other start-ups such as San Francisco-based Instacart promise the same, although its approach is not to have any direct tie-up with retailers.

Transformed retail

"Today, approximately 75% of what people buy is local, found within 15 miles from their home," said eBaymarketplaces president Devin Wenig in a statement announcing the Shutl acquisition.

"Traditional retail isn't going away. But it is transforming, and that creates enormous opportunity within the $10 trillion total commerce market."

No financial details of the deal were disclosed by either company.

Shutl already operates in the UK, counting retailers such as Schuh, Warehouse and Argos among its clients. It allows customers to choose as-soon-as-possible delivery - its record is just under 14 minutes - or to select a one-hour window in which to receive the goods.

Using rapid delivery comes at a cost - Shutl adds an extra £6.99 to some products if they are needed quickly.

Founder and chief executive Tom Allason said that Shutl would continue to work with all its existing partners, but would expand to accommodate eBay's plans.

"E-commerce is quick and convenient, two things that delivery is not," wrote Mr Allason.

"Together with eBay, we believe that we can transform this market and fulfil our mission."

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Grocery start-ups are getting personal

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Google Chrome adds parental controls

23 October 2013 Last updated at 07:58 ET

Google has introduced controls to its Chrome web browser that allow parents to monitor and control the browsing behaviour of their children.

The new feature, called "supervised users", allows "managers" to set up profiles of the people they want to monitor.

Managers can view the supervised users' browsing history, block specific sites, and approve access requests.

The feature is available on Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems.

It is also available to Chromebook users.

But Google says the default setting is to allow a newly created supervised user to view all websites - managers have to specify what sites they want to block.

SafeSearch is activated automatically for supervised users, preventing most adult content from appearing in Google search results.

The move comes after growing concerns over inappropriate content children can be exposed to online.

Other browsers, including Microsoft's Internet Explorer, offer content controls that can be set by an administrator.

Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system enables users to set up a "Kid's Corner" section on the phone that only allows access to specified games, music, videos and apps. Kids are unable to access disallowed websites.

A recent survey found that many youngsters aged nine to 11 were engaging in risky behaviour online, such as sharing personal information and playing games rated for much older children, including the 18-rated Call of Duty series.

ISC2, an organisation which helps schools educate children about web safety, also found that 43% of youngsters went online every day and 46% spent more than two hours online every time they did so.

Another survey, by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, found that 69% of teachers and 40% of young people thought online safety should be taught in more schools and included in the national curriculum.

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