Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/801885
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 22 MARCH 2017 11 Google has responded to the an- nouncement by major companies that they will be withdrawing on- line adverts by promising to take "a tougher stance on hateful, of- fensive and derogatory content." The online giant has set out plans for a "tougher" stance on extremist content and announced a hiring blitz of YouTube invigilators after being hit by a major advertising boycott. This comes after more than 250 firms including Audi, HSBC, Toyota, L'Oreal and Heinz have suspended spending on its video platform after seeing their ads appearing next to hateful videos by white nationalists, anti- Semites, banned preachers and fundamentalists. Google, which has historically entrenched itself as a neutral host of outside sources of online content, today announced that it will consider policing uploads as well as ads. Philipp Schindler, the firm's chief business officer, said Google would also tighten advertising safeguards. He added that as well as removing content, its YouTube team would revisit the guidelines on allowable videos. In a blog post, Schindler said: "Anyone with a smartphone can be a content creator, app developer or entrepreneur. "Google has enabled millions of content creators and publishers to be heard, find an audience, earn a living or even build a business. "We have a responsibility to protect this vibrant, creative world - from emerging creators to established publishers - even when we don't always agree with the views being expressed. "But we also have a responsibility to our advertisers who help these publishers and creators thrive." A recent investigation by the Times found adverts from a range of well-known firms and organisations had appeared alongside content from supporters of extremist groups on YouTube. Last week, ministers summoned Google for talks at the Cabinet Office after imposing a temporary restriction on the government's own adverts, including for military recruitment and blood donation campaigns. Schindler added that Google would be "hiring significant numbers of people and developing new tools....to increase our capacity to review questionable content for advertising". Business Today www.creditinfo.com.mt info@creditinfo.com.mt Tel: 2131 2344 Your Local Partner for Credit Risk Management Solutions Supporting you all the way Experts say Malta will be 'biggest benefi ciary' of Brexit Malta will benefi t more than any other fi nancial centre in Europe from Brexit, according to Managing Part- ners Group (MPG), the international asset management group. While Malta offers financial firms wishing to operate in the European Union several benefits, the alternatives all have serious flaws that make them comparatively less attractive, MPG said. MPG's Capital Markets Team will be expanding on the company's views at The Malta Solution – Ahead of the Curve seminar in London on 30 March. Jeremy Leach, Chief Executive Officer at MPG, said: "Malta will be the biggest beneficiary following Brexit. After London, it should be the first choice for a financial firm to establish a branch or secondary office because its residents speak English and are well-educated, it provides easy access to the EU and it has an efficient regulatory process. "It is politically stable, which is not so easy to say with regards to Italy and even France, while it also has a great financial rating, unlike Greece. "Dublin is good and it offers English but it is more expensive and less tax-efficient than Malta while all the other options in Europe such as Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or Gibraltar have one or more flaws that weaken their case." Jeremy Leach added that Malta also has a number of advantages that are supporting its emergence as one of the world's most important financial jurisdictions. These include its membership of the European Union and the Commonwealth, its tax framework, both domestically and internationally with 65 tax treaties with other countries and the legislation it has put in place around securitsations means it is the only EU jurisdiction outside of Luxembourg that has the legislation in place to offer these flexible tools. The seminar, which is free to attend and organised by BOV Fund Solutions, will address the various topics pertinent to the financial services sector in the light of the evolving challenges in Europe, including Brexit, which has prompted several businesses to consider relocating to other European Union Member States from the UK. Malta has a number of advantages that are supporting its emergence as one of the world's most important fi nancial jurisdictions Google pledges tighter curbs in hate video row