Computing.co.uk – Privacy watchdog to have power to fine £500,000
Organisations that lost people’s personal data will be liable for fines of up to £500,000 from April, according to the private watchdog.

BBC – Manchester to gain fibre network
A project to build a fibre network in Manchester could offer insights into how the UK can make next-generation broadband pay for itself.

IT PRO – Will free laptops boost grades and the economy?
A government minister has said trials of the Home Access Programme have boosted student grades and that educational tech boosts the economy.

Total Telecom – Microsoft says no mail systems have been compromised
Microsoft Corp.’s mail systems haven’t shown any signs of having been hit in the cyberattack that targeted Google Inc., the company said Wednesday.

The Guardian – Google acted on censorship amid China dissident fears
Google moved quickly to announce that it would stop censoring its Chinese ­service after realising dissidents were at risk from attempts to use the company’s technology for political ­surveillance, according to a source with direct ­knowledge of the internet giant’s most senior management.