The Open University

Why are there UK network issues?

20 March 2020

The UK broadband networks and the national academic network have been experiencing a significant increase in traffic, in light of Government announcements around the Coronavirus pandemic and the changes to daily living and working arrangements gripping the nation and beyond. So why is this the case? Andrew Smith, Senior Lecturer in Networking in the OU’s […]

Here’s why the internet will always have enough space for all our devices

9 September 2019

Andrew Smith, Senior Lecturer in Networking at The Open University writes for The Conversation about why the internet will always have enough space for all our devices. It seems that every five years, news emerges that the digital sky is falling in. Back in 2010 and 2015, rumours spread that the internet would soon run out of IP […]

Report finds an urgent need for independent regulation of social media

18 February 2019

On Monday 18 February 2019, the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee published its long awaited final report on Disinformation and ‘fake news’. The report covered an enquiry that spanned 18 months, oral evidence from 73 witnesses including The Open University, over 4350 questions and a final ‘International Grand Committee’ meeting in November 2018. Its […]

Online cheating: new resource to support those affected

6 November 2017

In the light and shade of today’s internet, there are some who blame the world wide web for creating more relationship problems and increasing online cheating. Whilst there is currently no clear research evidence to suggest that internet infidelity is on the rise, the rapid growth of the internet and social networking means there are […]

Net neutrality is worth saving, but business bias is a concern, says OU academic

13 July 2017

In the light of protests against threats to “net neutrality” by many of the big internet giants recently the OU’s Robert Herian, Lecturer in Law, explains why its such a worthy cause yet warns one must still be conscious of the competitive bias which exists online already: “The importance of maintaining net neutrality cannot be overstated […]

Are personal computers on their way out?

21 January 2016

As the media reports a record fall in sales of personal computers, Andrew Smith, Senior Lecturer in Networking at The Open University, writes about the changing needs and wants of consumers when it comes to tech… As global technology media lament the record decline in Personal Computer (PC) sales, I am sitting here in my […]

Opened Padlock on digital background. Image: Thinkstock

Cyber attack causes universities across the country to lose internet connection

8 December 2015

Universities across the country have been losing internet connections today because of a cyber attack. The publicly-funded academic computer network has been affected by a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack causing many universities, including The Open University, to lose connections, preventing access to external websites. The network, known as Janet, is responsible for the […]

Online affairs can be addictive, OU study finds

30 September 2015

The internet has made affairs easier to conduct, with a gender divide on what is considered acceptable behaviour online, new research by psychologists at The OU has found. The study of people who have experienced internet infidelity – either having taken part in it themselves or finding out their partner had – revealed: Grey areas […]