Five stories not to miss

1 Microsoft to put Windows 8 Store out of misery

Like calling “last orders” in a drab, empty pub, Microsoft has laid out its timeline for killing off the Windows 8 Store, with no new apps to be accepted after 31 October. In July 2019, it will stop distributing updates for apps on Windows Phone 8.x devices or earlier, while the company will stop distributing app updates to Windows 8 and 8.1 devices in July 2023.

2 Google facing action over location tracking Google is facing fresh concerns and legal action after it emerged the firm was storing users’ location data even when they had disabled Location History. Google updated its terms and conditions to say that “some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, like Search and Maps”. 3 Facebook introduces trust score for end users

Facebook admitted it was introducing tools to counter fake news with a system that allocated users with a “trustworthiness score” to prevent bogus accounts from sharing posts on the site. The company explained that the tool was intended to make sure “our fight against misinformation is as effective as possible”.

4 Broadband bonus boast

Broadband’s value to the UK economy was illustrated by figures that suggest the rollout of superfast broadband has contributed a £690 million net increase in gross value to the UK economy over and above the state’s investment. DCMS figures show businesses in areas with superfast connections saw a £12.28 benefit for every £1 invested by the government and local authorities.

5 Half of UK councils using unsupported server software

Cash-strapped local authorities are running unsupported and insecure server software, according to figures acquired through freedom of information requests. Figures obtained by services supplier Comparex show 46% of councils still use one or more of Windows Server 2000, Windows Server 2003 or Microsoft SQL Server 2005.