>Finally, there has been a sea change in the political environment. After decades in which political leaders considered technology policy to be for anoraks, and generally took the line of least resistance, the reports of Russian interference in the Brexit referendum and the Trump election really got their attention.

>The prospect of losing your job can concentrate the mind wonderfully. The close attention of lawmakers is changing the game, first with tighter rules (such as Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation) and second as software and online connectivity find their way into products that are already regulated for safety, from cars and railway signals to children’s toys.