Twitter has appointed Martha Lane Fox, British digital entrepreneur and crossbench peer, to its board of directors. The appointment is part of the struggling company's plan to boost growth after its user numbers remained flat at 320 miilion in the last quarter of 2015, the first time it has reported no growth in active members.

People could be able to access their mobile banking by an app that recognises how they hold, swipe, or type into their device, due to an innovation from Britain's biggest building society. Nationwide Building Society has developed a prototype within a mobile banking app, which could provide an extra layer of "behavioural biometrics" security by recognising unique patterns from people's natural interactions with their smartphone or tablet.

With Facebook adding new tools to its Messenger platform, including the ability to scan unique user codes to start a conversation, both brands and agencies expect the social media giant to develop into a clearer customer service tool. The changes, which will roll out "gradually" over the coming months, will mean Messenger expands beyond being a friends-only service and will allow users who scan business codes to talk to brands directly.

The publisher of the "Daily Mail" has confirmed it is in talks with private equity companies about a takeover of Yahoo. Ailing tech firm Yahoo, which has a market capitalisation of $38bn (GBP27bn), put its core business up for sale in February with bids due by 18 April. Daily Mail and General Trust, the parent company of the "Daily Mail," has confirmed that it has approached companies interested in a potential bid for Yahoo.

M&C Saatchi had created its first work for ConservativesIn, the campaign from Conservatives wanting to stay in the European Union. Today a number of small businesses -- including an electrical firm from Maidenhead and Chase Distillery -- drove their vans topped with signs explaining that 81% of small businesses would like to stay in the EU around London in the first activity by M&C Saatchi.

Facebook announced changes to its ad policies last Friday, making it easier for brands and publishers to monetise their content shared on the social network, an issue often voiced and barely addressed until now. Under the new rules, verified Facebook Pages -- most commonly owned by publishers, brands and celebrities -- can now share branded content on Facebook. Branded content includes any post that specifically mentions or features a third party product, brand, or sponsor.

Twitter yesterday released a "message" button that makes it easier to share a Tweet via a direct message (DM) and start a private conversation today. The new feature was developed after Twitter reported that the number of Tweets shared privately had grown by 200% in the second half of 2015 alone.

Pinterest's Promoted Pins ad format has landed in the UK, with brands like John Lewis, Made.com, B&Q and Tesco announced as early launch partners. The visual bookmarking tool, which allows users to curate and share images and ideas via an online scrapbook of 'Pins', made the announcement yesterday.

George Osborne has cut Treasury spending on national titles by 85% since taking office in 2010, according to Freedom of Information figures. The Treasury spent GBP28,000 on buying national newspapers for its approximately 1,200 staff in 2015, compared to the GBP185,000 it spent in 2009, according to the figures.

Persado, an ad-tech startup that says its software can create automated copywriting for marketing campaigns, has today closed a $30 million round of financing led by Goldman Sachs. The company's platform uses scientific algorithms to "generate a precise combination of words, phrases, and images that can motivate any audience."