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Tennessee has put millions of dollars into efforts to expand broadband and digital literacy in its rural communities and the state is still coming up short. “This isn’t something seen as a ‘nice to have’ anymore.”
A letter posted online last week expressed opposition to use of facial recognition on college and university campuses as it “poses a unique threat to safety, civil liberties, and academic freedom on campus.”
The plan would expand light rail routes, install “smart” technologies and encourage bike and pedestrian transit, but it’s a heavy lift for local governments as the feds are only expected to contribute $45.5 billion.
Tennessee Valley Authority is replacing IT specialists in Chattanooga with a French-based contractor. The union that represents TVA workers says that the company is threatening its own cybersecurity by breaking contract.
State and local governments have adapted plans for other pandemics and are putting them into action. They're hoping for better coordination and more funding from the feds. Officials insist that they’re up to the challenge.
Far too many Americans still don't have access in their homes to the technology and affordable high-speed broadband they need to succeed in today's economy. We need to think of it as a civil and human right.
Duluth, Minn., has very little, and its mayor would like to see more minorities among its residents. But the city's strong homegrown civic culture seems to be serving it well.
Collecting census data online creates new risks to the accuracy and integrity of the information. Here's what you need to know.
Joice Wu said of her “How to Spot Fake News” class, which hopes to teach senior citizens how to fact-check articles and read critically. (NPR — February 26, 2020)
The proportion of state and local government IT/security professionals who reported that their cybersecurity budget has not changed even though cyberattacks have increased in the past year.
Flippy is a robot that can make burgers and chicken fingers and costs less than a human worker. But robots, like Flippy, are a financial risk that don’t always work. “We took a bet. A risky bet. But it’s paying off.”
A sales tax that helps to pay for King County Metro bus service is set to expire this year and could be renewed in August. Decisions about who and how to pay for the bus service are caught up in a larger controversy about transportation funding in a recent ballot measure and subsequent court challenge.
California’s proposed database to track homeless populations across the state is easier said than done. Getting clear communication and consistent collection across the state won’t happen overnight.
Federal immigration officers have accessed the Motor Vehicle Association’s database of drivers numerous times in the past two years and lawmakers hope to end that. But some fear the bill’s “potential implications.”
Facebook’s Pittsburgh office is working to develop 3-D avatars, which would maintain expressions and body language of users to meet face-to-face, virtually, around the world, as the next wave of digital communication. “There’s a can-do attitude among everyone here.”
Cailin Slattery, a Columbia Business School economist, commenting on the poor chances certain states and localities have when it comes to having a positive business outcome using tax incentives. (Governing — February 26, 2020)
The amount that Google wants to invest in offices and data centers across the nation throughout 2020. “These investments will create thousands of jobs … and opportunities in local businesses in surrounding towns and communities.”
As technology becomes easier and cheaper to use, residents are looking for smart-home features in their apartments, which makes owners want to install the tech to keep up with competition and avoid becoming obsolete.
A community discussion was held on the usefulness and benefits of facial recognition systems in schools, which “would have been great to have had before we wrote the check.” The technology has been in use in New York since January.
The Michigan House bill would allow counties to opt out of paying for services that would offer little benefit to them without impeding the implementation of the services in other counties.
The city’s plan involves new cameras, analytics equipment and $1.5 million in overtime pay as the city is short about 600 officers. “We need those technology advancements and we need them right now.”
Even though the state agreed to the purchase, many are opposed. Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO, earned $12 billion last year so why does he need the state’s money? “Stop these gifts to obscenely wealthy companies.”
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said of a proposed Internet tax expansion bill that would require up to a 10 percent excise tax on digital ads from big companies (greater than $100 million in annual ad revenue) that are targeting Maryland Internet users. (PEW Trusts — February 25, 2020)
The total loss of the combined market capitalization of Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook due to the new coronavirus. Apple and Microsoft each saw losses of approximately $60 billion.
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Calif., is a popular spot for photos, especially by drones. It’s also a National Recreation Area where drones are illegal, but officials are having trouble restricting them.
After tensions escalated between Iran and the U.S., government officials warned of potential cyberattacks, including against our vulnerable electric grid. “It is not a matter of if, but when, an attack will happen.”
Spectrum, which purchased Time Warner Cable, used advertising to mislead California customers about its available Internet speed. Over 170,000 customers will be eligible to receive restitution.
San Diego’s Lytx has updated it’s video monitoring technology for commercial truckers, DriveCam, so that it can detect when the driver’s eyes have moved from the road to a cellphone or other device.
Researchers from the University of Michigan are concerned about health privacy as tech and health become more intertwined. A study found that 19 of 24 prominent health apps were sharing user data.
Study after study shows that tax incentives don't pay off in real economic gains and often fail to produce the jobs that were promised. When managed correctly, however, they can build on local strengths.
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