News
The amount scammers would be fined for illegal robocalling operations according to the new law that aims to reduce the number of robocalls Americans will receive in 2020. While the new law won’t reduce the number of robocalls immediately, Americans should expect to see the effects in about six months. Government officials hope that by reducing robocalls, less Americans will be subjected to scams that steal social security numbers, credit card numbers, and other personal information.
Studies found that workers were less discriminatory against their fellow human coworkers once robots were introduced. Differences between beliefs or political views suddenly paled in comparison to human and non-human.
Caring, passionate, and having always pushed back against the status quo, Beth Niblock has used her role as Detroit Chief Information Officer to revitalize the city with technology after a tough period of bankruptcy.
As preparations for the first primarily digital U.S. Census ramp up in communities across the country, experts continue to caution that there will be misinformation campaigns designed to deter participation.
Everything government does is affected by technological change. Chronicling that change, and the challenges it creates, is our new focus.
Patrick Ellis, one of the five Libra Association board members, said regarding the lack of a plan around Libra’s launch next year. The project’s team has had to delay the cryptocurrency’s launch due to unforeseen regulatory hurdles, but when asked if Libra would launch sometime in 2020, he said, “Yes. Yes, it’ll launch.” (Reuters — December 19, 2019)
The amount of money that has been collectively given from Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple to 2020 campaign contributions. The report by the Center for Responsive Politics showed that the amount included money from the companies, owners, employees, and their families. Big tech has become more involved with politics, donating money to candidate campaigns, changing policies, and redefining what constitutes “free speech.”
Tesla is barred from selling cars in the state of Connecticut, so the electric vehicle company has jimmied a solution: lease cars instead. The DMV says that this way, the carmaker is still in compliance with the law.
A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that technology assistance systems in vehicles caused distraction in drivers. The foundation reiterated that technology should assist, but not replace.
The Grid Modernization Research and Development Act of 2019 hopes to research a way to secure the U.S.’s power grid from natural disasters and cyberthreats. Americans want to have “working electricity to help keep them safe.”
The state has a new privacy law on Jan. 1 that will attempt to set new standards for consumer data protection. But as tech becomes a norm for shopping, house security, and daily activities, data is hard to regulate.
All levels of government, as well as the private sector, face growing dangers from cyberthreats. That’s why there needs to be a centralized approach to cyberpolicies before a crisis occurs.
Fifteen years ago, voters told the state to roll back the personal income tax rate to 5 percent. But that mandate is just now being met, according to Gov. Charlie Baker, who announced the new rate for Jan 1.
The plan includes hurricane flood reduction and coastal restoration projects, with more than half the money coming from settlements related to the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Nearly two dozen city and town levies have been proposed for the 2020 ballot, which will feature the presidential primary. While most are focused on schools, four levies address public safety agencies.
From a (reputed) nontraditional location for the penning of one of America's more popular Christmas songs, to a decked-out statue of the founder of Communism, we take a look at some less-than-conventional holiday festivities.
By building on the data they gave away in the HQ2 competition, they can support the real engine of job growth: entrepreneurship
“...which presents serious and immediate risks for U.S. national security.”
The number of U.S. states that aren’t planning on spending any extra money on the 2020 Census. The 26 states that are spending money to encourage participation are spending a combined total of nearly one-third of a billion dollars. For those governments that aren’t spending extra money, sometimes local governments, businesses, and philanthropies are stepping in to bridge the gaps.
Bay Street’s Innovation Corridor in Jacksonville, Fla., is just a ‘petri dish’ for the state to test out the ‘Internet of Things’ in everyday life. But it’s also a good idea of what the Florida future could look like.
Come Jan. 1, all new, single-family homes in Calif. must be built with solar paneled roofs, or some other solar power system. While big companies have been preparing for years, “It definitely hits the little guy harder.”
The noise is supposed to prevent young, homeless people from loitering in public spaces, but many are concerned about its effects on other small children and dogs. Some think it's counterintuitive to a welcoming downtown.
An entrepreneur from Eugene, Ore., claims that drone imaging and blockchain technology can hold farmers accountable for sustainable farming. Currently, there is no government agency that oversees farm branding.
San Diegans for Open Government is claiming that the Southern California city didn’t disclose data that was collected through the city’s Smart Street Lights Program, which gathers a wide range of data about residents.
The team has just weeks to design a new, user-friendly homepage for the entire state that can be adopted by other departments and agencies. But its larger goal is to help rebuild trust in California state government.
Kush Parikh, COO of Hiya, a company that creates phone tools that will detect caller identity and protect against scams, said of the 108% increase in robocalls during January to November 2019, as compared to the year prior. Hiya found that, on average, Americans received 14 robo- and spam calls per month in 2019. The increased number of illegitimate calls has encouraged lawmakers to enact legislation that tackles the issue. (The Hill — December 16, 2019)
Congress has established new funding of $425 million for election security in anticipation of the 2020 election. The spending package is expected to be approved by the end of the week. The money will be allocated to states via grants, and then the states will be able to decide how it’s further spent. While election security advocates are happy about the money, many are concerned about the timing. “A year late & a billion dollars short on #electionsecurity.”
The electric fire truck drew a lot of attention in Santa Cruz, Calif., this week, but officials lament its cost. Officials want to decrease their engine’s carbon footprint, but “not at that cost.”
Gas stations don’t have to install chip-card readers until fall 2020, putting customers at risk. But gas stations, not credit card companies, will be responsible if fraudulent charges are made at a station without a chip-reader.
The high-speed transit company is moving forward, planning routes, but the U.S. Senate has yet to approve the $5 million for safety and environmental standards. Cities hope it gets approved so they can push onward.
Most Read
