InfoHive – Data Security

What is happening? Have you seen Lake Superior’s twitter account? It’s catchy. Have you seen Oklahoma’s Wildlife Department. Some state agencies have seized on the use of humor while offering outreach. Oklahoma’s Wildlife Department tweeted: If you love something, set it free. Unless it is a wild animal, you should have never had that in the first place.

Why is this important? Adapting communication to generations to the current market; however you want to define it for yourself.

Government Technology | 5 Government Social Media Accounts to Be Thankful For

What is happening? South Dakota Governor has issued an Executive Order that bans TikTok from state devices. The Governor is concerned about security risks. The Executive Order comes when some state agencies have relied on TikTok to disseminate information.

Why is this important? U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin have filed legislation to ban TikTok in the U.S.

Route Fifty | A Governor Imposes a TikTok Ban for State Government

What is happening? South Carolina courts will answer whether license plate readers can be implemented without legislative or regulatory oversight. Those raising the issues say data and photos of lawful drivers doing lawful things with geotags is being collected and shared among law enforcement agencies with no oversight.

Why is this important? Privacy, oversight, and transparency.

Government Technology | License Plate Readers Face Legal Challenge in South Carolina

What is happening? Texas Bitcoin Foundation and Texas State Technical College have partnered to launch the 1st higher education partnership for a bitcoin mining certification. The goal is to  prepare students for employment by the growing number of bitcoin mining companies that operate in Texas.

Why is this important? TSTC is in the process of recruiting students for several bitcoin mining certificate programs scheduled to begin early 2023. Training will focus on Bitcoin Mining Operations, Software, Hardware, and Electrical Power.  

@TXBitcoinFound

Texas Bitcoin Foundation and Texas State Technical College partner to launch first professional certification programs in bitcoin mining

What is happening? Tracking expenditures on technology for NYC police department is challenging, at best, as often times tech expenditures are characterized as “special expenses.” The technology ranges from drones to facial recognition software to license plate readers, a robotic police dog and more. It is estimated that more than $3 billion was spent from 2007 to 2019.

Why is this important? Transparency in budgeting is chic again.

Governing | Details Are Hazy About NYPD’s $3B Surveillance Costs

What is happening? In 2024 California’s privacy law will go into full effect and looks to change how kids and teens use the Internet. California’s legislation applies to minors up to 18 year olds, and to any service that is “likely to be accessed” by children, whether the service targets them or not. It also prohibits selling data tied to the child and privacy settings must be explained in child friendly language with the strictest privacy setting being the default.

Why is this important? it makes one wonder will California’s standards for children data privacy and protection be much like its automobile standards in that California’s regulation leads the nation.

Governing | California Privacy Law Could Forever Change Internet Use by the Under 18 Set

What’s happening? Minnesota is beginning a new broadband pilot program, Broadband Line Extension Connection Program, that will be driven by broadband users and not ISPs. Every 6 months the state will notify ISPs of the unserved locations and give the ISPs 10 days to offer to provide service. Once an ISP has been identified, service must be provided within 1 year.

Why is this important? This is a new way to look at how to solve the last mile connections for broadband.

Govtech | Minnesota Launches New Program to Connect the Unserved

What is happening? The Federal Government has banned the use of technology from five banned Chinese companies. Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas and Vermont have similar state laws. Only Vermont was found to not be using the technology.  

Why is this important? The Center for Security and Emerging Technology indicate that will be virtually impossible to remove all existing software from these companies that is being used by governmental entities.

Route Fifty | Public Entities in Nearly Every State Use Federally-Banned Foreign Tech, Report Says

What is happening? Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network says 2021 is indicating ransomware attack payouts totaling $1.2Billion. That’s a  188% increase from 2020 $416 million. 2017 had $38 million. The word exponential comes to mind for the rapid increase in ransomware payouts year after year.

Why is this important? The 2nd International Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit led to the coalition of 36 countries and the E.U.  pledging to take additional steps to combat ransomware.

Cybersecurity Dive | US ransomware payments surge to $1.2B in 2021: Treasury

What is happening? Crypto has increased its lobbying efforts by 4x over the last 3 years. Questions are arising about policies that prevent a revolving door from government employee to crypto worker.

Why is this important? Congress and states have a varying rules on government employees who leave begin lobbying in the private sector. 200 government employees, from the Treasury Dept, SEC and other agencies, have left for the crypto industry.

CFO Dive | Warren wants regulators to answer for crypto ‘revolving door’