InfoHive – Data Security

What is happening? The Mayor of Seattle has supported gun shot locating technology for nearly a decade since he was a city council member. The technology installs microphones and triangulates the sound. One of the apps, ShotSpotter, claims a 97% effective rate. Meanwhile in Dayton, OH the city will not renew its ShotSpotter contract because even with successes, it “could not show that the software has done enough to reduce crime to justify its cost”

Why does this matter? A study from Northwest University analyzed 2 years of ShotSpotter data from Chicago, and found that “90% of ShotSpotter alerts lead police to find no evidence to corroborate gunfire.” Shot spotter did change how police officers interacted in the area.

GeekWire | Seattle mayor makes another bid for city to use controversial gunshot detection technology

What is happening? North Dakota is struggling to hire and retain cybersecurity specialists. To help the state hire, when cyber experts can make more in the private sector, the state is:

• Partnering with colleges and universities by creating student security operations centers
• Creating apprentice and internship initiatives
• Allowing for fully remote work
• Cutting the requirement of a college degree like military veterans

Why does this matter? North Dakota is also looking at K-12 initiatives to raise cybersecurity education

Route Fifty | How One State is Trying to Prevent a Cybersecurity Workforce Shortage

What is happening? A new report from National Association of State Chief Information Officers and Deloitte says the best way for states to be prepared for data threats is to work closely and share information with local governmental entities and higher education institutions. There is a $1 Billion federal grant program to help.

Why does this matter? There is a talent gap in cyber security professionals. The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program assists in bridging the talent gap in the cybersecurity workforce. Some entities don’t want to fund cybersecurity talent because cybersecurity success is measured by nothing happening.

Route Fifty | States Must Work Closer With Locals on Cyber Threats, Survey Finds

What is happening? Hollister Co, or what ever teenager knows as Abercrombie & Fitch Co, is implementing Share2Pay, so kids can share their carts with their parents, who will foot the bill. Fun. Retailers are looking for means to convert cart abandonment into sales.

Why does this matter? Its like Amazon Teen or Apple Ask to Buy which convert kids shopping carts into carts payable by an adult. Some retailers have experimented with online shopping carts for kids as young as 3.

Wall Street Journal | Hollister Lets Teens Send Their Online Carts to Parents for Checkout

What is happening? State Officials in Texas have publicly welcomed crypto mining to Texas earlier this year. Rural Texas is lapping it up because it represents a new tax base. The new crypto tax base is allowing property taxes reductions, sheriff pay increases, money for bridges and roads, and better services.

Why does this matter? Money money money

Texas Tribune | Cryptocurrency miners line up to come to Texas, and rural counties are welcoming them

What is happening? Never did I anticipate typing Kim Kardashian into this curate information aggregating site. Here we are the SEC this week levied a fine of $1.26 million for failing to disclose to her Instagram followers that she was financially compensated for promoting EthereumMax. The fine was announced by the SEC Chair in a tweet. Welcome to 2022.

Why does this matter? Tea Leaf readers say it is a sign the SEC will explore more enforcement rules in crypto.

Forbes | Kim Kardashian Fined For Cryptocurrency Promotion, Here’s What It Means For Crypto

What is happening? California Governor has signed AB1242 (2022 | CA) that prevents California tech companies from responding to warrants concerning geolocation data, search histories and other personal information in response to out-of-state search warrants unless there is a statement that sys this information is not related to abortion related services.

Why does this matter? {ending litigation in Texas concerns the enforcement mechanism that allows private citizens to sue people who assist a person seeking an abortion out of Texas.

Governing | Big Tech Can’t Comply With Other States’ Abortion Warrants

What is happening? People are talking about the democratization of the municipal market. If people can buy municipal debt at amounts lower than $5K, say $100, you’ve crowd funded municipal debt. We’ve talked this space about Berkeley CA talking about issuing micro bonds relying on blockchain.

Why does this matter? China is already democratizing debt by offering 70 billion Yuan in microbonds.

Route Fifty | How Cryptocurrency Could Help to ‘Crowdfund’ Public Projects

What is happening? This week the Bitcoin Policy Institute released a white paper, Why the U.S. Should Reject Central Bank Digital Currencies.

Why is this important? The rational includes the authoritarian shift in U.S. government moving the U.S. toward Chinese regime. Further saying that “Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) represent an extension of this state control over economic life.”

How will this be important? The suggested solution:

“Clearly, individuals and organizations need to transact digitally with fiat currencies, and the current global banking system often makes those transactions slow and expensive. To solve this problem, cryptographic stablecoins pegged to fiat currencies and backed 1:1 with hard collateral can be issued by private banks worldwide.”

@TXBitcoinFound

What is happening? Colorado started accepting crypto to pay personal and business tax obligations.

Why is this important? The practical payment issues at play: Colorado requires that the entire invoice be paid in crypto, no splitting payments. A service fee will attach to the payment of $1 plus 1.83% of the payment amount. Finally, payment must be made by PayPal’s Cryptocurrencies Hub

How will this be important? It creates a safe way for cannabis industry to make payments in stead of the all cash payments that are usually made.

Route Fifty | Colorado Now Accepts Crypto for State Tax Payments