InfoHive – Data Security

California’s AB 1281 (2020 | CA) extends an exception to California’s Data Privacy Law for information related to:

• job applicants
• employees
• business owners
• directors
• officers
• medical staff
• contractors

ADLaw | California Privacy Legislation Round-Up: Gov. Newsom Signs CCPA Employee Exemption Extension, Vetoes Others

The city: Detroit, MI

What did city councilors say in support?

• Citizens say they’re afraid of being victims of crimes & want police to have all tools available to them
• It is a tool to make law enforcement more efficient, detectives still have to investigate

What is Detroit’s background with facial recognition software? The city began a contract in 2017. This vote updates that software to improve it.

Does the police department use the software across the board? No, the department has a  “strict policy” to only use it for the most egregious violent crimes and home invasions

Detroit News via Governing | Detroit Approves Police Use of Facial Recognition Software

Where: California

What legislation: SB 980 (2020 | CA) would have established privacy protections over the data collected by genetic testing companies like Ancestry.com and 23andMe

What privacy protections?  

• clear notice to individuals when their genetic material is shared to 3rd parties
• allow consumers to revoke their consent to certain disclosure procedures 

The veto rational?  bill could “unintentionally impede” the critical COVID-19 reporting requirements

Law 360 | Calif. Gov. Vetoes Genetic Testing Privacy Bill

Let’s look at how the CIA is incentivizing tech employees, since they can’t compete with private sector salaries.

The CIA created CIA Labs that will allow:

• CIA employees to publicly file patents on the intellectual property 
• CIA employees for the 1st time would be able to collect a portion of the the profits & the CIA gets the remainder of the profits
  • The cap for the employee: 15% of the total income from the new invention with a cap of $150,000 per year.

MIT Technology Review | CIA’s new tech recruiting pitch: More patents, more profits

To remain competitive, an expanded use of AI is crucial for small business and education system, as members of the Congressional AI Caucus are calling for an use of artificial intelligence.

What kind o policy changes are we talking about?

• transparency regarding data 
• AI should be promoted in schools to build a competitive workforce
• promote governmental efforts to develop innovative uses of AI

The Hill | Lawmakers call for expanded AI role in education, business to remain competitive

The state: Colorado

The expanded use of facial recognition software: law enforcement agencies have asked Colorado’s DMV 227 times to run facial recognition software against its data base. Including of protestors.

Does Colorado have a law about the use of facial recognition software? No

Have Colorado cities opted out? Yes, Denver opted out.

Denver Post via Governing | Colorado Police Have Quietly Expanded Facial Recognition Use

The legislation: H.R. 1668: IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020

What will it require? all internet-connected devices purchased by the federal government this includes computers, mobile devices and other products with the ability to connect to the internet to comply with minimum security recommendations issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology

What burden would be on the private sector?

• that their devices comply with the minimum security recommendations
• to notify agencies if the device has a vulnerability

Why the legislation? There are no national standards to ensure the security of these connected devices

The Hill | House approves bill to secure internet-connected federal devices against cyber threats

What are the economic estimates if agricultural interests adopted the latest technology innovations?  generate $18 billion to $23 billion annually

What does technology access look like for farmers?

• 2/3 of soybean farmers don’t have “adequate internet connectivity to run their businesses” according to a United Soybean Board  report 
• COVID has heightened the importance of the food chain supply
• 2 farmers in Maine reported their sales moved online but the internet is so slow they fill orders in the middle of the night

Solutions to bring technology to rural areas:

• electric cooperatives can provide middle-mile fiber
• Wabash Heartland Innovation Network is using an aerostat, a kind of blimp, to provide “broadband for tens of miles to improve broadband access

Government Technology | The Future of Farming Relies on Internet Connectivity

The State: Pennsylvania

The App: COVID Alert PA

What technology does Pennsylvania’s App use? Exposure Notification System technology developed by Apple and Google 

How does it notify app users of having been in close contact with someone who tests positive?  

• The App sends a “COVID-19 Exposure Alert” to other users’ phones
• If the app user has been within 6 feet of a person who tested positive for 15 minutes or more

The App also provides COVID data for users.

Who composed the partnerships that brought the App to Pennsylvanians?

• Pennsylvania and Delaware
• technology company NearForm
• University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and Internet Privacy Research Institute

Pocono Record via Governing | Pennsylvania: Add Phones to the Fight and Download COVID App

Where: New Mexico

What connectivity issues does New Mexico have? lack of broadband and fiber. Residents within 10 minutes of the largest cities face connectivity issues as well as those in rural areas.

How has the connectivity issues impacted the Legislature?

• 1/3 of the usual number of interim hearings
• how to recognize legislators for questions during virtual hearings
• how to ensure video coverage of facial responses of legislators
• Operator issues such as
  • “legislators had trouble unmuting themselves to vote”
  • “sounds of sneezing and barking dogs”

How has the Legislature addressed some of these challenges? By offering 1 on 1 training for legislators by the legislature’s computer experts

Santa Fe New Mexican via Governing | New Mexico’s Legislative Activity Slowed by Bad Internet