Digital Government

Facebook's Ideological Imperialism

Andrew Bosworth’s memo may seem insidious, but its logic used to be very popular.

Emerging Tech

After London, How Lasers Will Play a Role in Detecting Chemical Attacks Sooner

A new technique can detect trace elements of dangerous chemicals in extremely small doses, a breakthrough of relevance to the horror show playing out in Salisbury, U.K.

Digital Government

VISA Applications May Require Five Years of Social Media Information

In the near future, Visa applications filed through the State Department may require a lot of personal info.

Emerging Tech

Army Switches To Special Fast-Track Contract For Drone-Mounted Signal Jammer

The contract will now be limited to members of an industry consortium for cyber and electronic warfare companies.

Podcasts

Nextgov Podcast: How Not To End Up In a GAO Report

Introducing Critical Update, Nextgov’s new podcast on emerging tech in government.

Artificial Intelligence

Russian Military Chief Lays Out the Kremlin’s High-Tech War Plans

Robotics, artificial intelligence, and a willingness to strike the enemy’s non-military targets will figure in the country’s future strategies.

Emerging Tech

The Most Important Self-Driving Car Announcement Yet

Autonomous vehicles will transform urban life by 2020, if Waymo’s time line is correct.

Emerging Tech

Can a Mobile App Stop Veteran Suicides?

The VA is calling on industry to help build an app that can rapidly connect veterans to mental health resources.

Emerging Tech

Is Amazon The Lone Frontrunner For A $10 Billion Pentagon Cloud Contract?

Amazon Web Services may be the only vendor capable of meeting Defense Department requirements for its highly-anticipated cloud contract.

Cybersecurity

The FBI Didn’t Explore All Options Before Trying to Force Apple to Break Into an Encrypted iPhone

Some FBI officials were more interested in making a legal blow against cop-proof encryption than in getting into the San Bernardino shooter’s phone.

Emerging Tech

Google Has Made it Official: The Internet Is Now Mobile-First

This may go down in history as the week the mobile web became the web.

Digital Government

General Dynamics’ Acquisition of CSRA Is An Even Bigger Deal Than You Thought

If General Dynamics’ $9.7 billion acquisition of CSRA goes forward, the company will be the federal government’s largest technology services provider by a wide margin.

Emerging Tech

Government Seeks Biometric Tech That Doesn’t Need People To Scan Fingerprints

New technology suggests automated machines might be the ones scanning your fingerprints from surfaces in the near future.