Acquisition
GSA kicks off e-commerce portal effort
The federal acquisition agency held its first listening meeting with e-commerce providers as it begins planning its own ecommerce portal for federal buyers.
Digital Government
Digital fellowship program is back and growing for 2018
Building off last year's successful debut, the student-initiated Civic Digital Fellowship is back at more agencies, with more fellowship slots.
Policy
Trump Signs Executive Order to ‘Streamline’ Rural Broadband
The order offers no funding for broadband projects but aims instead to reduce bureaucratic barriers for industry.
Artificial Intelligence
Report: Invest in AI, but ‘It's Not Magic’
Agencies should avoid moonshot goals, a report suggests.
Cybersecurity
The revolution of obfuscation for cybersecurity and threat intelligence
Without the proper protections, threat intelligence can do more harm than good.
Cybersecurity
Border Agents Are Searching Through More Travelers' Devices Than Ever
Customs and Border Protection released updated rules for how officials can search phones, laptops and tablets in the age of encryption.
Cybersecurity
Zero Day Disclosure Bill Heads to House Floor
The bill would put the power of law behind the Trump administration’s vulnerability transparency pledge.
Modernization
Pentagon Shuffles Cloud Steering Committee
The group shaping the department's cloud strategy gets a new chair and new faces.
Emerging Tech
Tech Company Introduces Audio Technology to Help Those with Hearing Loss
A different kind of hearing aid.
Ideas
Meltdown and Spectre Complicate Government’s Cybersecurity Posture
The potential footprint makes 2014’s Heartbleed look like an op-forces training exercise.
Digital Government
Arbitrary Deadlines Are the Enemy of Creativity, According to Harvard Research
"Develop an amazing new idea" is not something that slides into a schedule.
Cybersecurity
Hurd, Monaco, Rometty to chair think tank's new cyber group
A D.C.-based think tank is launching a new cybersecurity strategy group to be led by the chair of the House's key IT panel and an Obama administration security adviser.
Artificial Intelligence
Amazon Echo’s Dominance in the Smart-Speaker Market Is a Lesson on the Virtue of Being First
Three years and change since Amazon first launched Alexa, the digital assistant has become a familiar voice in American homes.
Emerging Tech
A Letter From Two Big Apple Investors Powerfully Summarizes How Smartphones Mess With Kids’ Brains
The letter also takes a dig at social media companies.
Modernization
States can keep options open on FirstNet
Even though all 50 states have opted into FirstNet's and AT&T's plans for a nationwide wireless first responders' network, Verizon reminds them they're not obligated.
Digital Government
When government gets it right
Steve Kelman reports on an encounter with exceptional service, and considers what agencies need to deliver such an experience.
Cybersecurity
CBP revises rules for device searches at the border
New guidelines prevent law enforcement from trying to hack phones or access content on the cloud without "reasonable suspicion."
Modernization
OCIO gets a seat at the table on DOD's cloud team
Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord has been replaced as the chair of the group overseeing the massive cloud initiative known as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure.
Artificial Intelligence
We Should Raise AIs Like Parents, Not Programmers—Or They’ll Turn Into Terrible Toddlers
At its core, creating a safe AI is not that different than raising a decent human.
Digital Government