Digital Government
Privacy advocates give limited approval for new White House Web 2.0 policies
Civil libertarians are pleased the guidelines provide an expansive definition of personally identifiable information, but want stronger and clearer language that would protect citizens' identities and data.
Digital Government
In major switch, United States embraces foreign navigation systems
Significant policy shift recognizes the United States no longer has an exclusive on satellite positioning and must work with other countries to augment and backup the American-built GPS.
Digital Government
OMB charts performance improvement course
Focus will shift from data collection to using performance information to achieve better results.
Digital Government
Are they really ‘interns’?
A June 25 forum on the federal hiring process hosted by the Office of Personnel Management gave critics of the Federal Career Intern Program yet another chance to sound off.
Digital Government
Honey, We Need Online Counseling
Technology has taken over much of the dating scene, with match-making sites such as <a href=http://www.eharmony.com/>eharmony.com</a>. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the flip side of finding that perfect mate through the Web is online marriage counseling. The Well blog at the New York Times on Monday <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/seeking-to-pre-empt-marital-strife/">discussed</a> these programs.
Cybersecurity
Paying for Classified Security
You'd probably think that since Sept. 11, the federal government's costs for securing classified information would have increased at a steady rate year after year. That wouldn't be quite right. According to the Information Security Oversight Office's <a href=http://www.archives.gov/isoo/reports/2009-cost-report.pdf>2009 Cost Report</a>, which was just released, the amount the federal government spent on information security for classified data was$4.26 billion in 2009, down slightly from $4.34 billion in 2008. In fact, the amount of spending on securing networks storing classified data hasn't increased at quick clip since 2004, when the amount spent on security was $3.9 billion. Of course, spending shot up right after Sept. 11. In 2001, the cost of securing classified networks was just $2.5 billion.
Digital Government
Spectrum War: Karate Road vs. Defense
In hyping President Obama's decision on Monday to allocate 500 MHz of very scarce spectrum for mobile wireless broadband services, his economic adviser Lawrence Summers said this amounted to the best use of spectrum currently used by federal agencies and TV broadcasters.
Ideas
National Social Media Day?
The social media revolution finally has reached the highest levels of government -- in Canada, that is. Mashable earlier this month designated June 30 as a day to celebrate all things social media, resulting in hundreds of meetups planned worldwide. But the city council in Victoria, British Columbia's capital, was the first government body to <a href=http://mashable.com/2010/06/28/social-media-day-victoria/>formally recognize</a> the event.
Digital Government
Pentagon tightens reins on contractors
The Defense Department wants its contractors to cut their costs as part of a larger DOD strategy to maintain its power as budgets decline.
Cybersecurity
Obama rockets to space with new policy
The Obama administration released a new policy for space exploration that calls for maintaining and enhancing space-based positioning, navigation, and timing systems, as well as protecting access to the radio-frequency spectrum.
Digital Government
Reforming Federal Hiring
The Office of Personnel Management on Friday held a public meeting on its efforts to overhaul the federal hiring process, and my colleague Emily Long has all the <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=45566&dcn=todaysnews">details</a> of the meeting at GovernmentExecutive.com.
Digital Government
OPM Announces First LEAD Graduates
The Office of Personnel Management on Monday recognized the first graduates of its new Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) certificate program, and two notable technology leaders are among the program's graduates.
Digital Government
First lady wants help to create childhood obesity infographics
Michelle Obama is looking for a colorful, powerful graphic to present childhood obesity information with the greatest effect.
Digital Government
VA patient scheduling app still not ready for prime time
The Veterans Affairs Department's second attempt to build an outpatient scheduling system may not get off the ground unless significant management deficiencies are corrected, according to the Government Accountability Office.
Modernization
OMB puts brakes on financial systems modernization
The Obama administration announced today that it will overhaul the federal financial management system and prohibit agencies from placing task orders or contracts for modernization efforts.
Digital Government
Senate Homeland Security Committee hopes you 'like' its Facebook page
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has launched its own Facebook page for interaction via the social-networking service.
Modernization
There are no shortcuts to findability
The hype around improving the findability of online information can lead to shortsighted solutions.
Digital Government