Digital Government
Liability an issue with health care software
Vendors should not be absolved of responsibility for technology that causes medical errors, IT specialists say.
Digital Government
Debate continues over White House policy on email preservation
Lawyers say the Obama administration's fondness for electronic communications could complicate the issue.
Ideas
Lawmaker Calls for Bailout Formatting
A Republican House member proposed a measure on Thursday that would demand banks receiving bailout funds hand over business results in a special format that is easily accessible, after many open government advocates had <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090501_1033.php?oref=search">urged the administration</a> to require such formatting.
Ideas
"Swine Flu," The Brand
One lesson learned from the swine flu outbreak is that cross-marketing the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention on other federal Web sites helped drive more citizens to sign up for emergency e-mail alerts, according to GovDelivery, a company that manages public communications for government agencies.
Cybersecurity
Budget push for cloud computing could be premature, observers say
Some warn security could suffer in the rush to subscription-based software and hardware services.
Ideas
What About Spending.gov Subs?
While the fiscal 2010 budget plan for federal IT investments cites efforts to build Recovery.gov, a federal site for tracking stimulus spending, it is silent on the extent to which subcontractor funding and performance will be disclosed. Lawmakers and interest groups are seeking more specifics on such transactions.
Ideas
Chopra Confirmation Hearing Scheduled
A Senate panel plans to examine on May 19 the nomination of Aneesh Chopra as the first-ever federal Chief Technology Officer, a White House Office of Science and Technology Policy official said on Tuesday.
Digital Government
Obama plan to beef up tax info system draws mixed reviews
System that pinpoints discrepancies between tax returns and third-party reports has led to recent boost in collections.
Ideas
When Boosting IT Is A Bad Thing
Getting rid of tax evaders is a good thing. But spending more money on technology to catch them after-the-fact is not, say some federal contracting advocates.
Digital Government
Federal CTO will issue incomplete suggestions for open government
Transparency advocates worry that Chopra's plans and lack of public involvement could create an impression Obama's neglecting the initiative.
Digital Government
Stimulus hot line is on the horizon
Effort will be tricky because tips are likely to vary widely.
Digital Government
Outside analysis can be good indicator of citizens' online needs
Agencies urged not to wait for official guidance on new media to figure out what makes users tick.
Ideas
Obama Tweets to Chill Flu Fears
President Obama joined Facebook, MySpace and Twitter -- all burgeoning online communities -- on Friday in what some are calling an effort to calm hysteria surrounding the swine flu outbreak.
Digital Government
Bipartisan support builds for bailout tracking database
Current TARP Web site lacks comprehensive information on activity outside Treasury.
Ideas
For Google, Public Not Always Public
Google this week piloted a new <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/adding-search-power-to-public-data.html">feature</a> that, according to the company, "makes it easy to find and compare public data," but, in reality, Google itself can't find a lot of the public data out there.
Modernization
Cloud computing could help agencies track stimulus funds
Contractors say advantages include lower cost, quick deployment, compatibility and better reporting, but security should be checked out before diving in.
Ideas
'Government Not Always the Solution'
Macon Phillips, the White House director of new media, has a proposition for open government advocates who want a federal Web site that will let them suggest recommendations for a forthcoming open government directive:
Digital Government
Public approval ratings on federal Web sites down slightly
Citizens ramp up expectations under 'Internet president' as agencies await guidance on improving online services.
Digital Government