Ninety percent of policymakers, open data experts, and private sector leaders believe that the standardization and publication of government data relating to their field has improved to at least some extent over the last few years, according a report from the Data Foundation and Grant Thornton. […]

Government-ordered Internet shutdowns have a negative impact on the economy and human rights, according to Brett Solomon of Access Now. “We think that Internet shutdowns are an indicator of an atrocity taking place,” Solomon said. Internet shutdowns cost the economy $2.4 billion worldwide, according to the Brookings Institution. […]

Despite the short amount of time guaranteed to him as the Federal Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Brig. Gen. Gregory Touhill is optimistic about his ability to remain in his position through the presidential transition and has many plans that he hopes to carry through that transition. […]

The White House announced the creation of 29 tools Thursday that use Federal and local data to address problems identified by Federal agencies as part of the Opportunity Project, an open data effort to improve economic mobility for all Americans. […]

Though government regulation can sometimes be difficult to deal with, technology innovators should be working with government to solve the world’s biggest issues, according to panelists at South by South Lawn (SXSL) on Monday. “I think [with] a lot of the hardest problems, you have to work with the government; you can’t work independently,” said […]

Governments should be using open data as a communication tool with the public, according to Socrata CEO Kevin Merritt. So Socrata is releasing the Socrata Publica Open Data Cloud and CrimeReports services to help Federal, state, and local government organizations communicate their data with the public. […]

White House officials championed the Obama administration’s programs and advances in open data at the first White House Open Data Summit as a means of inspiring further open data innovations in the coming years. […]

Creators of a new open data app are encouraging the public to take advantage of tools created through government data, particularly through their Ecological Marine Units Map, which uses National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data to map the physical and chemical properties of the world’s oceans. […]

The Treasury Department and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) need to increase their oversight of agencies implementing the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act), according to a recent GAO report. […]

The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) has far-reaching government benefits as well as hurdles that must be addressed to ensure its success, according to authors of the research paper “The Data Act: Vision and Value.” […]

Small businesses are prime targets for today’s hackers, according to witnesses testifying at the House Small Business Committee. “According to a recent report by Verizon Enterprise, over 70 percent of attacks occurred in businesses with fewer than 100 employees,” said Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio. […]

The White House released the National Privacy Research Strategy on Friday, which allows research on how people understand privacy, how to define privacy needs, how to gain solutions to privacy issues, and how to diminish the consequences of privacy violations. […]

Commercial data services can help the efficiency of program integrity activities for certain government agencies. The Government Accountability Office stated in a June 30 report that agencies can focus their efforts on other tasks if they allow commercial data service providers to offer Web and phone-based services to authenticate taxpayers’ identities. […]

The Supreme Court overturned controversial Texas law H.B. 2, which implements regulations on Texas abortion clinics, such as requirements for surgical facilities and for doctors to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. However, the American Civil Liberties Union alleged this month that the Texas Department of State Health Services was intentionally hiding abortion data that would be relevant to the case. […]

Federal agencies 18F and the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) are desirable in theory but confusing and misdirected in practice, according to members and witnesses at the House Oversight Committee hearing on Friday. […]

An e-book published to coincide with World Oceans Day hopes to bring together researchers, government agencies, students, and technology to better the understanding of the world’s oceans. “If the oceans need help, then the entire planet needs help,” said Dawn J. Wright, chief scientist at Esri and editor of the second edition of Ocean Solutions, Earth Solutions. […]

Technology should be an important issue in both Republican and Democratic platforms for the upcoming election, according to a letter that advocacy groups sent to the party chairs on Monday. “As the process of developing your platforms continues, we believe it is vital that platform committees both understand the perspectives of the communities we advocate […]

Data professionals across the country will be combining their skills this weekend to improve Federal, state, and local government. The so-called National Day of Civic Hacking begins June 4. Each year, the event presents attendees with government-focused challenges and asks them to create the best digital solution to the problem. “National Day of Civic Hacking is a nationwide […]

health IT

Consumer expectations and needs demand that health data be shared and made easily accessible, according to Karen DeSalvo, the national coordinator for Health IT at HHS. Consumers are expecting that we share their data and HIPAA allows it,” DeSalvo said. […]

Proponents of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA) worry that a change in presidential administration could derail the progress made to release Federal financial data to the public. […]

Vice President Joe Biden implored attendees of the Health Datapalooza to join in his effort to make cancer data more accessible and usable. “We really need you,” Biden said. […]

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