The Weekend Reader – May 13
Device Makers, Telecoms Face Competing Government Demands on Privacy
The FCC sent a letter to mobile carriers, citing “a growing number of vulnerabilities…that threaten the security and integrity of a user’s device and all the personal, sensitive data on it,” and asking how carriers address those vulnerabilities. The FTC simultaneously ordered eight manufacturers of mobile devices to respond to a detailed set of questions about how they update the devices’ security protections and keep customers informed of those updates. Terrorist groups rely on encryption, FBI Director James Comey said, suggesting–as the government argued throughout its attempt to compel Apple to help crack security on an iPhone used by the San Bernardino shooters–that law enforcement agencies believe they are entitled to assistance from tech companies.
Can Artificial Intelligence Help Government Serve Citizens?
At the NASCIO Mid-Year Conference in Baltimore last week, Government Technology talked to state CIOs about whether cognitive computing can help them deal with the data deluge. Wisconsin CIO David Cagigal sees a definite role for technology that learns from citizen behavior to inform services and anticipate future needs.
FDIC Officials Differ on What Constitutes ‘Major’ Data Breach
FDIC experienced several data breaches over the last few years, at least seven of which were the result of employees taking sensitive information with them when moving on to new jobs. Initially, the FDIC declined to label these as major incidents, which would require immediate reporting to Congress. However, subsequent to IG investigations and news reports, it was determined all seven rose to this level and they were retroactively reported.
Menlo Park Police Join Federal Push for Open Data
The local police department has signed on to a 2015 White House initiative that calls for boosting transparency to increase trust in communities. The Menlo Park Police Department joins 52 other law enforcement agencies around the nation, including San Jose, San Francisco, Vallejo and San Leandro, participating in the Police Data Initiative.
Georgia Attorney General Supports Federal Data Breach Standard
Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens has come out in support of Federal data breach preemption as a more realistic way to ask companies to comply with regulatory requirements in the wake of a breach or data loss incident. His statement comes on the heels of California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ report that the burden on companies to comply with the patchwork of state data breach laws is too heavy, and that state laws should be harmonized to lessen that burden. Saying that “the day of benign neglect is gone,” Olens said companies that are lagging behind in putting reasonable security measures in place have no excuse.