Opinion

Meeting the changing needs of citizens through continued disruption will mean states and localities must embrace modern technology and adapting civil service rules to accommodate remote and digital talent.

Transitioning away from paper documents will not only help local governments during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, when resources and staff may be reduced, but will also make services more accessible in the future.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, state-supported groups and cybercriminals may target networks, websites and social media streams to disrupt information flow, deceive the public and interfere with legitimate government functions.

A public charter school in Maryland has been practicing blended learning for years. What they have learned could serve as a model for K-12 public schools as they shift to distance learning during the pandemic.

Using a collaborative, fast-paced development process, the city’s public works created a way for residents to open up neighborhood streets for safe and healthy exercising while maintaining social distancing.

Some privacy and security experts have expressed cautious optimism that new private-sector efforts could be potentially useful tools to aid public health contact tracers while protecting privacy.

States and localities face multiple challenges when it comes to data protection. Having the right tools and services in place can make a crucial difference in today’s tough cybersecurity environment.

In California, COVID-19 and school closures have exposed the depth of the digital divide. But in San Jose, the state and private partners have a strategy that boosts digital inclusion and could be a model nationwide.

While traditional crime has dropped in the western world, complex offenses are increasing. It’s important that public safety agencies explain how and why the mission shift is underway through better transparency.

As more people add more connected devices to their residential and commercial networks, it begins to affect Internet performance. The addition of more spectrum gives Wi-Fi some breathing room.

Companies are working on applications to accurately trace virus exposure across the U.S. Despite a multitude of privacy concerns, the ACLU believes the tech could be effective and acceptable if it upholds six principles.

With New York state on “PAUSE,” local government IT departments have been in high gear ensuring that local governments are “open” for business and serving their communities.

Government has many options for keeping Americans safe while helping the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are three core strategies, involving existing technologies, that can make a huge difference.

The recovery from COVID-19 will be as consequential in shaping communities as the immediate crisis itself. To prepare, state, local and community leaders must prioritize their data capacity now to ensure recovery.

Big tech companies, like Google, are sharing data from your smartphones to help governments in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The situation has raised concerns among privacy advocates.

People who see facial recognition as a threat to privacy are attempting to thwart these systems by wearing masks. But, tech firms are already working on ways to identify individuals even with their faces covered.

The U.S. has yet to adopt the most aggressive surveillance-state tactics that other countries are deploying in the name of public health. But as the death toll mounts in the coming weeks, so will the pressure.

In addition to avoiding the cost of settling or litigating lawsuits, providing accessible documents and websites is simply the right thing to do to establish trust and goodwill with the public.