Massachusetts

More Massachusetts police departments than ever are embracing body-worn cameras, recognizing not just benefits to the public, but to their officers as well. Yet the cameras can come at a steep cost.

IT officials in Massachusetts and Nevada discussed their plans to do more with data, filling leadership roles, building integrated data systems and enhancing security. Work is already underway.

With a new requirement from the Department of Justice looming, state and local governments must make their digital services accessible for people with disabilities, but not all are starting from the same place.

The Municipal Local Cybersecurity Grant Program is doling out nearly $7 million to cities and towns, regional school districts, and other local governments within the state.

Officials in Methuen, Mass., have started the process of installing 50 public police cameras in recent weeks as part of the citywide camera network that will cover all 23 square miles of the city.

Plus, initial proposals for BEAD program funding have been approved in two more states, findings from a new report emphasize the role libraries play in bridging the digital divide, and more.

A proposal set for a vote Wednesday in the House of Representatives would ban “data brokering” firms from selling, leasing, trading or renting location data. Consumer consent would be required before collection or processing.

Plus, Massachusetts has added three members to its digital accessibility board, a federal resource on digital literacy aims to support community needs, and more.

A $45.5 million grant from the state and the Massachusetts Broadband Institute will pay for high-speed Internet for Pioneer Valley communities. Four Internet service providers will make the installations in about 2,000 locations.

Uber and Lyft reached a $175 million settlement with Massachusetts to resolve a multiyear lawsuit around the classification of drivers working for the companies, according to a statement released Thursday.

The city has launched a digital map so the public can track progress for community improvement projects that they approved through the city’s participatory budgeting process.

As part of the Massachusetts Security Operations Center Cyber Range Initiative, Salem State will use $624,437 in grant funding to create a cyber talent pipeline and strengthen the defense of local communities.

911 services were down across Massachusetts for two hours on Tuesday. The cause of the outage is still unknown.

Cyber criminals diverted four monthly payments meant for a vendor involved with rebuilding the town’s high school, and they carefully managed compromised employee email accounts to hide the fraud.

The recently announced Cyber Resilient Massachusetts Grant Program offers state funds to help address cybersecurity gaps identified by vulnerability assessments. Applications are due July 1.

The UMass Lowell Innovation Hub Haverhill created the Digital Equity Challenge pitch contest to find community-based solutions that make it easier for people to access digital resources and opportunities.

With policies and guardrails in development around the country on responsible use of generative AI, Massachusetts and Georgia are creating environments where agencies can safely find real-world uses for the emerging tech.

The state’s Department of Environmental Protection will dedicate new funding to nearly double the number of PurpleAir sensors being deployed in communities to detect fine particulate matter.