Digital Government

Self-Reported Symptoms Pave Way for COVID-19 Forecasting

Researchers are gathering self-reported descriptions of COVID-19-related symptoms nationwide with the help of Facebook and GoogleSelf.

Ideas

Crashing the Party: Beware the Cyber Risks of Virtual Meet-up Apps Like Houseparty

The app’s booming popularity come with a growing number of questions about how safe and secure these kinds of apps really are.

Ideas

Why Is It So Hard to Stop COVID-19 Misinformation Spreading on Social Media?

In a joint statement, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube have pledged to work together to combat misinformation.

Digital Government

140 Million Tweets Capture COVID-19's Spread

And it’s publicly available as a resource for the global research community.

Ideas

No, 5G Radiation Doesn't Cause or Spread the Coronavirus. Saying It Does Is Destructive.

Many outlets and people have rushed to debunk this myth but myriad groups and public figures continue to perpetuate it.

Ideas

How to Avoid COVID-19 Fake News

The first tip is to get your info from established news sources, not social media.

Cybersecurity

Attacks on DOD Networks Soar as Telework Inflicts ‘Unprecedented’ Loads

As DOD scrambles to find equipment for those who can work from home, Pentagon leaders tell personnel: ‘No hand-shaking, no high-fives,” and clean your workstations.

Cybersecurity

CISA looks to industry for anti-troll tools

The agency is looking to bolster its technical capabilities to identify foreign propaganda online that targets specific audiences in the U.S.

Modernization

COVID-19 Forces a New Approach to Public Health Communications

No one likes to wait for answers to questions regarding health issues, especially when there is a lot of uncertainty and conflicting information.

Ideas

Where Everyone Goes When the Internet Breaks

Downdetector is a simple, ugly utility, which becomes a weird little life raft for displaced communities when their websites crash.

Cybersecurity

Schumer to TSA: Delete your (TikTok) account

The Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, TSA's parent agency, have already banned the video-sharing app from federally owned devices, citing risks associated with TikTok's Chinese ownership.

Cybersecurity

FBI Director Argues Private Companies Shouldn’t Decide Encryption Debate 

A key lawmaker questioned whether the Justice Department’s position is at odds with the Defense Department’s.

Digital Government

Dating Apps Can Be Dangerous. Congress Is Investigating.

Prompted by press reports, including a recent article by Columbia Journalism Investigations and ProPublica, a House subcommittee announced that it would examine the use of dating apps by minors and the prevalence of sex offenders on such sites.

Ideas

Hate Cancel Culture? Blame Algorithms.

The same algorithmic forces that buttress cancel culture can actually rehabilitate canceled entertainers.

Emerging Tech

The Army’s Investigative Unit Wants Social Media Exploitation Services

The Criminal Investigation Command is looking to tap into social media sites for digital evidence.

Policy

As Putin Schemes to Extend His Reign, Expect New Forms of Internet Repression

Russia under a president-for-life will likely grow more insular and less open to Western influence.

Cybersecurity

Iran Is Expanding Its Online Disinformation Operations

Tehran isn’t as practiced as Moscow at purveying propaganda online, but they’re no slouches.

Ideas

The Sneaky Genius of Facebook's New Preventative Health Tool

The feature looks likely to fill gaps in care—and to further draw users into Facebook’s ecosystem.

Policy

Experts Recommend Expanding Agencies’ Authorities to Combat Online Deception

At Facebook’s first congressional testimony of the 2020s, experts said agencies’ jurisdiction should include the digital spaces.