Ideas

How Technology Can Help Mitigate Hurricane Harvey-Like Disasters

Well-placed backup and recovery systems can help keep government systems running.

Digital Government

How VA Turns Survey Data into Better Veteran Health Care

Real-time feedback could help the Veterans Affairs Department direct respondents to task forces for suicide or homelessness.

Ideas

How Government Agencies Can Protect Their Social Media Accounts—And Employees

Do public officials have the right to block users who insult them or post scathing comments publicly? At least one court case says no.

Digital Government

Lawsuit challenges Trump's Twitter blocks

A lawsuit filed July 11 takes issue on constitutional grounds with the practice of President Trump blocking users on Twitter.

Digital Government

Career official assumes Census leadership as key tests loom

Two career officials will serve as Census director and deputy director as the bureau faces multiple test and challenges in the run-up to the 2020 enumeration.

Digital Government

COVFEFE the typo becomes COVFEFE the bill

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) riffed on a recent Twitter meme with legislation that would expand the Presidential Records Act to explicitly include social media posts as documentary material.

People

White House official chided for violating Hatch Act

White House Social Media Director Dan Scavino Jr. was chided by an federal watchdog for stumping against a sitting congressman, a violation of the Hatch Act.

Acquisition

Trial by Twitter for acquisition pros

How federal acquisition will work under the Trump administration still an emerging and complicated issue.

Cybersecurity

New visa vetting to include social media handles

The State Department is starting to collect social media information from certain visa applicants deemed risky.

Digital Government

How tech, laws and leadership impede digital diplomacy

Digital diplomacy, a priority for the State Department under the Obama administration, appears to be at a crossroads.

Digital Government

E-diplomacy guru seeks elected office

Alec Ross, a pioneer of e-diplomacy at the State Department and an adviser to Hillary Clinton, is running for governor of Maryland.

Cybersecurity

Report: Pawn Storm a growing cyber threat

The cyber espionage group known as Pawn Storm, which was involved in hacking the Democratic National Committee, is increasingly focused on manipulating public opinion, says one cybersecurity firm.

Cybersecurity

DHS ends pursuit of rogue Twitter account

The Department of Homeland Security withdrew a bid to obtain the identities behind an "alt" USCIS Twitter account, in the face legal objections by the social media network.

People

White House says it is keeping deleted presidential tweets

The archivist of the United States reported that the White House plans to save deleted tweets, but notes that the president is the ultimate arbiter of what is and isn't a presidential record.

Cybersecurity

Watchdog: DHS social media screening lacks objectives

Two DHS components launched social media screening pilots in the wake of the San Bernardino shooting. The agency's internal watchdog wants to see improved coordination and measurable goals.

Cybersecurity

About that plan to collect passwords at the border...

Never mind privacy concerns -- FCW's cartoonist notes the real challenge for DHS.

Cybersecurity

Wyden objects to DHS password collection plan

The Democratic senator hope to block plans, floated by the Homeland Security secretary, to collect social media and mobile device passwords as a condition for travelers to enter the United States.

Cybersecurity

DHS mulls password collection at borders

Homeland Security Secretary tells House Committee that surrendering social media passwords to law enforcement is being considered as a condition of entry at border crossings.