Digital Government

Light Bulb Finder mobile app wins EPA contest

The Environmental Protection Agency named the winners of its Apps for the Environment challenge.

Modernization

Google algorithm change may mean less traffic for some government websites

Federal agencies may want to update their website content more frequently, based on the impacts from Google's most recent algorithm update.

Cybersecurity

SBInet redux? GAO criticizes gaps in planning for next border technologies

With the echoes of SBInet less than a year old, the Homeland Security Department is embarking on another $1.5 billion border technology strategy without sufficient planning, according to an audit.

Digital Government

GPO gets a new inspector general

The Government Printing Office has a new inspector general in charge of auditing the agency's activities.

Modernization

USAJobs goes splat instead of splashy

As the USAJobs debacle dragged into its fourth week, lawmakers and pundits began loudly proclaiming that the incident offered lessons for federal insourcing and IT policy.

People

Did OPM forget USAJobs was about jobs?

The USAJobs 3.0 launch might have gone more smoothly with better social media communications to ease users' concerns.

Modernization

VA builds its own online job board

The Veterans Affairs Department has 3,553 job vacancies to fill, and it has created a new online jobs board to encourage veterans to apply.

Modernization

OPM: USAJobs has turned a corner

The poorly performing USAJobs website is showing signs of recovery, according to OPM Director John Berry.

People

DOJ changes to FOIA undermine transparency, critics say

The Justice Department claims changes will streamline FOIA, but critics say they make government secrecy easier to maintain

Modernization

VA's online Blue Button medical app soon to add job data

The Veterans Affairs Department wants to help veterans find jobs by adding military job codes to its popular Blue Button online medical record application.

Modernization

USAJobs drops offline due to hardware problems

The USAJobs website went offline, experiencing hardware difficulties, on Nov. 1

People

NARA officials defend searchability of electronic archive

National Archives and Records Administration leaders rebut a complaint from the agency's inspector general that search capabilities are inadequate on the newly deployed electronic archive.

Modernization

SSA rebuffs IG's call for a strategic plan for online services

The heart of the dispute: Should expansions of online services be planned out well in advance, or left flexible?

Modernization

Education Dept.'s new website suffers data leak, malfunctions

While USAJobs' technical problems have been in the news, another federal website, run by the Education Department, also is experiencing performance issues.

People

Tips for getting the most out of Twitter

Hint: The # symbol matters

Modernization

USAJobs on brink of becoming a political issue

The disastrous USAJobs relaunch is starting to raise the eyebrows of lawmakers and other stakeholders.

Cybersecurity

'Freak' TSA screener in process to be fired, Blogger Bob says

The TSA found itself in the middle of a social media frenzy this week with the "Get your freak on" note incident.

Acquisition

Contractor tax repeal advances

The House approves a repeal of the 3 percent withholding tax on contractors. Next up: a Senate vote.

Modernization

Senator asks federal CIO to resolve USAJobs crisis

With the USAJobs website technical problems extending into a third week, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts is calling on Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel to get involved.

Digital Government

VA Acquisition Academy chancellor wins national award

Lisa Doyle was honored for her efforts in getting the VA's acquisition academy up and running