Cybersecurity & Tech

What’s happening? 18.5% of Iowa has access to internet. Expanding this has been the focus of  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. Her broadband access proposal includes $450 million in state funding combined with private sector funds and grant money made available through the Federal Communications Commission. HSB 133 (2021 | IA)

Why is this important? Broadband expansion proposal include a mix of funds and a private industry participation.

How will this be important? Every state and city is looking to expand interest access because of COVID. In Iowa the talk is to treat broadband access like a utility.

The Hawk Eye | Iowa Governor’s $450M Broadband Buildout Receives Support

• 214% increase in cyber attacks on healthcare over 2019
• 4 of 5 cyberattacks on healthcare were committed by criminal enterprises
•  The SolarWinds cover attack resulted in 18,000 clients of SolarWinds downloading the ransomeware

CQ Roll Call. | Cyberattacks Surged in 2020, Mostly Hitting Health Care

What’s the deal? HB 80 (2021 | UT) creates an affirmative defense for businesses that follow national guidelines for data security and are hacked, potentially exposing sensitive personal data.

Why is this important? Affirmative Defenses, Liability protections are growing. OH started it back in 2019.

How will this be important? Those 2020 electoral maps were home to red, and those red states are apt to adopt liability protections for businesses when it comes to cyber security which is at the forefront of litigation.

St George’s News | Bill would give legal protection to businesses that store data, aims to increase consumer data security

What’s the deal? Washington State recently created the Office of Cybersecurity and now it’s beefing up its powers by adding the ability to create best practices for safely storing sensitive data by all state offices and agencies.

Why is this important? SB5432 (2021 | WA) will be the first major extension of power for this office. As the bill’s author characterizes his state, “Washington state has a ferocious addiction to decentralization.” Washington State is not alone.

How ill this be important? More and more states are creating standalone executive offices to specifically oversee cybersecurity. Other states can use these states as models and guides for how their state cybersecurity office will function.

Seattle Times | Washington state lawmakers want to strengthen cybersecurity in Olympia after massive data breach

What’s the deal? Michigan has released an app, Michigan Secure, which will alert users if their devices  have suspicious activity.

Why should we care? The state is expressly not collecting data with the app.

How can this impact me? Its going to impact everyone. The App is the brainchild of Former Michigan Chief Security Officer Chris Derusha. Derusha left his post to be chief information security officer for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign in June 2020, and was recently named the CISO of the federal government

Route Fifty | Michigan Secure app warns of phishing attempts, vulnerable software, risky settings and more.

What’s the deal? Body cameras are the norm for law enforcement. California is paying for body cameras for corrections officers to gain transparency on the treatment of disabled prisoners. Its the result of a lawsuit alleging mistreatment of disabled prisoners.

Why should we care? Transparency. Everyone loves calling for it. For the state of California to supply body cameras and security cameras to corrections facilities, it carries a price tag of $30.5 million over the course of three fiscal years to pay for the installation of security and body cameras.

How can this impact me? Look for this California pilot project to be modeled elsewhere that the management of corrections facilities is at issue.

Sacramento Bee via Governing | California to Require Body Cams on Correctional Officers

What’s the deal? Hackers gained access to the city of Oldsmar, Florida’s water treatment system and increased the level of sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, by a factor of more than 100.

Why should we care? The process affirms the vulnerability of systems we rely on but also highlights the need for internal checks and balances. Oldsmar said monitors watched as the hackers manipulated the system and immediately returned it to normal levels. But, also highlighted other checks and balances that would have caught it before the water was released for consumption.

How can this impact me? We may as well include hackers in the new economy. Corporations and governmental enemies are including c-suite level leadership on data, information and security.

Tampa Bay Times via Governing | Hackers Attempt to Poison Florida City’s Water Supply

Star Tribune | Hack exposes vulnerability of cash-strapped US water plants

What’s the deal? tech companies are pushing for federal data protection standards. The states moved into this territory when the feds didn’t do anything. Remember California’s much touted Data Protection Bill. Well, states are still acting. Virginia has SB 1392 (2021 | VA) Much like California it gives the consumer more power to pull and protect their data. Viriginia’s draft is a lot like Washington state’s SB 6281 (2020 | WA)

Why should we care? Let’s face reality- even if the feds act, the states will keep at it too. 

How can this impact me? Data protection and data security are top line messages. Just last week Tim Book took aim at Facebook’s lack thereof. Data security is also a new factor in procurement, and concern for clients and business.

Politico | STATE PRIVACY PUSH QUIETLY BUBBLES UP 

What’s the deal? Connecting students to the internet for virtual learning, and let’s face it, learning when school is in person all the time. Every state is trying to fill gaps in internet access. Nevada brought together their COVID task force, a former each of the State Board of Education and private partners for Connecting Kids NV. They reached all 485,705 students and got them devices and internet connection.

Why should we care? Every state and city is trying to find a successful way to get full internet, broadband, coverage. The state with the Extraterrestrial Highway managed to pull this off successfully.

How can this impact me? The internet is the marketplace. Everyone and everything is connected.

Governing | Nevada State of the State Address

What’s the deal? In the Arizona State of the State the Governor stressed keeping new economy work from home for state employees. That work from home could eliminate the need fro office space and free up state funds.

Why should we care? This is emblematic of the new economy. There will be an increased move to work more from home, or out of the traditional office. Less about how many hours you log and more about what you accomplish.

How does this impact me? Office Space Market Price. Glad handing online. This will change the landscape for commercial office space when the scarcity is removed from the economic equation. There are generations that are accustom to building personal relationships online. Opportunities are limitless.

Governing | Arizona State of the State Address

What’s the deal? Florida Governor has a legislative proposal to fine companies that block elected officials from platforms. The Florida House Committee on Commerce wants to take it further and “imposes daily fines on a technology company that uses its content and user-related algorithms “to suppress or prioritize the content related to political candidates.”

Why should we care? These nascent issues will decide how tech laws will be written. If one state acts, others will follow. There hasn’t been any laws directing tech companies one way or another. Issues of first impression like this are often wrought with unintended consequences.

How does this impact me? Tech is changing government affairs and lobbying. Tech is spending more money in the arena and the visions are clear. Whether it is protect data privacy or protect integrity of elections, tech is going to be in the middle of everything. For those of us who are science and math loving nerds, this is the time when we do our happy dance.

Governing | DeSantis: Penalize Social Media That Blocks Politicians

What’s the deal? After Twitter blocked Donald Trump, proposals have emerged to prevent the blocking of elected officials. Florida Governor is now chiming in with a proposal that will impose a fine “if a technology company de-platforms a candidate for elected office in Florida during the election, a company will face a daily fine of $100,000 until the candidate’s access to the platform is restored again.””

Why should we care? Hypocrisy. Some time ago, consistency mattered. So did facts. But, it’s a new economy and we’re entering new territory. Do we pick the same old choice of disregarding facts and consistency? Do we care if we need to reconcile the notion that a private company should be able to deny customers for religious reasons, can a private company deny a person a social media platform for safety or other reasons?

How does this impact me? Representing an elected official in a cancel culture should wake us up. If your client is silenced, could your account could also be silenced? On the flip side, could your work entail negotiating terms to reinstate the account of your client.

Governing | DeSantis: Penalize Social Media That Blocks Politicians

What’s the deal? SB 475 (2021 | TX) by Nelson came from the Texas Privacy Protection Advisory Council. Its going to require consent before agencies retain data about you or your location & requires consent for bio markers and GPS.

Why should we care? Data Privacy legislation is the new big fight between federal law and state law. States are acting to protect their people.

Why does this matter to me? Everyone loves the Texas- California who is doing things better discussion. As the two states split tech company homes, they’re also taking 2 different approaches to data privacy.

Flower Mound Leader | Cybersecurity, data privacy among bills filed by Nelson

What’s the deal? The corporate lawyers are talking and they say cyber security and data privacy are the top legal challenges.

Why should we care? Large lawsuits also impact laws and regulations.

Why does this matter to me? Lawsuits aren’t isolated and can impact insurance rates, cost of goods and services, and generate legislative causes.

Reuters | Law department leaders rate cybersecurity, data privacy as top challenges

What’s the deal? Staten Island D.A. Office is using facial recognition software. Yeah, the same software that some cities and states are banning because it misidentifies people especially Black people and people of color.

Why should we care? This facial recognition software isn’t like the stuff that tech companies hit the pause button on, the version at the DA office uses images from social media plus You Tube and Venmo.

Why does this matter to me? Privacy rights supporters, lawyers, & tech companies are just a few paying attention. This isn’t going anywhere and it ties into data privacy legislation.

Staten Island Advance via Governing | Staten Island D.A. Uses Controversial Facial Recognition Tool

What’s the deal? COVID and the resulting work from home, telehealth & virtual schools exposed the gaps in internet access. Cities and states are working to expand access. CT Gov. has a plan for statewide access. CT’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority would require ISPs to provide access to all residents where the ISP has a video license & make it easier to add broadband to utility poles.

Why should we care? Expanding access to broadband closes gaps that historically impact rural and minority households.

Why does this matter to me? Utilities and ISPs can benefit along with 3rd party interests that provide services like telehealth, virtual school platforms and work from home apps like Zoom.

Hartford Courant via Governing | Connecticut Governor Proposes Statewide Broadband by Fall 2022

State legislators in Illinois are making their list and checking it twice for the reasons why Illinois should permit residents to sue social media for censorship. On their lists:

• Some legislators want social media to maintain its open platform and free sharing of diverse ideas
• Some legislators want social media to have tools to keep them from being used to amplify extremist and violent rhetoric

Center Square | Regulating technology could get some attention in Illinois with new Legislature

Say you’re on social media. Say you think that social media company is censoring you. Can you sue?

Under a new HB1144 (2021 | ND) would allow a resident of North Dakota to sue an out of state tech company if the person is censored by the social media company.

Does the public support it? Yes, 54% say yes

What does the 54% support?

• legislation to clarify how restrict or remove content from social media sites
• legislation to clarify and when to remove content from social media sites
• legislation to clarify what kind of content is deemed appropriate

How do people feel about letting companies determine how they operate? 46% want companies to set their own rules

A bipartisan 65% say social media platforms “have too much influence over politics and society in the U.S.”

The Hill | Poll: Most Americans want legislation governing social media policies

What are prognosticators pointing to as signs for revival of federal data protection legislation?

• VP Harris was Attorney General of California when California passed its landmark data protection legislation
• VP Harris created a Privacy Protection & Data Enforcement Office within the California State Attorney General Office
• International policies have focused on omnibus protections and not industry by industry data protection
• Obama Administration had established a permanent Federal Privacy Council and issuing a Privacy Bill of Rights

Government Technology | What Does A Biden Presidency Mean for Privacy Policy?

Where: Massachusetts

What: Legislation gave vehicle owners greater access to vehicle data so that owners and independent mechanics to send commands to the vehicle for repair

How did voters receive the constitutional protection? 75% voted to support the protection

Can this help company and government fleets? Yes, it is seen as a move to open the App market to allow better monitoring and managing of fleet vehicles

Tech Crunch | Massachusetts voters pass a right-to-repair measure, giving them unprecedented access to their car data

AB 27 (2021 | NY ) would:

• develop a written retention policy setting forth the time period for information containing biometric data
• require consent for collecting biometric data
• prohibit organizations from selling or otherwise profiting from the biometric data

The proposition: EU start ups are thriving and those in the US are suffering.

Why is there an advantage to EU start ups? Better data privacy legislation in the EU

So what can the US/states do?

• Stop thinking of it as data privacy compliance
• Start thinking about the issue as “harmonization of the customer relationship”
• Start thinking of start ups as “keys that can unlock the full power of the data they possess”

How should legislation be implemented?

• A regulatory framework covering data governance, access and reuse between businesses, between businesses and government, and within administrations to create incentives for data sharing.
• Make public-sector data more widely available by opening up “high-value datasets” to enable their reuse to foster innovation.
• Support for cloud infrastructure, platforms and systems to support the data reuse goals, with investments in trustworthy, energy-efficient cloud infrastructures.
• Sector-specific actions to build data spaces that focus on specific areas such as industrial manufacturing, energy, mobility or health.

Tech Crunch | Inadequate federal privacy regulations leave US startups lagging behind Europe

The Texas Blockchain Council is working to make a Blockchain Caucus a reality in Texas.

The Texas Blockchain Council showed Texas Secretary of State a blockchain technology to authenticate government records.

The legislative goals:

• legislation to update the state’s Uniform Commercial Code
• legislation to enable broader blockchain infrastructure

NTX Inno | Texas Blockchain Council unveils first proof of concept in push to make the state an industry hub

Hawaii Health Department has launched AlohaSafe Alert app.

What does AlohaSafe Alert app do?

• Will alert app users if they’ve been in contact with anyone who is positive
• Relies on Bluetooth technology that is said to better protect personal data
• Will supplement contact tracing by the Hawaii Department of Health

What will count as exposure contact by an App user?

• if phones were in proximity to one another in the past 14 days
• at a distance of 6 feet or less
• for at least 15 minutes

How many states are using a contact tracing app? Dozen including California, Washington, and the District of Columbia

Honolulu Star Advertiser via Governing | Hawaii Launches App to Slow Down Rise in COVID Cases

Data drives health care innovation, but do regulations and laws protect that data?

How did COVID drive awareness to health care data privacy? COVID highlighted that the collection, use, sharing and further processing of data can help limit the spread of the virus 

Could blockchain help?

• It would anonymize health care data

Emerging Europe | Access to data can boost innovation in healthcare. But how can we ensure patient rights are protected?

What government is considering a State Crypto Currency? Sweden

What are Swedish banker concerns?

• Sweden is already a mostly digital, or cashless
• e-krona users can bypass middlemen, private banks, and connect directly to the Central Bank
• Commercial banks would become dependent on wholesale markets for liquidity
• the e-krona is set to be traceable, moving the Central Bank into an area it does not regulate: privacy

ambcrypto | Bankers in Sweden express concerns over e-Krona digital currency project

Autonomous vehicles rely on large-scale data collection. From road ways, to traffic laws to average human behavior.

Do laws address the data that Autonomous vehicles need? Not so much

What should AV laws address?

• Has there been consent to collect the data? Is express consent required?
• What data is collected? is it all defined as personal information?
• What protections are on data shared with 3rd party data companies? Like the company that has the data of human risk behaviors that works into an AV algorithm.
• Is the mapping data collected shared with local governments for transportation projects?
• Is the data shared across international borders?

Automotive World | Autonomous vehicle developments put focus on data compliance

The State: New York

How the facial recognition software ban came to be: AB 6787 (2020 | NY)

Is it a permanent ban? No, its a let’s wait until  July 1, 2022 & let’s study it

What happens on July 1st 2022? The State Board of Education President upon reviewing a study of the software could approve its use

What about school shootings? The software is mostly ineffective as most shooters are students who would not trigger the software

Route Fifty | A State Becomes the First to Suspend Facial Recognition Technology in Schools

Not a day goes by that we don’t see a headline about hackers. COVID increased the importance of Chief Information Officers from hacking prevention to solid disease trackers. COVID highlighted a big problem in access to technology when working from home and school from home didn’t work when there was no broadband access.  

Tech companies admitted that there are flaws in facial recognition software. Lots of cities and police departments said no, don’t want to be that person who gets the headline- we used facial recognition software and locked up an innocent 90 year old grandmother. 

We learned an interesting tech tip- you can’t actually trace cryptocurrency transfers. But, states have allowed Bitcoin to pay taxes and permitted bitcoin campaign contributions. So, we’ll see how that goes…

Phoenix is partnering with schools, technology companies and other city agencies to close the digital divide.

The sequential goals Phoenix is establishing:

• expanded access to connectivity to the entire 250-square-mile Phoenix Union High School District
• Expand to all school districts in Phoenix

State Tech | How Cities Are Forging Partnerships to Close the Digital Divide

COVID highlighted the disparity in access to broadband in San Antonio.

What data did San Antonio look to solve the disparity? San Antonio created an “Equity Atlas” that “visualizes the aggregated education level, income and primary language of different census tracts in the city,” 

What did San Antonio discover? The broadband divide starts to close at household incomes above $60,000 and that it is most stark in minority communities

San Antonio’s Plan:

•  spend $27 million 
• connect 20,000 school children
• build on an existing network infrastructure and personal Wi-Fi hotspots

State Tech | How Cities Are Forging Partnerships to Close the Digital Divide

Massachusetts Governor has returned a law enforcement reform bill to the Legislature asking it to remove a ban on facial recognition software.

Tech Crunch | Massachusetts governor won’t sign police reform bill with facial recognition ban

In New Jersey, 74% of COVID positive persons will not cooperate.

New Jersey has 30 contact tracers for every 100,000 persons.

NJ.com | N.J.’s big hangup in coronavirus fight gets worse. Contact tracers find 74% unwilling to cooperate.

Continuing Black Lives Matter reforms, Madison, Wisconsin voted to ban the use of facial recognition software by city agencies.

The reasons offered for opposing the use of facial recognition software:

• unreliable
• faulty
• would worsen the racial disparities 

The exception that allows use of facial recognition software: to identify and locate “victims of human trafficking, child sexual exploitation or missing children.”

Wisconsin State Journal via Governing | Wisconsin Capital Bans City’s Facial Recognition Use

In Van Buren v. U.S. the question is whether unauthorized use of a law enforcement database by a law enforcement officer, who was authorized to the use the database, but not for this search, is that sanctionable?

Why does this matter? Did you ever check your realreal bids at the office? Or run a quick search for why your eye is twitching? Hello unauthorized use.

Where does this get even grayer? Researchers and journalists often use fake accounts for research purposes.

What has Alito said? ” including this unauthorized use could loop in a lot of others that are innocuous

Protocol | Van Buren v. United States: The SCOTUS case splitting the privacy world in two

The National Governors Association has a new study about locating new broadband.

The nuts & bolts:

• The FCC collects broadband access data, but says it is imperfect
• Up to 42 million could be underserved by broadband
• Suggests a program in North Carolina was a good way to map broadband access.
  • North Carolina stakeholders included state agencies and internet providers
  • The group conducted speed tests, increased WiFi hotspots and widen outreach
  • 44% increase in statewide connectivity from 2014 to 2019

NGA | Governor Strategies to Expand Affordable Broadband Access

The legislation: HR 8807 (116th Congress)

What will HR 8807 do?

• Create a $10M grant program for local governments and utilities
• To determine where to locate EV charging stations

What information will the data help solve?

• data on travel patterns and regional commutes
• data to address and quell range anxiety
• produce a map “identifying concentrations of electric vehicle charging stations to meet the needs of current and future of electric vehicle drivers” 
• data to track evolving transportation patterns
• to “empower investors and private sector companies to confidently build out this infrastructure in an informed manner”-Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions Executive Director Heather Reams

ROUTE FIFTY | New legislation would launch a $10 million grant program to set the scene for what’s to come on the EV-use landscape.

Which legislature is calling on health care data audits? Pennsylvania

How will this work? The Legislature’s House Budget and Finance Committee will audit data maintained by the Health Department to identify anomalies in its reporting

What: HR 1087 (2020 | PA)

Why? What was the Legislature reacting to? Discrepancy between the number of COVID-19-related deaths reported by the state’s Department of Health & those reported by coroners + inconsistencies in reporting of deaths from nursing homes and practices for reporting positive cases

What: HB6314 (2020 | MI)

Where: Michigan

What else does HB 6314 do? Require a uniform and centralized data system to collect data related to testing sites and a public resource with detailed information about cases, testing, deaths, recoveries, available PPE, hospital occupancy and much more.

California’s Data Privacy Legislation, CCPA, and its amendments passed by voters in November 2020, federal legislation is thought to likely meet or exceed California data privacy standards.

What would be included in federal legislation that isn’t in California’s?

• individual privacy rights for data privacy
• whether private individuals may bring a cause of action for data privacy violations
• whether California’s small business exception will apply.
  • California defines a small business as less than $25 million annual revenue and earns less than half its revenue from selling data from fewer than 50,000 entities
• The impact and use of AI and algorithmic discrimination

Brookings Institute | By passing Proposition 24, California voters up the ante on federal privacy law

Where: Japan

What: A robot identifies individuals not wearing masks or socially distancing and politely advises the person to wear a mask or maintain social distancing.

News Herald | Robot in Japan reminds people to follow coronavirus etiquette

The state: Oregon

Why is a state privacy office necessary?

• state agencies collect a lot of personal information
• there is no consistent statewide policy unhanding personal information
• state must ensure that privacy risks are identified and managed
• state must ensure there is a process to handle security incidents

A fragmented system relying on each agency to protect data separately falls short in protecting personal data

What does Oregon have in place? Enterprise Information Services, a statewide data and information systems agency

How many states have a single point in charge of protecting personal data? 15

Statesman Journal | Audit suggests state take this step to protect Oregonians’ personal information

The Police Force: City of Los Angeles

The position on facial recognition software:

•  Officers & detectives are prohibited from using outside facial recognition platforms in their investigations
• They can continue to use  Los Angeles County Regional Identification System which relies on criminal booking photos
• Los Angeles Times reports LAPD has used facial recognition software 30,000 times since 2009

The catalyst: Officers had used third party familial recognition software without permission

Los Angeles Times via Governing | Los Angeles Police Ban Use of Third-Party Facial Recognition

Facial Recognition Software is a hot topic for policy makers.

The EU has new rules that allow for the sale of software, like facial recognition software, but adds a lot of transparency requirements.

What new rules will apply in the EU?

• require a license to sell technology with military applications
• due diligence on such sales to assess the possible human rights risks;
• require governments to publicly share details of the licenses they grant

MIT Technology Review | Europe is adopting stricter rules on surveillance tech

Who ranked Texas as reactionary on blockchain policy: The Brookings Institute

Who is talking about the ranking? The Texas Blockchain Council 

Why did the Texas Blockchain Council form? “Texas is positioning itself to pick up the mantle of leadership in the emerging technology space”

Long term goals: “public-private partnerships that include research institutes, regulatory agencies, private companies, and economic development entities to incubate and develop a blockchain innovation ecosystem “

www.texasblockchaincouncil.com

Texas Blockchain Council Launches to Make Texas a Leader in Blockchain Innovation

• $1.75 billion Universal Broadband Fund
• 50/10 Megabits per second (Mbps) to rural and remote communities
• up to $750 million available for large impact projects
• up to $50 million available to support mobile projects that primarily benefit Indigenous peoples.
• up to $150 million available as part of our Rapid Response Stream

 High Speed Access for all: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy.

Government of Canada | Universal Broadband Fund

@JustinTrudeau on twitter

Cities are trying to tackle high crime areas by collecting data on the cars that enter certain high crime portions of their cities.

What do privacy advocates say?

• Creates permanent records of virtually everywhere any of us has driven
• Transforms the consequences of leaving home to pursue private life, and opening up many opportunities for abuse,
• Tracking people’s location constitutes a significant invasion of privacy

The most recent city to dip its toe in license plate reader pool? Wichita KS

Wichita Eagle via Governing | Wichita to Take License Photos in High-Crime Neighborhoods

S4833 (116th Congress | Hassan & Cornyn) would give states access tot he National Guard to enforce cyber security laws.

Route Fifty | New Bill Would Codify States’ Ability to Use Federally Funded National Guard for Cybersecurity

Goldman Sachs estimates that by 2022 the global data industry will be worth more than $250 billion.

So what are investors looking for? How will legislation and regulation impact data security, advertisement, marketing and the requisite data.

Add in pop culture…. with the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma that echoed the phrase– “if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product”.

Stockhead | Data security is about to be big business as legislative winds begin to shift

Who made the recommendations? Governor’s Broadband Development Council

Where do I read all their fancy words? 2020 Texas Report Governor’s Broadband Development Council

What are their recommendations?

• The Texas Legislature create a state broadband plan
• The Texas Legislature create a state broadband office
• Study the benefit of a state broadband funding program to incentivize deployment in unserved areas

 The Gilmer Mirror – Governor s Broadband Development Council Issues First Report To Texas Legislature

Reform Austin | Governor’s Council: How More Texans Could Have Broadband Access

What’s coming our way? Crypto currency credit cards

How? ZenGo, a c crypto currency start up, is working with Visa to develop a non-custodial crypto payment card

How will the credit card work? It will be the first card tied to a self-hosted, on-chain, multi-currency wallet where funds are controlled by the user

Decrypt | ZenGo Developing Crypto Credit Card With Visa

56+% California voters approved new data privacy standards in the state including:

• 3x fines for companies that violate kids’ privacy
• Create a dedicated state agency to enforce data privacy laws
• Holds big business accountable
• Closes loopholes that proponents say companies like Facebook, Google, Spotify and others have exploited

Champions of the proposition:

• Alastair Mactaggart, a San Francisco real estate developer 
• Consumer Reports, Common Sense Media and Consumer Watchdog
• Andrew Yang 

Desert Sun | Proposition 24: Californians approve more data privacy rules

The legislation: AB 1864 (2020 | CA)

The revamped state regulatory body: California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation

What powers will California have that it did not before? The power to enforce laws against unregulated industries

What does the regulator say about innovation and fintech? The agency will have the ability to “Spur innovation in financial services by clarifying regulatory expectations for emerging products and services.”

California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) | California Consumer Financial Protection Law

Who: Crypto Cars Online

Where: Dallas, Texas, Crypto Cars Online partnered with local dealerships

Which cryptocurrencies are accepted for the transaction? Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, and USD Coin

Does Crypto Cars finance cars with bitcoin? Yes

Crypto Cars Online | The First Crypto Currency Auto Finance Company in the U.S.

Wyoming has granted Avanti authority to operate as a bank.

What does this mean? Avanti can offer a United States dollar-backed stablecoin, digital assets custody services & API-based online banking services

When did Wyoming create this crypto friendly environment? 2018 legislation HB 70 (2018 | WY)

BTC Manager | Bitcoin-Friendly Wyoming Grants Avanti a Bank Charter 

The COVID hacking targets: health care providers and hospitals

The hackers: cyber criminal groups & nation states targeting COVID-19 research with the intent to sow chaos

Who is tracking cyber events against health care providers and hospitals? COVID-19 CTI League

The Hill | Hospitals brace for more cyberattacks as coronavirus cases rise

The state: Pennsylvania

The consolidation: SB 810 (2020 | PA)

How it would change IT in state government:

• create the Office of Information Technology
• establish cybersecurity standards for the entire state government
• manage and maintain all IT procurement
• make recommendations for future consolidation, integration, and investment
• implement a strategic plan for future IT projects

The goals:

• Streamline costs. IT spending totals nearly $1.1 billion annually, the 5th largest GR appropriation
• Security. PA ranks 6th for cyber attacks in the US
• Improved data breach responses. The FBI ranks PA’s responses the 2nd worst in the nation

Pennsylvania Business Report | Legislation would consolidate IT across agencies

Who: Innovation and Technology Caucus of the Texas House

Origins: 2015

Twitter: @ITCaucus

Which government has a new data security app called, NotifyUs? New Zealand

Who pushed for the app for New Zealand data breached? New Zealand’s privacy commissioner 

What does the App do? helps entities based in New Zealand determine whether a data breach needs to be reported or not

Daily Swig | New Zealand launches data breach notification tool

Where: Portland, Maine

Didn’t Portland Maine city council ban facial recognition software? yes, but privacy advocates say it doesn’t go far enough so we have a November ballot proposition

What does the ballot proposition do beyond banning facial recognition software?

• prohibits the use of facial recognition software in court
• right to sue for violations with penalties of up to $1,000
• city employees could be suspended/ terminated for violating the restrictions

Biometric Update | Facial recognition legislation delayed in New Orleans, considered in Pennsylvania

WGME | ‘It’s a racist tool:’ Portland group wants voters to strengthen ban on facial recognition

What are the 7 elements in Pennsylvania’s framework to adopt new technology for state government:

• performance
• business
• data
• application
• technology
• security
• digital

Pennsylvania says these 7 steps helps ensure their technology investments are worthwhile and prudent.

Government Technology | CIOs on How to Reframe the Future with Emerging Tech

In the new economy, Technology and State Government go together like coffee and cookies in a Swedish Fika.

So, let’s look at how they do it in the Great State of Utah:

• WHO reviews new technology for the state: An agency review board made up of staff from various departments and business areas.
• HOW do the recommendations work? The board offers specific organizational perspectives on how a technology might be used to solve business problems for the state.
• DO THEY GET HELP? Yes, an external technology advisory board with representatives from outside of state government
• HOW DO THEY WORK TOGETHER? The two groups work together to ensure effective vetting before any tech investment are made
• NEW KID: The Center for Excellence for Artificial Intelligence established in 2019 is reviewing about a dozen major initiatives

Government Technology | CIOs on How to Reframe the Future with Emerging Tech

Where: California

What: Proposition 24 would creates a dedicated state agency to enforce data privacy laws & adds dozens of specifics and exceptions for privacy in certain business

Why are privacy advocates opposed?

• Privacy advocates support a opt-in framework for collection and use of people’s personal information, and the Proposition supports an opt-out system
• True enforcement only comes when it allows for civil causes of action, otherwise it is meaningless
• Creates a new loophole for “pay-for-privacy” for loyalty card data
• ACLU says it reinforces this notion that companies should be allowed to charge people for their privacy

Los Angeles Times via Governing | California Hopes to Further Refine Online Privacy

Add Spain to the list of countries seeking financial disclosures for public officials of their bitcoin.

Why does this matter? Does your jurisdiction require crypto currency disclosures of public officials? Is your jurisdiction considering legislation related to crypto currency?

Reuters | Spain plans bill to force disclosure of crypto-currency holdings

Where:  Birmingham, AL

What is happening: A purchasing agreement for law enforcement software included specific disclaimer language to prohibit the software use for facial recognition purposes

Alabama Media Group | Birmingham Reassures: Police Tech Won’t Use Facial Recognition

Since 2008, an estimated 700,000 Californians have moved to Texas.

The 2020 question is: Do the Californians that have moved to Texas vote in numbers that turn Texas to a swing state?

What do Texas experts say? Migration is an element, but so is the growth in Texas’ internal demographic shifts such as increased Latino population & growing metro areas

CalMatters | How California expats are helping turn Texas into a battleground state

How much did Missouri set aside from its CARES Fund for rural broadband?  $50 million 

How many estimated households will benefit? 10,000 new households

Who else will benefit in Missouri from the CARES Act COVID funds for internet service? telehealth, libraries and remote learning

Kansas City Star via Governing | Over 70,000 Kansas Homes Finally Getting High-Speed Internet

Where: Kansas

How were the COVID funds allocated in Kansas for rural broadband? The State Finance Council previously approved the use of federal coronavirus relief funding to improve broadband access

What else will also be getting improved internet access?

• government buildings will get fiber optic cable
• libraries, schools and health departments will have connections they have not had access to before

Kansas City Star via Governing | Over 70,000 Kansas Homes Finally Getting High-Speed Internet

Can local governments access private surveillance cameras- say like your doorbell’s camera or the cameras of your local improvement district?

Where is this happening? San Francisco, CA

What rules are in place for San Francisco to use private surveillance footage? They can if and only if they get approval from the local government

What’s alleged during BLM protests? That San Francisco police accessed real-time surveillance footage from private cameras in the Union Square area without first obtaining necessary approval from the Board of Supervisors

Why do we care?

• San Francisco was quick to stop using facial recognition software on the one hand but on the other police may have accessed private camera footage during a protest.
• National organizations are involved- the ACLU, EFF (Electronic Freedom Foundation)
• Camera and surveillance use legislation/regulation is common in response to BLM and this access to private video is an issue in all these public and stakeholder decisions

San Francisco Chronicle via Governing | San Francisco Sued for Allegedly Video Surveilling Protests

The new kid on the Executive Council at Technet: The DoorDash CEO

The TechNet Executive Council:

• Greg Becker CEO Silicon Valley Bank
• John T Chambers, CEO JC2 Ventures
• John Doerr Chair Kleiner Perkins
• Mike Gregoire Managing Director Brighton Park Capital
• Terry Howerton CEO TechNexus Venture Collaborative
• Ed Knight Vice Chair NASDAQ
• Bastian Lehmann CEO Postmates
• Aaron Levie CEo Box
• Kim Polese Chair Crowdsmart
• KR Sridhar CEO Bloom Energy
• Julie Sweet CEO Accenture
• Kelly Mahon Tullier General Counsel Visa
• Tony Xu CEO DoorDash

Politico | Weekly Cyber Security

What is perception hacking? Think of the election and social media.

Perception hacking is “manipulating people into thinking they are being manipulated”

Why do we care? perception hacking is being utilize din the 2020 election and could be a constant moving forward

Washington Post | We’re better protected against foreign interference this election. But what about perception hacking?

Where: California

The legislation that Govern Newsom vetoed: AB 1138 (2020 | CA)

Why did the Governor veto this bill? it would not meaningfully protect children & there is existing federal law overlap

The goal os AB 1138: to obtain parental consent for social media use by any person under the age of 13

Veto Statement on AB 1138

California’s AB 1281 (2020 | CA) extends an exception to California’s Data Privacy Law for information related to:

• job applicants
• employees
• business owners
• directors
• officers
• medical staff
• contractors

ADLaw | California Privacy Legislation Round-Up: Gov. Newsom Signs CCPA Employee Exemption Extension, Vetoes Others

The city: Detroit, MI

What did city councilors say in support?

• Citizens say they’re afraid of being victims of crimes & want police to have all tools available to them
• It is a tool to make law enforcement more efficient, detectives still have to investigate

What is Detroit’s background with facial recognition software? The city began a contract in 2017. This vote updates that software to improve it.

Does the police department use the software across the board? No, the department has a  “strict policy” to only use it for the most egregious violent crimes and home invasions

Detroit News via Governing | Detroit Approves Police Use of Facial Recognition Software

Where: California

What legislation: SB 980 (2020 | CA) would have established privacy protections over the data collected by genetic testing companies like Ancestry.com and 23andMe

What privacy protections?  

• clear notice to individuals when their genetic material is shared to 3rd parties
• allow consumers to revoke their consent to certain disclosure procedures 

The veto rational?  bill could “unintentionally impede” the critical COVID-19 reporting requirements

Law 360 | Calif. Gov. Vetoes Genetic Testing Privacy Bill

Let’s look at how the CIA is incentivizing tech employees, since they can’t compete with private sector salaries.

The CIA created CIA Labs that will allow:

• CIA employees to publicly file patents on the intellectual property 
• CIA employees for the 1st time would be able to collect a portion of the the profits & the CIA gets the remainder of the profits
  • The cap for the employee: 15% of the total income from the new invention with a cap of $150,000 per year.

MIT Technology Review | CIA’s new tech recruiting pitch: More patents, more profits

To remain competitive, an expanded use of AI is crucial for small business and education system, as members of the Congressional AI Caucus are calling for an use of artificial intelligence.

What kind o policy changes are we talking about?

• transparency regarding data 
• AI should be promoted in schools to build a competitive workforce
• promote governmental efforts to develop innovative uses of AI

The Hill | Lawmakers call for expanded AI role in education, business to remain competitive

The state: Colorado

The expanded use of facial recognition software: law enforcement agencies have asked Colorado’s DMV 227 times to run facial recognition software against its data base. Including of protestors.

Does Colorado have a law about the use of facial recognition software? No

Have Colorado cities opted out? Yes, Denver opted out.

Denver Post via Governing | Colorado Police Have Quietly Expanded Facial Recognition Use

The legislation: H.R. 1668: IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020

What will it require? all internet-connected devices purchased by the federal government this includes computers, mobile devices and other products with the ability to connect to the internet to comply with minimum security recommendations issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology

What burden would be on the private sector?

• that their devices comply with the minimum security recommendations
• to notify agencies if the device has a vulnerability

Why the legislation? There are no national standards to ensure the security of these connected devices

The Hill | House approves bill to secure internet-connected federal devices against cyber threats

What are the economic estimates if agricultural interests adopted the latest technology innovations?  generate $18 billion to $23 billion annually

What does technology access look like for farmers?

• 2/3 of soybean farmers don’t have “adequate internet connectivity to run their businesses” according to a United Soybean Board  report 
• COVID has heightened the importance of the food chain supply
• 2 farmers in Maine reported their sales moved online but the internet is so slow they fill orders in the middle of the night

Solutions to bring technology to rural areas:

• electric cooperatives can provide middle-mile fiber
• Wabash Heartland Innovation Network is using an aerostat, a kind of blimp, to provide “broadband for tens of miles to improve broadband access

Government Technology | The Future of Farming Relies on Internet Connectivity

The State: Pennsylvania

The App: COVID Alert PA

What technology does Pennsylvania’s App use? Exposure Notification System technology developed by Apple and Google 

How does it notify app users of having been in close contact with someone who tests positive?  

• The App sends a “COVID-19 Exposure Alert” to other users’ phones
• If the app user has been within 6 feet of a person who tested positive for 15 minutes or more

The App also provides COVID data for users.

Who composed the partnerships that brought the App to Pennsylvanians?

• Pennsylvania and Delaware
• technology company NearForm
• University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and Internet Privacy Research Institute

Pocono Record via Governing | Pennsylvania: Add Phones to the Fight and Download COVID App

Where: New Mexico

What connectivity issues does New Mexico have? lack of broadband and fiber. Residents within 10 minutes of the largest cities face connectivity issues as well as those in rural areas.

How has the connectivity issues impacted the Legislature?

• 1/3 of the usual number of interim hearings
• how to recognize legislators for questions during virtual hearings
• how to ensure video coverage of facial responses of legislators
• Operator issues such as
  • “legislators had trouble unmuting themselves to vote”
  • “sounds of sneezing and barking dogs”

How has the Legislature addressed some of these challenges? By offering 1 on 1 training for legislators by the legislature’s computer experts

Santa Fe New Mexican via Governing | New Mexico’s Legislative Activity Slowed by Bad Internet

Who started the Public Innovation Academy: Abhi Nemani of Code for America, former chief data officer of Los Angeles and CIO of Sacramento, CA

What will the Public Innovation Academy do?

• online training venture as being aimed at helping people who perform jobs that aren’t necessarily technical
• sharing lessons learned from large cities with civil servants in smaller and mid size cities

Goverment Technology | Public Innovation Academy Offers Practical Training for Gov

The Report offers these concepts to consider for future legislation:

• The regulatory and compliance costs of CCPA and GDPR which may have created uneven benefits and restrictions to certain consumers and businesses. Many companies in Texas are already complying with both laws and any Texas law should seek to compliment and not conflict with existing federal laws and frameworks.
• The Fourth Amendment protections.
• The duties and responsibilities of application resellers in governing privacy policies of third-party vendors.
• The impact of COVID-19.

The report offers these recommendations:

1. Process for ensuring that all state agencies are adhering to privacy standards, and policies are continually updated to reflect new technologies, business practices, and risks.
2. Proposals should consider a new and appropriate balance between additional consumer privacy protections and data security within a fair regulatory/compliance privacy framework.
3. Proposals should consider the impact to highly regulated data, like health information or banking data, and how those proposals compliment applicable federal law.
4. Legislation should be written broadly enough to allow the adoption of new technology and business standards.
5. Proposals should consider existing laws in Texas and other states in order to not conflict.
6. Texans have the right to know how their personal information is being used and the Legislature should consider ways to strengthen that right.

Texas Privacy Protection Advisory Council Report September 2020

The State: Michigan HB 4186 (2020 | MI)

What new information will trigger a notification if hackers get access to it?

• A state resident’s first name or first initial and last name in combination with one or more of the following data elements that relate to the resident:

• A nontruncated  Social  Security  number,  driver  license  number,  state  personal identification  card  number,  passport  number,  military  identification  number,  or other unique identification number issued on a government document.
• A financial account number.
• A  medical  or  mental  history,  treatment,  or  diagnosis  issued  by  a  health  care professional.
• A  health  insurance  policy  number  or  subscriber  identification  number  and  any unique identifier used by a health insurer.
• A username or email address, in combination with a password or a security question and answer, that would allow access to an online account that is likely to have or is used to obtain sensitive personally identifying information.

Notification timeline: Not more than 45 days from determining that a breach has occurred 

Potential fines: $2,000 for each violation or not more than $5,000 per day for each consecutive day up to a total of $250,000

The State: Massachusetts

The Legislation: H4932 (2020 | MA)

The Bonds: $1.8 billion for critical investments in IT infrastructure to assist children, underrepresented populations

Mass.Gov | Governor Baker Signs $1.8 Billion Bond Bill to Improve Information Technology, Public Safety and Food Security

East Boston Times | Legislature Enacts $1.8 Billion Bond Bill to Strengthen Information Technology, Physical Infrastructure

Add India to the list of countries considering a ban on cryptocurrency trading.

What have other Asian governments chosen to do with cryptocurrency markets? Regulation

What has China banned? initial coin offerings

Economic Times | India plans to introduce law to ban cryptocurrency trading 

How many people have register to vote over Snapchat? 407,024

Were the registrations sparked by a paid ad by a political organization? No

How did the vote registration links to Snapchat work? Snap Chat added a new feature to its app that provided voter registration information

The Hill | 400K people register to vote on Snapchat

The industries most targeted by hackers from January-June 2020:

• manufacturing
• technology
• telecom companies

Manufacturing increased an uptick in cyberattacks by 11% over 2019.

The manufacturing equipment targeted:

• business systems
• front-office systems

Rational for the increase in cyber events for manufacturing?

•  vulnerability from the large-scale disruption in their global supply chain of materials due to COVID

CQ Roll Call via Governing | Cyberattacks on Manufacturing Industry Increase During COVID

Texas Economic Development Corporation has a new website that it describes as world class. So what does the new website offer:

• mobile adaptability
• ” streamlined access to essential information and data about doing business in Texas”
• ” compiles key statewide information about infrastructure, workforce, taxes and incentives and other areas of importance in economic development”

Texas Economic Development Corporation Unveils New Website

Google is removing autofill in its search bars for that target candidates or voting.

What Google’s senior director of global policy and standards has to say:  “We’re acutely aware that with this upcoming election … people have strong opinions and given the backdrop of COVID, there’s a lot of questions about voting information and how that might play out against the backdrop of the pandemic.”

So this means no autofill supporting, opposing or endorsing candidates or for voting information. The searches can occur, but will not be autofilled.

Tech Crunch | Google says it’s eliminating Autocomplete suggestions that target candidates or voting

Google | Our latest investments in information quality in Search and News

The Country: Japan

Which bank is pushing for a national cryptocurrency? one of the nation’s national banks, the Bank of Japan

Why the urgency in Japan? China has a forthcoming cryptocurrency. The result of this, and China and Russia’s move away from an economy dependent on the dollar, is that ” the global stage has likely pushed China to turn into a leader in the computerized cash race.”

CryptoCurrency Post | Japan Speeds Up Digital Yen Roll Out

What specific data should manufacturers be concerned about? protection of vital manufacturing data that contains controls, testing, and product performance

Which 3 stakeholders find the data security important for manufacturers? businesses, consumers, and regulators

Machine Design | Rethinking Data Security in Ultrasonic Welding and Manufacturing

Where: Portland, OR

What: City Council passed an ordinance, the 1st in the nation, to ban both the public and private use of facial recognition software in public accommodations

How is Portland’s ban on facial recognition software different than those in Boston, San Francisco and Oakland, CA? Portland bans private entities from using the software in public accomodation

The exceptions to the ban? Face ID to open your own mobile phone

What 3 reasons did elected officials offer to support the ban?

• gender inaccuracies
• racial bias and inaccuracies
• intrusion on Portlanders’ privacy

How have software companies pivoted?  Amazon, IBM and Microsoft have scaled back their sales of the software to law enforcement

The Hill | Portland adopts landmark facial recognition ordinances

The non-profit that seeks out security breaches by apps:IDAC

What is IDAC goal? To protect consumer data

What recent discovery did it make? A fertility app on android phones was collecting a lot of personal data with no opt out for consumers

Why was the IDAC alerted? the App masked personal health data in the same way TikTok was masking data that it sent out

Is this new, finding a breach of personal health data on Apps? No, last year Consumer Reports identified Ovia, a pregnancy-tracking app that shares users’ data with their employers and insurers.

Washington Post | The Cybersecurity 202: Fertility app’s data sharing with Chinese companies raises privacy concerns, researchers say

The Solarium Commission that delivered a list of policy recommendations earlier this year is working on supply chain policy recommendation next.

Why this new action? COVID

Are the recommendations being targeted at certain issues? Yes, ““We have to have a comprehensive information technology communications strategy to counter what could be perceived as Chinese aggression and to ensure the continued availability and trustworthiness of our critical technology supply chain,” 

Inside Cybersecurity: The Cyberspace Solarium Commission is working up white papers 

The pilot program is the brain child of: Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

The governments that have joined: Arizona, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Texas, along with Maricopa County, Ariz

What is this pilot project? cybersecurity automation by identifying the threats that should be prioritized and triaged

The goals for the state governments: cut down on manual tasks & promote the sharing of actionable threat information

State Tech | States Join Automated Security Pilot with MS-ISAC, Johns Hopkins

The parties: Comcast & Reading (PA) School Board

The purpose of the contract: remote learning

What had the School Board tried before this contract to expand access to broadband for students? Added outdoor Wi-Fi to 14 school district buildings

What benefits will the district receive for its $700,000 expenditure?

• a couple months free broadband for students
• connect as many as 10,000 homes at a cost of $9.95/month

Does Comcast have other similar partnerships to offer broadband to students? Yes, in Chicago; Atlanta; Pittsburgh; Sacramento, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; & Arlington, Va.

Reading Eagle via Governing | Reading Contracts With Comcast to Get Students Broadband

How did Chief Information Officers and those who work in data and data security get a bump in their profile because of COVID? Because the spread and data related to the coronavirus rose in importance, so did the import of those in charge of the data.

Instead of data being thought of as a defense (protect ourselves from hackers), data became an offense by showing how data can show the spread and containment of disease.

CIO Dive | The profile of the chief data officer rose in the pandemic