Public Safety

‘Spy High:’ Amazon documentary probes dangers of online student surveillance

Filmmaker uses infamous 2010 ‘WebcamGate’ case to examine present-day threats to student privacy and digital policing of marginalized kids.

Cybersecurity

Rhode Island College earns top federal marks for cybersecurity program

Rhode Island College earned federal recognition from the NSA as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, boosting its cybersecurity program's potential access to federal grant funding.

Customer Experience

These states have cracked the customer experience code

COMMENTARY | By implementing enterprise customer experience programs, New York and Maryland are improving service, lowering operating costs and building back trust with constituents.

Sponsor Content

Smarter Grants, Stronger Oversight: How AI is Transforming Fraud Prevention and Efficiency in State Funding

AI-powered grants management systems improve fraud detection, efficiency, and compliance, safeguarding taxpayer dollars and enhancing program impact.

Finance

With AI at their disposal, financial scammers are on the rise

The rise of artificial intelligence, access to sensitive data on the dark web, and a lack of federal oversight for these crimes means it’s never been easier to be a scammer, security experts say.

Digital Government

Alabama Senate passes bills requiring device filters, app store age checks for minors

Lawmakers are considering two bills aim to prevent children from accessing potentially harmful content online.

Artificial Intelligence

How local governments are keeping AI under control

In the absence of national legislation, such governments are increasingly adopting AI governance policies and practices on their own, one expert says.

Management

Ohio judge permanently blocks social media age verification law

Gov. Mike DeWine is eager to appeal the decision, and state lawmakers are already working on alternatives.

Management

Election officials wary of shift to Texas’ centralized voter-registration system

Some lawmakers say a bill requiring counties to switch to TEAM would make it easier to monitor voter rolls. But the system has had its problems.

Cybersecurity

Trump is shifting cybersecurity to the states, but many aren’t prepared

Only 22 of 48 states in a Nationwide Cybersecurity Review met recommended security levels.

Workforce

Schools turn to VR to develop a ‘future-ready’ neurodivergent workforce

The tech can help neurodiverse students prepare for entering the workforce amid government programs aimed at fostering more inclusive workplaces, experts say.

Artificial Intelligence

Popular AIs head-to-head: OpenAI beats DeepSeek on sentence-level reasoning

COMMENTARY | Large language model AIs can ingest long documents and answer questions about them, but a key question is how well they ‘understand’ individual sentences in the documents.

Sponsor Content

A Resilience Blueprint for Local Governments

This guide offers strategies for local government leaders to enhance extreme weather resilience, future-proof energy systems, and ensure critical service continuity.

Artificial Intelligence

How AI is transforming state and local investigations

COMMENTARY | The technology can help process data quicker and sift through what can be distressing evidence. But agencies must tread carefully and have the right policies and training in place to be successful.

Artificial Intelligence

New Jersey taps the private sector to facilitate AI innovation and talent

Under two new programs, the state aims to leverage the private sector to help advance its goal of leading in artificial technology innovation.

Artificial Intelligence

‘Water is complicated’: Utah looks to data-driven future for natural resources

The state is embarking on a management refresh for its Great Salt Lake amid competing oversight and the ever-present threat of drought. Tech and AI could help make that revamp easier.

Artificial Intelligence

Oregon House passes bill to criminalize sharing AI-generated fake nude photos

State law already prohibits maliciously sharing naked or sexually explicit photos of people, but prosecutors said their hands were tied by deepfakes.

Digital Government

FirstNet seeks engagement, outreach support from industry

The winner of this five-year pact will also contribute to the network's roadmap and strategy for incorporating new technologies.

Digital Government

State-level DOGE work gathers speed

Oklahoma’s new government efficiency unit issued a report on what it has found to cut, while Iowa’s first-in-the-nation effort held its inaugural meeting. But experts say efficiency isn’t just about cutting spending.

Finance

Cryptocurrency tax revenue negligible since launch of Colorado program

In the more than two years that Colorado has accepted cryptocurrency as payment for state taxes, the amount it has received is negligible.