Human/AI Collective Intelligence for Deliberative Democracy: A Human-Centred Design Approach
The authors introduce Collective Intelligence for Deliberative Democracy (CI4DD), a framework that leverages AI to augment citizen deliberation. They argue that a human‑centred design approach is essential to ensure trustworthy, inclusive processes. The paper outlines a co‑design methodology that maps challenges, refines user scenarios, and extracts technical requirements. Two pilot projects with civic organisations demonstrate how AI‑supported tools can be deployed in real‑world deliberative settings.
Drone Spraying Proposal Comes with Opportunities, Risks
Health Canada has opened a public consultation on proposed rules that would permit pesticides to be applied by drones already registered for aerial use. The move follows years of pressure from the House of Commons agriculture committee and the Alberta...
FinExtra: Fido Alliance Sets Sights on Latin America
The FIDO Alliance announced the launch of the FIDO Americas Adoption Forum (FAAF), a new initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of open authentication standards across Latin America. The region’s mobile‑first ecosystem has spurred rapid payments innovation, but rising fraud...
K-State Salina Drone Safety Summit to Connect First Responders with UAS Experts
Kansas State University Salina will host a Public Safety UAS Summit on April 22, bringing together law enforcement, fire, and emergency management agencies with drone experts. The day-long event features FAA briefings on Part 107, BVLOS, and emergency waivers, as well as...
FDIC Mulling Guardrails for Banks, Public Blockchains
The FDIC has rolled back its 2022 guidance that limited banks from interacting with public, permissionless blockchains, signaling a more permissive stance under Chair Travis Hill. Hill indicated that while the agency will focus on implementing the GENIUS Act, it...
Interactive Map Visualizes NPS Materials Flagged For Removal
An interactive map now visualizes a leaked Interior Department spreadsheet that lists 798 National Park Service sites where content was flagged for removal under the Trump administration. The map provides searchable entries, each featuring historical narratives, archived photographs, and Wayback...
Pentagon Begins Replacing Anthropic’s AI Tools in Military Operations with Alternative Models
The Pentagon is actively replacing Anthropic’s Claude model with alternative large‑language models, a transition Cameron Stanley says will take more than a month. OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI have already secured clearance for classified work, while Google is rolling out...
Aadhaar World’s Largest Biometric ID System With 134 Crore Live Holders: Govt
The Indian government announced that Aadhaar now serves 134 crore active users, making it the world’s largest biometric identity system. To date, the platform has processed over 17,000 crore authentication transactions across multiple modes, including OTP, fingerprints, iris, and AI‑driven facial recognition....
Federal Cyber Experts Called Microsoft's Cloud "A Pile of Shit", Yet Approved It
Federal reviewers harshly criticized Microsoft’s Government Community Cloud High (GCC High), calling it a “pile of shit” due to missing security documentation and unclear encryption practices. Despite these concerns, the FedRAMP program granted the cloud suite an authorization, effectively giving it...
ECB Approves Tokenized Assets as Central Bank Collateral
YES BUT: ECB paves way for acceptance of DLT-based assets as eligible Eurosystem collateral 1. The Collateral Conundrum: "Eligibility vs. Scale" The ECB Move (Demand): By accepting DLT-based assets as collateral for credit operations, the ECB has given tokenized assets the...
Russia Sees Investment in Public Wi-Fi Networks More than Double in 2025
Russia’s public budget for public Wi‑Fi upgrades jumps to 9.62 billion roubles in 2025, more than double the 3.77 billion allocated in 2024. Data traffic on these networks surged 10.6‑fold year‑on‑year, reaching 13.8 million petabytes. The growth is linked to mobile‑internet disruptions caused...
I Tested 3 City AI Chatbots. Here's What They Actually Do.
Municipalities are rapidly deploying AI chatbots to field resident inquiries, but early tests reveal serious shortcomings. Denver’s "Sunny" provides detailed crime data yet fails on homelessness policy, redirecting users to a service request. Winter Haven’s bot avoids crime questions while...
Brazil Aims for 80% 5G Population Coverage by 2026
Brazil's Ministry of Communications aims for 80% of the population to have 5G coverage by the end of 2026, spanning 2,220 municipalities. This exceeds the original target of 1,469 cities. To date, 5G is active in about 1,420 municipalities, focusing...
HMRC Enters Public Beta Tests of One Login as Transition From Government Gateway Gradually Progresses
HM Revenue & Customs has launched a public beta that lets a controlled group of new users register for tax services via the GOV.UK One Login platform. The trial, which runs until June, does not yet include the 50 million existing...
UK's New Supercomputer Is Coming 13 Months Too Late, NAO Report
The National Audit Office reports that the United Kingdom’s next‑generation supercomputer will miss its original 2026 launch by roughly 13 months, now expected in early 2027. The delay stems primarily from prolonged government funding approvals and procurement bottlenecks. The project,...
Future-Proof Your AP with Precoro | E-Invoicing Made Effortless
Governments worldwide are mandating e‑invoicing, forcing companies to replace PDF‑based invoice workflows. Precoro responded by embedding native e‑invoicing into its AP platform, automatically ingesting XML, UBL, CFDI and other formats. The system extracts data with near‑perfect accuracy, matches invoices to...
Polygraf AI Launches Desktop Overlay for Real-Time AI Behavior Control in Enterprise Operations
Polygraf AI unveiled Desktop Overlay, a real‑time compliance assistant that monitors user input at the desktop level. The edge‑deployed overlay flags sensitive information within 100 ms using on‑premise small language models, requiring only modest CPU and memory resources. Pilot results showed...
Fixing Federal Permitting
The House passed H.R. 5419, the Enhancing Administrative Reviews of Broadband Deployment Act, directing the Interior and Agriculture departments to assess and report on administrative barriers to broadband permits on federal lands within a year. The bill follows previous executive...
AI Scheduling Tools Tackle Transit Driver Shortages
Transit agencies are turning to AI‑driven scheduling platforms to combat a global shortfall of roughly 2.4 million bus drivers. The tools let operators model alternative roster scenarios, communicate schedules in real time, and curb unscheduled overtime that fuels fatigue and turnover....
UPCOMING WEBINAR – Mastering Triage: Intro To ADF Pro
On March 25, 2026, ADF Solutions will host a live webinar titled “Mastering Triage: Intro To ADF Pro,” featuring digital forensic specialist Richard Frawley. The session will demonstrate ADF Pro’s ability to acquire evidence from smartphones, computers, and IoT devices...
Cutting Planning Red Tape Will Take the UK From Laggard to Leader in Connectivity
The UK lags in 5G, ranking 24th of 30 European nations, while VodafoneThree has committed £11 bn to build a network covering 99% of the population by 2030. The rollout relies heavily on upgrading existing sites—96% of work—allowing a 30% reduction...
Govt Signals More Online Platforms Could Face Under-16 Restrictions
Indonesia’s Communications and Digital Ministry plans to broaden its under‑16 user restrictions beyond the current eight high‑risk platforms, potentially adding Meta’s WhatsApp before the rule takes effect on March 28. The eight designated services include YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Roblox, X,...
CEF-Digital Info Session: 2026 Calls
The European Commission launched two new Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital calls for 2026, targeting equipment for smart European cable systems and backbone connectivity for digital global gateways. Together the calls allocate €200 million to support high‑capacity network projects, including submarine...
Singapore Living Lab Takes Shape with New Collaboration
ST Engineering Urban Solutions signed a memorandum of understanding with Swarco ITS, Umovity and Ouster at Intertraffic Amsterdam to trial traffic controllers, sensors and emerging technologies. Together with Singapore's Land Transport Authority and A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research, the partners...
Adult Social Care Providers Are Not Using Care Technologies
A Department of Health and Social Care survey shows 27% of adult social care providers in England still use no care technologies, while 73% have adopted at least one tool. Monitoring sensors are the most common (43%), followed by personal...
Triple Zero Guardian to Ponder Minimum Mobile Network Performance Rules
The Australian government will launch a comprehensive review of the triple zero (000) emergency‑calling framework, asking the designated custodian to consider minimum mobile network performance standards. The move follows two major Optus outages, one of which caused emergency‑call failures linked...
AiDEN Auto and Volvo Trucks Tackle Poland SENT Compliance
AiDEN Auto partnered with Volvo Trucks to launch an in‑cab solution that satisfies Poland’s SENT (System for Electronic Transport Supervision) regulation, which mandates electronic monitoring of certain goods. Developed through Volvo Group’s CampX innovation arena, the system moved from concept...
UK Leads World with £2bn Quantum Leap Programme to Deploy Large‑Scale Quantum Computers
On Tuesday 17 March 2024, Britain’s Technology Secretary and the Chancellor announced a pioneering £2 billion "ProQure: Scaling UK Quantum Computing" programme, making the UK the first country to commit to large‑scale quantum computer procurement by the early 2030s. The initiative will...
Japan Boosts Next‑Gen ICT Innovation with JST‑NICT Collaboration Agreement
The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) signed a collaboration agreement to link JST's CRONOS research program with NICT's Integrated Testbed. The deal, announced in 2025, targets rapid development of...
Puerto Rico Accelerates GovTech with Granicus in 68 Municipalities
On March 17, 2026, Puerto Rico’s government agencies and 68 municipalities gathered at the Granicus Client Conference in San Juan to announce a large‑scale digital transformation effort. The initiative, led by Granicus officials and local leaders such as deputy administrative...
Ukraine's Defence Ministry Launches AI Centre ‘A1’ with UK Backing
On March 17, 2026, Ukraine's Ministry of Defence announced the launch of Defence AI Centre “A1”, the first node in a planned network of technology centres of excellence. The initiative is backed by the United Kingdom and aims to accelerate...
Treasury Plans Guidance to Help Departments Record Digital Service Costs
HM Treasury, in partnership with the Government Finance Function, will publish new guidance this July to standardise how UK government departments record digital service costs. The framework introduces a minimum data set covering people, processes, technology and estates, and ties...
Government Probes Use of AI in Children’s Social Care
The Department for Education has opened a consultation to map how artificial intelligence and other digital tools are being used in children’s social care. It asks local authorities and frontline providers to detail current applications, measurable impacts, and the obstacles...
Warning that NHS Digital Reform Could Lead to Burnout
Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s NHS digital transformation faces warnings of nurse burnout. A Society of Occupational Medicine study of 339 nurses found digital technology stress significantly drives emotional exhaustion and burnout. While AI and digital tools can improve disease management...
The Philippines: Digital Policing Strengthens Public Safety
The Philippine National Police launched Kasurog @ e‑Reklamo, a digital complaint platform that lets residents file police reports online via smartphones or computers. Unveiled on March 10 in Legazpi City, the system generates a reference number and offers real‑time tracking of each case....
Vietnam: Cybersecurity Enforcement Plan Enhances Digital Security
Vietnam's Prime Minister issued an action plan to enforce the country's Cybersecurity Law, outlining tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities for ministries and local authorities. The plan mandates a nationwide awareness campaign, specialized training for officials, and the creation of detailed guiding...
NLC Partnership Aims to Help Local Govt. In Deploying Drones
The National League of Cities (NLC) has partnered with drone‑technology firm BRINC to create a nationwide program that helps municipalities launch drone‑as‑first‑responder (DFR) services linked to 911 calls. BRINC will handle site selection, FAA waivers, installation, training and dashboard reporting,...
CISA Official Advises Agencies Not to Get Too Hung up on Who Takes Lead in Critical Infrastructure Sectors
Acting CISA director Nick Andersen told an Auburn University event that agencies should stop rigidly adhering to the traditional sector risk‑management agency (SRMA) designations when engaging with critical infrastructure. Instead, the lead should be the entity with the strongest relationship...
Reading the Signals: What Broadband Policy Shifts Mean on the Ground - Episode 680 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
In this episode, host Chris interviews broadband veteran Doug Dawson to dissect recent industry shifts, including the Astound‑Google Fiber merger and New Mexico's new state‑level affordable connectivity program. They explore how consolidation drives economies of scale for fiber deployment, the...
Telecom Act Aides Say Partisanship Is Behind Lack of Universal Service, Broadband Access
John Windhausen, a staff architect of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, warned that partisan politics have stalled universal broadband, leaving up to 15% of Americans offline. He cited delays in the BEAD program and insufficient, poorly overseen Universal Service Fund financing...
New Digital ID for NSW
The New South Wales government has launched a digital birth certificate, accessible through the Service NSW app for residents aged 16 to 21 who hold a NSW photo ID. After a 2024 trial, the scheme is now statewide, offering a...
House Committee to Vote on NOAA Weather Radio Legislation
The U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee will markup the NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act, introduced by Rep. Brian Babin. The bill authorizes $100 million for FY 2026 and an additional $20 million annually through 2031 to upgrade the 1,030‑station VHF network....
What Federal IT Leaders Should Know About the Emerging National AI Policy Framework
At the end of 2025 the White House issued an executive order directing the Commerce Department, FCC and other agencies to develop a national AI policy framework, aiming to pre‑empt a fragmented landscape created by roughly 1,200 state AI bills...
AI Tools Offer ‘Near-Real-Time’ Analysis of Data From Seized Mobile Phones and Computers
Israeli firm Cellebrite unveiled AI‑powered tools that let police interrogate call logs, texts, images and videos from seized devices at near‑real time speeds. The Guardian Investigate platform aggregates data in a cloud, maps phone locations, builds timelines and highlights anomalous...
A New Kind of Fire Detection Technology Comes to a California County
San Bernardino County Fire District is rolling out a Florida‑based Fire Neural Network (FNN) lightning‑detection system across its stations, delivering real‑time wildfire risk alerts within 40 seconds. The platform fuses lightning strike data with NOAA weather feeds to calculate a...
Blockchain Eliminates Fraud in Government Monetary Systems
Blockchain technology actually fixes fraud. Put any type of government money on the Blockchain and watch all fraud disappear.
Vulnerability Exploitability eXchange: Smarter Patching for State and Local IT Teams
The Vulnerability Exploitability eXchange (VEX) is a machine‑readable format that lets software vendors declare whether a CVE actually affects a product. By delivering exploitability data—affected, not affected, fixed, or under investigation—VEX enables state and local government IT teams to filter...
ICO Must Investigate Reform ‘Competition’ for Data Protection Breaches
Reform UK launched a competition offering a year’s energy bills to participants who disclose their past and intended voting preferences. The Open Rights Group argues the scheme breaches UK data protection law by collecting special category data without a clear...
NOAA Improves Geospatial Accuracy With NSRS Modernization
NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey announced a comprehensive overhaul of the National Spatial Reference System, the first update in 40 years. The modernized NSRS incorporates real‑time GPS technology and a new gravity‑based geoid model, delivering finer horizontal and vertical positioning. These...
City Police to Monitor Albuquerque Schools via Surveillance Center
Albuquerque Public Schools will now have a full‑time police officer monitoring every campus from the city’s Real Time Crime Center, using live camera feeds, drones and gunshot detection technology. The move adds an immediate visual layer of security, allowing officers...