‘Privacy Sweep’ Finds EU Online Safety Measures Stagnating over Past Decade
The Global Privacy Enforcement Network’s 2025 audit of nearly 900 websites and apps used by children revealed a deterioration in privacy safeguards, with more personal data collected and age‑verification mechanisms easily bypassed. Over half of the services required email addresses and 72% of age checks could be circumvented, while child‑friendly privacy notices remained scarce. Simultaneously, EU policymakers are debating age‑assurance technology, facing criticism that current solutions may violate the GDPR, even as the Spanish regulator defends the upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet as a privacy‑preserving standard. The findings highlight a widening gap between regulatory intent and on‑the‑ground protection for minors.
Fewer TSA Agents, yet Lines Stay Short with Precheck
I traveled this week and went through four airports. I used TSA precheck and Clear. I saw no unually long standard lines. However, it was apparent that there were fewer TSA agents.
How Redaction Software Can Help Government Agencies Comply with FOIA
Government agencies are grappling with a record 1.5 million FOIA requests in fiscal 2024, inflating backlogs by 267,000 cases. Manual redaction cannot keep pace, exposing agencies to legal penalties and eroding public trust. Automated redaction platforms, such as Tonic Textual, use...
FCC Approves Order to Accelerate High-Speed Network Rollouts
The Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved a network‑modernization order that streamlines the retirement of copper telephone lines and accelerates the rollout of high‑speed fiber and wireless networks. The rule eliminates filing requirements, simplifies upgrade applications, and preempts state or local...
New Flashing Warning Systems Roll Out at High-Risk Intersections Across Denver Metro Area
Colorado Department of Transportation launched a $1.45 million conflict‑warning project to install radar‑based flashing signs at four high‑risk rural intersections along CO 83, CO 86 and CO 74. Sturgeon Electric began work on March 9, with a second phase adding lane closures on March 23, and...
Cuba's Renewable Push Stymied by U.S. Sanctions
I don’t think people understand how much work Cuba is actually putting towards transitioning their grid to run on renewables. They don’t want to rely on their old thermoelectric system. But US sanctions force it upon them.
PSR Annual Work Programme 2026/27
On 26 March 2026 the Payment Systems Regulator released its 2026/27 annual work programme, outlining eight priority areas. The plan emphasizes delivering the National Payments Vision, overseeing Pay.UK and Faster Payments, and publishing an independent evaluation of APP fraud. It also seeks...
Tech Issues Continue to Haunt 911 Systems
A Idaho Legislative Oversight report warns that the state’s 911 call‑centers and radio networks will reach end‑of‑life within two years, prompting a call for a unified statewide program. The analysis notes that 88% of U.S. emergency centers suffered a technology...
EUDR: Is Cloud Cover a Problem for Compliance?
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requires traceability of commodities back to their original plots, prompting firms to rely on satellite monitoring. Cloud cover can create temporary gaps in optical imagery, but the regulation’s monthly‑to‑annual assessment cadence means these gaps rarely...
Samson Sky Wins Flying Car Orders From, and GA Development Cooperation Deal with, Tajikistan
Samson Sky signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tajikistan’s government to deliver 50 Switchblade flying cars worth roughly $11.5 million. The agreement also tasks the company with helping modernise general‑aviation legislation so the vehicles can be registered locally. Samson Sky will...
Cabinet Approves Modified UDAN Scheme with Rs 28,840 Crore Outlay to Boost Regional Connectivity
India's Union Cabinet approved a ten‑year Modified UDAN scheme with a total outlay of roughly $3.5 billion (Rs 28,840 crore). The plan earmarks $1.46 billion for upgrading 100 airports, $439 million for 200 modern helipads, and $1.2 billion in Viability Gap Funding to sustain regional airline...
Signal CTO Warns Mandatory Age‑Verification Laws Threaten Minor Privacy
At the Don’t Be Evil conference in Austin, Signal CTO Ehren Kret warned that pending age‑verification mandates across the U.S., EU and other regions risk compromising minors' privacy. He urged lawmakers to require privacy‑preserving verification methods, citing zero‑knowledge proofs as...
Flow Labs Opens up Real-Time Signal and Mobility Data with New API Suite
Flow Labs, a Scottsdale‑based traffic‑tech firm, unveiled Flow API, a suite of real‑time and historical data interfaces for traffic signals and mobility segments. The APIs let transportation agencies pull performance metrics directly into existing ATMS, TMC, analytics and custom platforms,...
Michigan’s Use of AI to Process SNAP Applications Draws Concerns About Past Automation Failures
Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services has begun using Google Vertex AI and optical character recognition to scan and flag SNAP applications, aiming to cut payment error rates mandated by the new H.R. 1 law. The AI tool prioritizes cases...
Army Taps KKR And Carlyle For $4B Of Data Centers On U.S. Bases
The U.S. Army announced a partnership with Carlyle Group and KKR’s CyrusOne to build two massive data‑center campuses on domestic bases, committing roughly $4 billion in private capital. Carlyle will develop a 2.5‑to‑3 GW facility on 1,384 acres at Fort Bliss, Texas,...
Germany Classifies Cybersecurity Threats for Energy Infrastructure
Germany’s Federal Network Agency will adopt a new classification framework developed by Fraunhofer IOSB‑AST to evaluate cybersecurity incidents in the energy sector under the EU NIS 2 Directive. The methodology introduces a three‑stage, risk‑based model that moves from initial incident reporting...
Thales Supports Dominican Republic’s Biometric Passport System Upgrade
Thales and local partner Midas Dominicana are deploying a new biometric passport system in the Dominican Republic, featuring a polycarbonate data page and an embedded chip that stores holder biometrics. The solution meets International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, aiming...
Transport for Wales Opens EV Planning Tool to Local Authorities
Transport for Wales has granted all 22 Welsh local authorities free access to ChargePoint Navigator, a planning dashboard previously limited to councils in England. The tool, created by Field Dynamics, Cenex, ZapMap and UK Power Networks, aggregates data on network...
Priority Networks Keep Rural Responders Connected in Crises
In rural and edge-of-coverage areas, limited capacity makes every connection count. Priority network access can help emergency teams maintain command and visibility when conditions are at their most challenging. Solutions like @T_Priority are designed to support responders operating in those environments, helping...
FERC Chair Urges Tech Firms to Power AI Data Centers
The @FERC chairman publicly prodded tech companies on Thursday to engage more as they race to power a massive buildout of AI data centers. https://t.co/S9mmfJEQsk via @axios https://t.co/BIishr9Acl
Security, Resilience, and the Future of Mobile Infrastructure
The episode explores the massive security breach known as Salt Typhoon, which gave China access to U.S. cellular networks, and discusses how the Navy and a startup called CAPE are building a resilient, secure mobile infrastructure that can operate over...
Governments Won’t Embrace Digital Payments Anytime Soon
"You'd be crazy to assume that governments will be adopting payments in the next couple of years." https://t.co/meE1SvxnF0
AI Governance Rises Globally—Readiness No Longer Optional
48 hours this week: US: constitutional protections for AI outputs. Europe: enforceable compliance requirements. Scotland: five-year national AI strategy. Three continents. One conversation. The governance infrastructure is being built. Your company's readiness isn't a factor.
Tampa Moves Forward with Innovative Ion Exchange System to Boost Water Quality
Tampa City Council approved funding to design a 140‑million‑gallon‑per‑day Suspended Ion Exchange (SIX) system at the David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility, marking the world’s largest and first full‑scale U.S. deployment. The project, led by Garney, Wharton‑Smith, and Carollo Engineers,...
How Elon Musk Redefined Power
In 2025 Elon Musk was appointed to lead a new federal entity called the Department of Government Efficiency, nicknamed “Doge.” The agency set out to overhaul government operations by importing Silicon Valley speed, data‑driven decision‑making, and meme‑centric communication. Musk’s unconventional...
INRIX Launches Compass AI Platform to Help Cities Reduce Systemic Roadway Safety Risk
INRIX has introduced Compass™, an AI-driven safety analytics platform for U.S. transportation agencies. The solution combines large language models with INRIX’s extensive data lake of speed, exposure, hard‑braking and vulnerable‑road‑user metrics, and is built on Amazon Bedrock. Compass enables cities...
BiznusSoft HR Named Preferred Certified Payroll Software Provider by LCPtracker for Automated Reporting and Compliance
BiznusSoft announced that its HR platform has been named a Preferred Alliance Payroll Provider by LCPtracker, the leading certified‑payroll compliance tool for public‑sector construction projects. The Salesforce‑native solution now offers one‑click generation of LCPtracker‑ready payroll files, automating Davis‑Bacon and prevailing‑wage...
How Indonesia Is Protecting 80 Million Children From Online Harm
Indonesia will enforce a new regulation on March 28 that sets a minimum age of 16 for creating accounts on any digital platform deemed high‑risk, including social media, AI chatbots, and gaming apps. The law requires platforms to conduct a...
Draft AFIR Law Proposes Heavy Fines for Incomplete Pricing Information
Germany's cabinet approved a draft amendment to the Price Indication Act, introducing fines of up to €100,000 (about $108,000) for charge‑point operators that fail to provide complete pricing information as required by the EU Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR). The...
AI to Drive Next Frontier of Financial Inclusion: Telangana CS
Telangana Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao announced that artificial intelligence will be the next frontier of financial inclusion, extending services beyond basic bank accounts to credit and insurance. He highlighted the state’s real‑time citizen databases as a foundation for AI‑driven, corruption‑free...
Next-Generation Passport Verification Platform Launches Globally
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has launched a next‑generation Public Key Directory (PKD) that enables real‑time authentication of electronic passports and other digital travel credentials. The upgraded platform, now used by 107 of ICAO’s 193 member states, promises faster,...
Awaab’s Law Phase 2: What It Covers and What Housing Providers Should Be Doing Now
Phase 2 of Awaab’s Law, due later in 2026, expands the mandatory hazard‑remediation regime for social landlords to five additional categories such as excess cold, structural instability and fire risks. The government estimated Phase 1 already adds about £129 million (≈ $161 million) in...
Putting Citizens and Businesses at the Heart of Public Services
Public sector digital services must adopt private‑sector‑style user experiences, treating platforms as evolving products rather than one‑off projects. Made Tech leaders stress early collaboration between policy and delivery teams, launching minimum viable products (MVPs) to gather real‑world feedback. Rapid sprints...
Norway and Iceland to Join the EU’s GOVSATCOM and IRIS2 Programmes
Norway and Iceland have signed agreements to join the European Union’s GOVSATCOM and IRIS2 secure communications programmes. GOVSATCOM, launched in January, provides interim secure satellite capacity, while the €10.6 billion IRIS2 project will deploy about 290 satellites by 2030. Iceland will...
FDA Food Traceability Rule Extended: How Companies Can Approach Compliance Ahead of 2028
The FDA has pushed the Food Traceability Rule compliance deadline to July 2028, giving the food sector an extra 30 months to meet stringent record‑keeping requirements. Recent data show recall announcements climbing to 320 in 2025, while a 2025 survey...
Australia Urged to Swap Diesel for Electric Buses as Fuel Costs Soar
Diesel prices have surged past $3 per litre, prompting transport advocates to push for electric buses in Australia. Currently only about 1% of the nation’s 42,800‑bus fleet runs on electricity, while diesel‑powered buses consume roughly 530 million litres annually. Several states...
South Korea Says ‘AI Is No Longer a Choice’ as Agrifoodtech Funding Jumps 171%
South Korea unveiled the Agriculture and Rural Artificial Intelligence Transformation (AX) strategy, declaring AI essential for farm survival and competitiveness by 2026. The plan targets small‑ and mid‑size growers with shared machinery hubs, smart processing centers, and AI‑driven livestock grading....
Councils Struggling to Plan Charging Infrastructure
Councils across England are grappling with the task of installing electric‑vehicle charging points that meet accessibility standards while contending with limited street space. More than half of local authorities flag the balance between accessible charge points and real‑world constraints as...
Incinity Adds AI Assistant to Invipo Traffic Management Platform
Czech developer Incinity introduced an AI assistant for its Invipo traffic management platform, allowing operators to query live network data via natural language within the existing interface. Demonstrated at Intertraffic 2026 in Amsterdam, the tool delivers instant answers on location‑specific...
National Hurricane Center Expands Services Despite Budget Cuts
Great to see all these new National Hurricane Center features and services... I thought their budget was getting gutted?? I guess it all worked out. https://t.co/Pg10sCbvOn
Senators Call For Passage Of Online Safety Bill In Wake Of Social Media Verdicts
Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal are urging Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act after two recent court verdicts held major social‑media platforms accountable for harming children. The bipartisan push follows growing public backlash against the companies and...
Historic Turning Point in Protecting Children Online
This week marks a seismic shift in the fight to protect children online — one that history will record as a turning point. 🧵 https://t.co/EbLuef1F62
Airbus Brings Digital Technology to Firefighting
Airbus completed a first‑of‑its‑kind forest‑fire trial that linked helicopters, fixed‑wing aircraft, drones and ground crews through a private mobile network and its Agnet communication platform. The test, staged at a military camp near Nîmes, used an H130 FlightLab helicopter, an...
Chicago Delivery Robots Damage Bus Shelters, City Moves to Regulate
Chicago officials are responding after several autonomous delivery robots repeatedly collided with and damaged public bus shelters this week. The incidents have sparked a debate over urban robot safety and regulatory oversight.
Georgia Could Become First State With Weapons Detection in All Public Schools
Georgia lawmakers are close to passing a bill that would require daily weapons detection scans for every student entering a public school. The technology combines camera analytics with metal‑detector fields to spot guns and knives, and costs upwards of $10,000...
VoteRiders Gets Out the Vote with a New Platform that Demystifies Voter ID Laws Across the US
VoteRiders, the leading nonpartisan nonprofit tackling voter‑ID barriers, has unveiled a new digital platform that translates complex state ID requirements into a clear, action‑oriented experience. The site was built in partnership with New York design firm Synoptic Office and brand...
Mexico Awards $US 220m ETCS Contract
Mexico’s rail authority Attrapi awarded a joint venture of Siemens Mobility and Sonda a 3.84 billion‑peso (≈ $220 million) four‑year contract to deliver ETCS Level 1 signalling for the Mexico City‑Querétaro‑Irapuato passenger line. The deal includes design, supply, installation and commissioning of an operations...
Quarantining Risk: How Public Health Is Scaling AI without Exposing Sensitive Data
Public health agencies are turning to cloud‑native scientific computing to run massive genomics and epidemiological models without compromising patient privacy. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) standardized its fragmented pandemic‑era infrastructure by adopting Red Hat OpenShift on Azure and integrating Nvidia...
Senators Demand to Know How Much Energy Data Centers Use
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley have jointly urged the U.S. Energy Information Administration to release detailed, reliable data on the electricity consumption of data centers. The bipartisan request highlights growing concerns that current estimates of data‑center power use are...
DfE Proposes to Strip Most Assistive Software Out of Disabled Students’ Allowance
The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a consultation to overhaul Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) software funding, moving from a default entitlement to a model where paid assistive tools are only funded in “exceptional circumstances” when free alternatives are insufficient....