SBC White Paper Proposes New Mode for Devices in School Settings
The Safer Buildings Coalition (SBC) has released a white paper proposing a “School Mode” for smartphones that automatically restricts non‑essential functions when a device enters a school geofence during class hours. The model is opt‑in, gives schools control over policy, and guarantees emergency access by integrating with FEMA’s IPAWS and SOS features. SBC is gathering public input via a survey and plans to discuss the proposal at the IWCE 2026 conference. The initiative aims to balance parental communication needs with classroom focus without imposing blanket bans.
Cross-Government Report Shows Quadrupling of Detected Fraud and Error in Two Years
The Public Sector Fraud Authority reported a record £1.7 bn in detected fraud and error for 2023‑24, more than four times the £438 m reported in 2021‑22. The surge is driven largely by error, especially £327 m linked to closed energy‑affordability schemes, while...
UK Sets Out Vision for Open, Interoperable Connected Vehicle Services
The UK Department for Transport introduced a Connected Vehicle Services (CVS) Framework to establish an open, interoperable ecosystem for vehicle‑infrastructure data. The non‑prescriptive model defines a national baseline of services, guiding local authority investments, standards and policy without mandating specific...
Global Leaders, Executives Exposed in Data Leak
At the Abu Dhabi Finance Week summit, an unsecured cloud server exposed the passports and national ID cards of more than 700 attendees, including former British Prime Minister David Cameron, hedge‑fund billionaire Alan Howard, and former White House communications director...
EU Needs to Abandon AI ‘Doomerism,’ White House Official Says
U.S. White House senior AI adviser Sriram Krishnan warned the EU to abandon its "doomerism" and focus on innovation rather than heavy regulation. He criticized the 2024 EU AI Act as stifling for entrepreneurs, citing Austrian coder Peter Steinberger’s move...
Africa’s Data Centre Capacity on Back Foot, Despite Investment Push
Africa’s data‑centre capacity remains under 1% of global supply despite a surge in investment, with active capacity at 360 MW and another 238 MW under construction. The Africa Data Centres Association report projects a total pipeline of 656 MW, but even full delivery...
Chlorine Dioxide, Raw Camel Milk: The FDA No Longer Warns Against These and Other Ineffective Autism Treatments
The FDA removed a consumer webpage that warned against chlorine dioxide, raw camel milk, chelation and hyperbaric oxygen as ineffective autism treatments, citing a routine cleanup of outdated content. The page, unchanged since 2019, remains only via the Internet Archive,...
SARS Turns Screws on Crypto Tax-Dodgers
South Africa’s tax authority, SARS, has released its domestic Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), outlining how crypto‑related transactions will be reported and shared with tax authorities. The framework mandates crypto‑asset service providers to gather detailed user and transaction data and...
ECB and ONCE Foundation Launch Collaboration to Ensure Digital Euro Is Accessible for Everyone
The European Central Bank has signed a collaboration agreement with Spain’s ONCE Foundation to make the digital euro app universally accessible, especially for people with disabilities, older adults, and those with limited digital skills. The foundation will provide technical advice,...
Africa Must Build Its Own AI Future
Professor Mpho Primus, speaking at the ITWeb Data Insights Summit 2026, warned that Africa faces a choice between passively consuming foreign AI or shaping its own digital destiny through an Ubuntu‑centred governance model. She highlighted that the continent’s real data...
Find Public Health Resources Succeeds Initial User Testing
UK Health Security Agency’s Find Public Health Resources service has completed its alpha assessment, satisfying all 14 government service standards. The platform offers an e‑commerce‑style interface allowing health professionals and the public to locate, download, and order vaccination and infectious...
AI Planning Tool Expands Its Testing Landscape
PlanAI, a large‑language‑model tool created by the UK Ministry of Housing’s Digital Planning team, has moved from a Cambridge pilot to stress‑testing in five additional planning authorities. The system slashes consultation summarisation from 18.5 hours to 16 minutes by automatically categorising feedback...
NHS Business Services Authority Improves Online Baby Loss Certification
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has completed a beta reassessment of its Baby Loss Certificate service, achieving compliance with all 14 government service standards. The digital service, created after the Pregnancy Loss Review, now offers bereaved parents formal recognition...
War CIO Seeks Private Partners to Help Modernize Acquisition
The Pentagon launched the Business Operators for National Defense (BOND) program, recruiting up to 250 senior industry executives to work directly with acquisition, engineering, and sustainment teams. The initiative aims to cut bureaucratic delays, speed weapon fielding, and strengthen supply‑chain...
White House CTO Outlines Federal AI Agenda
White House CTO Ethan Klein outlined a federal AI agenda that links government, industry, academia, and philanthropy around three pillars: U.S. leadership in emerging tech, revitalizing the science enterprise, and broad societal benefit. The plan calls for a national AI...
Government Explores Unified ID and Verification System for Businesses
The UK Department for Business and Trade has signed a 10‑week, £300,000 contract with Deloitte to explore a unified digital business ID that would provide a single login and a cross‑government business entity directory. The discovery phase will assess existing...
GDS Public Sector Monitoring ‘Finding and Fixing over 100 Critical Vulnerabilities a Month’
The Government Digital Service’s Vulnerability Monitoring Service (VMS), launched in summer 2024, now has over 700 public‑sector organisations signed up and is detecting more than 100 critical vulnerabilities each month. Offered free through the National Cyber Security Centre, the service...
Singapore & Its 4 Major Telcos Fend Off Chinese Hackers
Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency and the nation’s four major telcos (M1, Simba Telecom, Singtel, StarHub) launched the "Cyber Guardian" operation, expelling the China‑linked threat actor UNC3886 after an 11‑month campaign. The attackers breached critical network segments but did not steal...
DriveOhio Data Keeps Eyes on Road Assets
Honda and DriveOhio completed a two‑year pilot of a Proactive Roadway Maintenance System in Ohio, using test vehicles equipped with vision and LiDAR sensors to scan roughly 5,000 km of roads. The system achieved 99% accuracy detecting damaged or obstructed signs,...
NB Releases New Digital Health Strategy
New Brunswick’s government unveiled a comprehensive digital health strategy aimed at creating a modern, connected, and patient‑centred system. The plan expands the “digital front door,” modernizes electronic health records, and introduces AI‑driven tools to streamline provider workflows. It allocates a...
Infoway Pulls the Plug on PrescribeIT
Canada Health Infoway announced that its e‑prescribing platform PrescribeIT will be discontinued on May 29, ending a program that has cost more than $250 million since its 2017 launch. The service never achieved scale, with fewer than 5 percent of prescriptions routed through...
Indonesia and Vietnam Explore Digital Payment Collaboration
Indonesia and Vietnam are initiating talks to cooperate on digital payment technologies, targeting greater transparency, efficiency, and financial inclusion. The discussions, held in Hanoi, focus on leveraging Vietnam’s real‑time monitoring capabilities to help Indonesian MSMEs maintain accurate records and access...
Hong Kong Fortifies Cybersecurity Training in the AI Era
Hong Kong released its Cybersecurity Outlook 2026, revealing that nearly 30% of local firms lack dedicated security staff and only 26% of SMEs have such roles compared with 59% of large enterprises. To address the talent gap, the government, HKPC...
Thailand: Using Technology and Data to Restore Coastal Ecosystems
Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources have signed a five‑year memorandum of understanding to apply data‑driven science, digital monitoring and genomic research to coastal and marine ecosystem management. The partnership will...
‘We’re Not Through’: More Hybrid QM Data Collection Likely Ahead for Nursing Homes
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is expanding its hybrid quality‑measure (QM) methodology, merging Minimum Data Set (MDS) information with Medicare claims to improve accuracy. Recent OIG reports on antipsychotic medication use and falls with major injury prompted...
2026 Diplomacy: Own the Data Layer Before the AI Layer
The U.S. State Department is prioritizing data infrastructure over artificial‑intelligence hype, releasing an Enterprise Data Strategy before its AI plan. A new secure platform, Data.*State*, will centralize diplomatic data and AI tools, while the department aims to double domestic data...
FCC Waivers Cover Moves of EAS Gear
The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued two waivers this month allowing broadcasters to temporarily take Emergency Alert System (EAS) equipment offline while relocating it. Fort Myers Broadcasting received approval to move EAS gear for three Florida stations,...
What Is Alpha, The AI-Only School Of The Future?
Alpha School, an AI‑only private K‑12 institution founded in 2014, delivers all core instruction, grading and administration through generative‑AI platforms. The model compresses reading and math into two daily hours, while the remaining time focuses on entrepreneurship and life skills,...
WEST 2026: Digital Transformation Teams Are a Core Part of the Marines’ AI Strategy
The Marine Corps has fielded six Digital Transformation Teams (DXTs) and plans two additional deployments to complete coverage across its three Marine Expeditionary Forces. These teams operationalize the service’s 2024 AI strategy by piloting AI solutions, managing risk, and closing...
Almost Half Expect Data Centers to Be Campaign Issue: Polling
A Politico/Public First poll shows almost half of respondents expect data centers to become a campaign issue in their area within five years. While 37% currently support a new facility, support erodes when potential electricity bill increases are disclosed, dropping...
State and Local Governments Can Avoid Costly Mistakes in Application Modernization
State and local governments are accelerating application modernization without fully assessing security and interdependencies, leading some to halt cloud migrations. CDW’s chief architect Greg Peters warns that legacy mainframes and tightly coupled applications require coordinated upgrades across multiple systems. To...
EU Top Court New Search Tool Dubbed a ‘Disaster’ by Lawyers
The European Court of Justice launched a redesigned InfoCuria portal in January, but lawyers and scholars quickly labeled it a “disaster.” The new search engine omits fundamental filters such as case number, language, and judge rapporteur, forcing users to rely...
Aware Points to Independent PAD and Bias Testing as Remote ID Pressure Mounts
Aware announced that its biometric platform has earned independent validation for presentation‑attack detection (PAD) at ISO/IEC 30107‑3 Levels 1‑3, completed bias testing under ISO/IEC 19795‑10, and participated in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s 2025 Remote Identity Validation Rally. The company ties these...
WSO2 Joins MOSIP and IIIT-Bangalore to Refresh eSignet Authentication for National IDs
WSO2 has partnered with IIIT‑Bangalore and the MOSIP project to overhaul eSignet, the open‑source authentication layer used in national digital ID systems. The effort focuses on boosting scalability, OpenID Connect‑style flows, and offline QR support for low‑connectivity environments. By integrating...
Indicio Introduces Wallet-Based Passport Verification for AI Travel Chats
Indicio has launched Proven AI for Digital Travel, enabling travel companies to verify a passenger’s digital passport within chatbot and AI‑assistant interactions. The solution uses a wallet‑held Digital Travel Credential (DTC) that is cryptographically validated without querying a central database. By...
Somalia Cleared to Adopt EAC E-Passport, Envoy Says
Somalia has been granted official authorization to adopt and print the East African Community (EAC) e‑Passport, a key step in its regional integration. The decision was handed to Somalia’s Minister of Internal Security and the Director‑General of Immigration in Dar...
International News in Brief: Bill Passed on Sharing of Health Information in Singapore; National EHR in Guyana, Spain to Improve...
Singapore passed a Health Information Bill requiring all licensed providers to share key patient data via a national EHR, with cybersecurity safeguards and a 2027 rollout. Guyana launched a national EHR that includes online appointments and imposes hefty fines for...
Executive Vice-President Virkkunen in India for Summit on Artificial Intelligence
Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen will represent the European Union at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, underscoring the EU’s push for stronger AI cooperation with India. She will lead an industry roundtable on AI skills and talent mobility...
The German Digital Healthcare Act (DVG) at Seven Years: Review of the DiGA Ecosystem and Its Impact on European Health...
Seven years after Germany’s Digital Healthcare Act (DVG) introduced the world’s first reimbursement pathway for digital health apps, the DiGA ecosystem has matured from speculative beginnings to a €234 million market serving nearly one million prescriptions. The fast‑track approval process accelerated...
Strategic Commissioning Plan for Leicestershire and Northamptonshire ICBs Notes Digital to Transform Population Health, Neighbourhood Health, and Prevention
The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB and Northamptonshire ICB have released a five‑year strategic commissioning plan to 2031 that places digital and data at the core of population health, neighbourhood health and prevention initiatives. A new digital and data strategy...
The Missing Layer in Smart Waste Systems: Resident Engagement
The Senate passed the bipartisan STEWARD Act to expand recycling infrastructure and modernize data collection. While the legislation improves physical assets, it overlooks the human element that ultimately determines curb‑side success. Residents often face confusing, localized rules, leading to contamination...
IOCO Goes Desert Storming with Saudi Arabia Cloud Expansion
Johannesburg‑listed iOCO is expanding its cloud practice in Saudi Arabia through a partnership with Amazon Web Services. The move targets Saudi government agencies and enterprises as the kingdom pushes its Vision 2030 digital modernization agenda. iOCO will invest in local delivery...
Commission Launches Investigation Into Shein Under the Digital Services Act
The European Commission has opened formal proceedings against fast‑fashion giant Shein under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The probe targets Shein’s addictive design features, opaque recommender‑system algorithms, and the sale of illegal items, including child sexual abuse material. Regulators will...
Two Years of Digital Services Act Allows 50 Million Content Moderation Decisions by Platforms to Be Reversed
The EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) has enabled users to overturn nearly 50 million content‑moderation decisions in its first two years. About 30% of the 165 million appeals filed through platform internal mechanisms have been reversed, showing the law’s enforcement strength. In...
Planning Inspectorate Expands Digital Appeals Service
The Planning Inspectorate will extend its digital Appeal a Planning Decision platform to cover enforcement, enforcement listed‑building and lawful‑development‑certificate appeals starting 26 February 2026. The rollout follows a pilot with Cornwall Council, Havering and Brent, which validated the system’s functionality. New features...
HMRC Offers Nudge Tool via MTD Software as Providers Cite ‘Need to Educate Customers’
HMRC has introduced the Assist nudge tool within the Making Tax Digital (MTD) Income Tax Self‑Assessment beta, delivering data‑driven reminders through accredited software. A recent trial of similar nudges generated an extra £27 million in revenue, and the department plans to...
FOI Is Arming Cyberattackers – Here Is How to Fix It
Freedom of Information (FOI) requests on cybersecurity governance are exposing a stark inconsistency in public‑sector disclosures. Large NHS trusts and other big bodies tend to refuse or invoke national‑security exemptions, while smaller organisations often provide granular details. This uneven approach...
Treasury Chief: ‘AI Can Relieve Staff of Lower-Value Work’
HM Treasury senior official Beth Russell told the Treasury Committee that the department is actively deploying artificial intelligence to handle routine administrative tasks and support policy work. The Treasury has introduced an HR chatbot, is piloting Microsoft Copilot with 25%...
Ireland Launches ‘Large-Scale Inquiry’ Into Musk’s AI Bot Grok
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has opened a large‑scale GDPR inquiry into Elon Musk’s X over its AI tool Grok, which has been linked to a surge of sexualized deepfakes, including images of minors. Regulators estimate Grok produced three million non‑consensual...
Singapore: Expanding Community Support for Digital-Age Parents
Minister of State Rahayu Mahzam opened Phase 2 of the First Device Campaign, a new effort by TOUCH Cyber Wellness to provide community‑based support for parents navigating children’s digital lives. The initiative moves beyond online guides, offering hands‑on workshops and peer‑learning...