Government

The Obama administration's support of Big Data technology for more efficient and effective government operations was highlighted at a recent White House sponsored conference that featured presentations on more than 30 successful public and private sector projects. "Realizing the enormous potential o...

The European Commission has issued a stark warning to Nokia to not become a patent troll. The company sold most of its mobile phone business to Microsoft earlier this year but retained its patent portfolio. The EC cleared the acquisition last week, but the deal has sparked concerns that Nokia may mo...

The United States House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Innovation Act, a bipartisan bill seeking to curb frivolous lawsuits by patent trolls, by a vote of 325-91. Bill H.R. 3309, whose chief sponsor is House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, will go before the Senate where anoth...

Microsoft is taking steps to make its customers' data more secure in the wake of revelations about government spying. The company was implicated in National Security Agency snooping operations after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents related to the agency's activities earlier this...

In the waning days of the current session of Congress, patent reform is one issue that's very much alive. Major IT companies and business associations are making sure their voices are heard in what has become a typical end-of-year legislative scramble. Their efforts may not result in passage of a bi...

The United States National Security Agency reportedly has seeded 50,000 networks worldwide with malware designed to steal sensitive information. The report -- the latest in a series of published disclosures based on documents released by Snowden -- is likely to fuel the controversy raging around cyb...

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler announced Thursday that the commission is considering changing its rules regarding the use of cellphones and mobile broadband in airplanes. It is possible for the latest electronic gadgets and broadband to be used safely during flights, he noted, and the time is right for th...

The FCC is ramping up efforts to transition U.S. phone networks from their current TDM technology to VoIP. The commission's January meeting will include consideration of an Order for immediate action, said Chairman Tom Wheeler. The order should include recommendations on how best to obtain comment o...

Bitcoin, the virtual currency that governments love to hate, came under the spotlight this week at a United States Senate committee hearing on virtual currencies. U.S. government and law enforcement agencies and the International Center for Missing & Exploited Children emphasized the attractiven...

The U.S. government's Big Data initiative is sparking more investments in data management projects, especially those involving joint efforts between business and government. Under the sponsorship of the Obama administration initiative, the White House showcased more than 30 Big Data projects Nov. 12...

Companies across the IT sector are in favor of improving the U.S. patent system and generally support efforts in Congress to improve patent protection. However, not all IT companies are in favor of specific proposals to improve the patent process. A current example is a patent reform bill recently i...

The troubled launch of HealthCare.gov has been costly for President Obama and Democratic supporters of the entire Affordable Care Act program, also known as "Obamacare." The difficulties surrounding the launch have spurred broader criticism about the federal government's management of major IT deplo...

Fending off cybersecurity breaches from external sources is a difficult task -- but when breach problems arise from within an organization, the challenge of protecting information becomes even more difficult. While U.S. government agencies have intensified their use of cybersecurity control technolo...

The tough political bargaining over the federal budget underscored by the recent government shutdown portends a continuing emphasis on keeping the cost of government under control. As federal agencies resume full operations after the budget and debt ceiling hiatus, it is clear that the goal of getti...

While the federal market for cloud technologies promises to be a prime opportunity for vendors, it is becoming clear that providers cannot expect the phone to ring with orders from federal agencies. Instead, vendors will have to make investments in product development, marketing and other activities...