ZDNetGovWeek: FTC vs. Facebook, Street View takes a hit, Congress on integrity, and Norwegian e-voting
ZDNet's worldwide team provides global 24/7 technology news and analysis. In addition to my own coverage analysis here in the ZDNet Government column and on ZDNet's DIY-IT, every week I'll bring you a selection of the best government-related articles posted by our intrepid reporters and analysts. Here are some of the most interesting from the last week.
Top stories this week
Vote early, vote often: Inside Norway's pioneering open source e-voting trials
Norway has undertaken its second test of electronic voting. While security concerns have been raised, all the source code for the system underpinning the trial is being shared with the public.
Don't blame the corporations for the surveillance state
If the law of the land requires Microsoft or Google or Facebook to surrender data about their customers then that's what they have to do. They're victims of the situation.
FTC examines proposed Facebook facial recognition technology changes
The FTC is placing Facebook's facial recognition technology under scrutiny in relation to federal privacy guidelines.
NSA provides Israel with raw, unchecked US intelligence
The US is providing Israel with intelligence on US persons, possibly including government officials, without first checking what it is sending, trusting the foreign nation to do the right thing.
Congress: Protect the integrity of standards
One of the disturbing actions of the NSA in recent years was their attempt to subvert a NIST cryptography standard in order to insert a back door. I call on Congress to end this.
Google loses appeal in 'landmark' Street View ruling
U.S. appeals court throws out Google's bid to dismiss a lawsuit stating it violated wiretap laws when it accidentally gathered personal data for its Street View application, in what a privacy advocate calls a "landmark decision".
Other government coverage around ZDNet
Hadopi: Watchdogs face-off over control of a dying three-strikes process
France's anti-piracy watchdog fought for survival this week while its broadcast regulator argued to gain control over a seriously weakened three-strikes process stripped of its internet-banning powers.
New Jersey suffers yet another state datacenter failure
Exactly how big a stick do you need to get them to pay attention?
Chinese firms unprepared to go global
Chinese delegates at this week's Summer Davos meetings in Dalian, China, say local companies are ill-prepared in their globalization plans, but criticize the U.S. government's moves to block the involvement of Chinese firms in business deals.
India earns 'authorizing nation' status for IT product testing
Asian giant obtains status under "Common Criteria - Recognition Arrangement" scheme which will remove bottlenecks that currently prevent the submission of products for testing in India, says industry group Nasscom.
Brazilian government launches hackathon to promote transparency
Initiative aims at stimulating citizen participation and engagement in policymaking and governance.
Ditch your personal phones, use govt hardware for state secrets instead, French ministers told
The French prime minister’s office has issued a note instructing all ministries offices employees not to use consumer mobile devices when dealing with classified and sensitive data.
North Korea key suspect in hacking campaign on South Korea
A new campaign against South Korean institutes appears to be the work of North Korean hackers, according to Kaspersky Lab.
Social networks blind sided by new Australian govt's e-safety tsar
Some of the world's largest social networks are concerned about the incoming Coalition government's plans for a Children's e-Safety Commissioner that allegedly went ahead without industry consultation.