The Trouble With TikTok
The Future in Context
Eric Goldman, associate dean of research at Santa Clara University School of Law, assesses concerns around the impending TikTok ban or buyout. It faces significant First Amendment challenges, he said. The debate over the potential TikTok ban, or forced sale under recent federal legislation, hinges on significant legal and constitutional challenges. Eight TikTok influencers have already filed a lawsuit, arguing the ban infringes on their First Amendment rights. Santa Clara University School of Law Associate Dean of Research Eric Goldman joins our Government A to Z, panel, drawing attention to...
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Government websites are failing at the basics: How to fix them
The Future in Context
A new report card called ScanGov monitors and evaluates the fundamentals of government websites in all 50 states and the federal government. The report reveals that half of all states received a failing grade, indicating a need for improvement in transparency, domain credibility, accessibility, and crawlability. The creators of ScanGov, Elias and Luke Fretwell, emphasize that their goal is not to shame governments but to educate and inspire behavioral change. The project has received positive feedback and has already prompted some agencies to make improvements. However, there is still a need...
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Choosing to Lead
The Future in Context
From digital inclusion to AI innovation, we take a closer look at Government Technology’s honorees in the 23rd year of its annual awards. In conversation with editorial staff, we focus on the work of five particular leaders. The editors of Government Technology recently released their annual Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers for this year. The class of 2024 is noteworthy for continuing a multiyear trend toward gender equity among recipients, with women making up 44 percent of the group. The cross section of public leaders is recognized for their work on digital inclusion, government...
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The Importance of State Government News Coverage
The Future in Context
State government coverage faces a decline amidst journalism's broader struggles, with Pew Research Center revealing a rise in statehouse reporters, yet a decrease in full-time coverage. The University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communication combats this trend, sponsoring the $25,000 Collier Prize for State Government Accountability, awarded this year to a collaboration between Texas Tribune, ProPublica, and "Frontline" for their Uvalde school shooting investigation. Hub Brown, the college's dean, notes the endangered state of state government journalism due to dwindling resources,...
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Reimagining the Future of Public-Sector IT
The Future in Context
With a crowd of more than 900 people, the NASCIO Midyear Conference buzzed with energy about generative artificial intelligence, along with concern that humans remain in charge. Generative AI can fill a room. The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Midyear Conference attracted some 938 registered attendees. And that’s for a membership organization that represents 50 appointed tech officials. Not surprisingly, AI dominated the agenda — but not to the exclusion of longstanding NASCIO priorities of cybersecurity, workforce development, business transformation and...
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AI as a Stress Test for Government Data
The Future in Context
The rise of generative artificial intelligence is a stress test for data governance and management. And an opportunity for data stewards to shine. When Neil Cooke became the Chief Data Officer at the Texas Department of Information Resources in 2022, generative artificial intelligence (GenA) was not on the horizon. The role was focused on data governance and collaborating with state agencies in overseeing the shared open data portal. It is tempting — and a little clickbaity — to say GenAI changed all that. But that would be factually incorrect. In fact, all the behind-the-scenes work on...
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Resisting the Campaign for Safer Streets
The Future in Context
Reducing traffic deaths is a compelling proposition, but it gets complicated when trying to make it so. Reduced enforcement of traffic laws, increased rates of driver impairment, cellphone distractions and street designs that prioritize speed have helped reverse long-standing traffic safety gains in American cities.Programs like Vision Zero, aimed at eliminating traffic deaths, face challenges in implementation and efficacy, though success stories like Hoboken, N.J., offer hope. Federal initiatives such as Safe Streets and Roads for All provide substantial funding opportunities for cities to...
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Is AI Ready to Replace Human Policy Advisers?
The Future in Context
A 50-state investigation in data journalism suggests the answer is, not yet. The AI agent was insightful on a number of fronts; but, while not descending into hallucinations, its mind strayed from instructions as the experiment went on. Government Technology Data Reporter Nikki Davidson tasked Google’s AI tool Gemini (formerly Bard) to explore AI’s perspective on government technology use. Davidson’s innovative approach involved treating AI as a collaborative partner to generate insights on AI’s potential applications in government. Despite Gemini’s occasional inaccuracies and...
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Check Your Mailbox!
The Future in Context
The reinvention of a Virginia city built by railway robber barons as a biotech hub defies default strategies of trying to attract new players to do what was done by the companies that left or closed. The story of Roanoke shares the cover of the rebooted print edition of Governing magazine* with a feature on what states are doing to increase the availability and affordability of housing.Governing Editor Alan Greenblatt discusses the magazine’s return to print after five years of being web-only. Greenblatt emphasizes the value of a physical magazine for high-level government officials,...
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Nudges in the Night
The Future in Context
Lawmakers, industry players and parents are making moves to keep kids safe online, but their approaches vary widely. A bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate is intended to shield children by requiring social media platforms to turn off addictive product features, and require companies to minimize mental health risks. New York state proposed restricting what it called “unhealthy social media usage” by prohibiting minors from accessing addictive feeds without parental consent. In the name of parental rights, Florida legislators considered sometimes competing bills to either ban those younger...
info_outlineSignificant changes at X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, are forcing public agencies to adapt, revert to communications channels they control, or contemplate leaving it all together. The changes have caused public agencies to rethink what they need to do to effectively disseminate emergency and critical information while safeguarding their own credibility as even the validation seal program on the platform gets turned on its head.
SHOW NOTES
Here are the top 10 takeaways from this episode:
- Overview: The episode discusses significant changes on Twitter (rebranded as “X”) affecting public agencies.
- Unexpected Alterations: X temporarily removed public post viewing without an account, impacting dissemination of emergency information in a crisis.
- Community Engagement: Agencies, like the Washington and Arizona departments of transportation, used Twitter for over a decade for effective community connection.
- Increased Negative Feedback: Rising negativity on X is causing state and local government users to consider leaving the platform.
- Verification Process Concerns: Modifications to the verification process, including the paid feature, X Premium, has caused confusion and concerns about credibility among government agencies.
- Preferred Verification: Government entities prefer the gray checkmark, denoting verified status, to enhance credibility.
- Anticipated Future Changes: Additional changes on X include the potential removal of the block feature and altered news article display.
- Potential Future Monetization: Discussions indicate that X may not remain free, leading to uncertainty among current users.
- No Immediate Alternatives: With nontransferable follower bases, agencies find it challenging to transition to alternative platforms, despite X’s changes.
- Conclusion: Public agencies are cautiously navigating X’s continuous changes, weighing their platform options while considering credibility, public service and platform utility concerns.
Related Links to stories referenced in the episode:
- Social Media Changes Are Impacting Government Messaging
- Government Begins to Ask: When Do We Leave Twitter?
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Our editors used ChatGPT 4.0 to summarize the episode in bullet form to help create the show notes.