IT & Technology News
Reporting on information technology, cybersecurity, and tech policy. The Daily Signal includes analysis, commentary, and opinion on technology’s impact.
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- Opinion
Terrorists Use Social Media to Win War of Ideas
Used to be that, when a crime occurred, investigators would flood the crime scene. Now, they race to access the perpetrator’s footprint in digital space. Often, that’s where they’ll find the most crucial clues. And that’s why the FBI wants to know everything Chattanooga shooter Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez did online. Digital tracing has proved particularly…James Carafano -
- News
How Cyber Attack on US Personnel Office Erodes Public Confidence
Americans will become even more reluctant to entrust themselves to the government’s electronic records because of the widening scandal of successful cyber attacks on the federal personnel agency, an expert in digital customer satisfaction says. It will take time and vigorous marketing by the Obama administration and its successor to overcome the erosion of public trust in government…Ken McIntyre -
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How ISIS Is Waging a ‘War of Ideas’ Through Social Media
One year ago this week, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria seized Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul—its first major land grab in a battle for territorial expansion that continues today. But the reach of the terrorist organization, best known as ISIS, extends beyond a geographic battlefield, bridging traditional war tactics to disseminate brutality online….Natalie Johnson -
- Opinion
Why Facebook’s Requirement for Higher Wages, Paid Leave Is Good, but a Government Mandate Isn’t
Facebook recently announced plans to require its vendors to pay workers at least $15 per hour, offer at least 15 days of paid vacation and provide a $4,000 “baby bonus” to new parents if it doesn’t offer paid parental leave. This is worth celebrating—but not for the reasons the White House did. Facebook Chief Operating…Rachel Greszler -
- Opinion
House Intelligence Cyber Bill: Amendment Improves Cybersecurity
Today, the House will vote on the Protecting Cyber Networks Act (PCNA) and various amendments to it. With the ongoing threat of cyber attacks from persistent adversaries, individuals and foreign government entities alike, this bill is designed to mitigate threats, reduce vulnerabilities, and protect the nation’s information systems. The House Intelligence Committee’s PCNA is innovative…David Inserra -
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K-12 School Removes Washington Post Profile of Ryan T. Anderson From Its Facebook Page. Here’s Why.
Yesterday, The Heritage Foundation’s leading scholar on marriage policy was featured on the front page of The Washington Post as the right’s “fresh voice on same-sex marriage.” The premise of the article was this: A day in the life of Ryan T. Anderson, whose work reflects the belief that marriage should only be between a…Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
DeMint at Yale: Academic Censorship as a Political Weapon
The following are Jim DeMint’s prepared remarks delivered to the William F. Buckley Jr. Program at Yale University. I’d like to start out by telling you the story of a young guy named Omar Mahmood. He was in the news a couple months back. He’s a junior at the University of Michigan, and writes for…Jim DeMint -
- Opinion
GAO: High-Risk Gaps Remain in U.S. Cybersecurity
The current state of the U.S. government’s cybersecurity is in critical need of improvement according to the “High-Risk” report released yesterday by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO found serious problems with the way that the Administration and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are addressing cybersecurity as well as the protection of personally…Jennifer Guthrie -
- Opinion
Federal Agency Settles With Woman After Impersonating Her on Facebook, But Won’t Promise Not to Do it Again
The Drug Enforcement Agency created a fake Facebook profile of a woman and used the account to message drug dealers—all without her knowledge or consent. Now, after facing a media firestorm and a lawsuit, the federal government will settle with the woman for $134,000. It all began in 2010 when the DEA arrested Sondra Arquiett…Jordan Richardson -
- Opinion
Information Sharing a Must for Cybersecurity
Last week, the White House maintained that it would veto the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, a bill proposing cybersecurity information sharing between the private sector and the U.S. government, if it reached the President. While the bill was introduced by Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee Dutch Ruppersberger (D–MD) and has bipartisan…Jennifer Guthrie -
- Opinion
Washington Needs to Stop Being Clueless About the Internet, Cybersecurity
On Monday, U.S. Central Command lost control of its Twitter and YouTube accounts. It serves as yet another reminder of irresponsible social networking practices by federal agencies. The Internet is used for everything from downloading Taylor Swift to waging war, yet Washington seems hopelessly inept at finding its way in the cyber world. The Central…James Carafano -
- News
CENTCOM Social Media Accounts Apparently Hacked by ISIS Sympathizers
The Twitter and YouTube accounts for U.S. Central Command, which oversees the war against Islamic State militants, were hacked this afternoon. Pro-ISIS statements and images appeared on the Twitter account’s profile. The first tweet was posted at 12:29 p.m. ET, with the words “AMERICAN SOLDIERS, WE ARE COMING, WATCH YOUR BACK. ISIS.” It included the hashtag #CyberCaliphate. https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/554691728813207552 The…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
6 White House Hopefuls Use Twitter, Facebook to Share on Paris Terror Attacks
Six of the 14 likeliest Republican presidential candidates chose to speak out on the Islamist terrorist attacks in Paris on their Facebook and Twitter accounts, a review by The Daily Signal shows. The other eight of the GOP’s most prominent White House hopefuls didn’t post a single related statement or tweet within four days of the massacre at the…Ken McIntyre -
- News
13-Year-Old Son of Fallen NYPD Officer Posts Heartbreaking Goodbye to Father on Facebook
The son of fallen NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos, who was shot to death along with his partner in their cruiser Saturday afternoon, has penned a heartbreaking goodbye to his father on Facebook. In it, 13-year-old Jaden Ramos writes: “Everyone says they hate cops but they are the people that they call for help. I will always…Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
North Korea Cyber Attack on Sony—No Evidence, but Plenty of Capabilities
The FBI declared on December 9 that there is “no attribution to North Korea at this point” of the massive cyber attack on Sony Pictures for its planned release of a parody film of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Sources close to the ongoing investigations disclosed that Pyongyang remains the principal suspect. Cyber experts concluded…Bruce Klingner -
- Opinion
Could You Go to Prison for Posting Rap Lyrics on Facebook?
When do rap lyrics cross the line and become threatening speech? The Supreme Court specifically addressed that question during oral arguments this week in Elonis v. United States, a case which involves the felony conviction of Anthony Elonis for making threats against his estranged wife and law enforcement officers on Facebook. After separating from his…Jordan Richardson -
- Opinion
ISIS Is Watching U.S. Military Members and Their Families on Social Media
Are U.S. military members at risk on social media? The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security this weekend jointly issued the strongest warning yet for U.S. servicemen to scrub their accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. As reported by Fox News’s Catherine Herridge, the FBI and DHS are warning…Helle Dale -
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Daily Signal Story Inspires Social Media Action to Mend This Iraqi Boy Wounded in ISIS Attack
Ali Albayati, a neurologist in Iraq, learned of a little boy wounded in deadly bombings by ISIS terrorists the old-fashioned way: through a written story. Back-to-back car bomb attacks Aug. 7 struck a building in Kirkuk, Iraq, used by Shiite Muslims for religious purposes, reportedly killing and wounding scores of people. Among the severely injured…Josh Siegel -
- News
Mark Levin’s Facebook Post Saying Michael Brown Was Responsible for His Own Death Goes Viral
Conservative commentator and radio show host Mark Levin didn’t sugarcoat his reaction to the riots that broke out after the grand jury’s decision not to charge police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, 18, in Ferguson, Mo. >>> Disbelief as New York Times Publishes Address of Ferguson Police Officer “Brown was…Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
Cybersecurity: Time for the U.S. to Stop Negotiating with China and Start Acting
It comes as no surprise that the U.S.–China cybersecurity talks at the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) largely failed. While Obama was in China The Washington Post reported that the Chinese were the prime suspects in hacks against both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The USPS announced that…David Inserra