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
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… -
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… -
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… -
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… -
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… -
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… -
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… -
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… -
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… -
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… -
news
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… -
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… -
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… -
opinion
Sprint Wanted to Offer a Facebook-Only Internet Plan for Phones. The Government Blocked It.
Like Theodore Roosevelt, Barack Obama knows that the presidency makes an effective bully pulpit — even when you have historically low approval ratings. He showed that earlier this month when — in an unusually deep wade into the decision-making process at the supposedly independent Federal Communications Commission — the president came out four-square in favor… -
news
Can Facebook Predict This Year’s Winning Candidates? These 9 Charts Could Hold a Clue
Facebook's massive reach and emergence as a top source of news make it a critical component to any political campaign. But even in 2014, with less than two weeks until Election Day, there are wide disparities how Democrats and Republicans are leveraging the platform to win on Nov. 4. This week, Facebook made available a… -
opinion
Social Media Prove Double-Edged Sword for ISIS
ISIS has issued a warning to its members about their use of social media. A new directive from the group’s leaders, first reported by the Financial Times, warned against the dangers presented by metadata and other information contained in digital postings. A new ISIS hashtag has appeared in Twitter in recent weeks, Himlat Takteem Ialami—the… -
news
Liberals Most Likely to Defriend You on Facebook — and in Real Life
If you’ve sensed over the years that your liberal friends are “unfriending” you on Facebook, you might be right. A new Pew Research study concludes that “consistent liberals” are the most likely ideological group in America to block or defriend someone else because they disagree with that person’s politics. “Roughly four-in-10 consistent liberals on Facebook… -
opinion
The Government Created a Facebook Profile for This Woman (Without Telling Her)
A woman is suing the Drug Enforcement Administration after an agent copied pictures from her cellphone in order to create a fake Facebook profile in her name–all without her knowledge or consent. Sondra Arquiett, the plaintiff in the suit, was arrested in 2010 on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Law enforcement officials… -
news
Journalists Seek a Way to Stop White House Censorship of ‘Pool’ Reports
White House reporters are testing a system to circumvent White House involvement in the distribution of press “pool” reports. As The Daily Signal previously reported, Obama administration officials have come under fire recently from journalists who accuse them of delaying and altering the reports. “No one should ever assume that the White House is approving or… -
opinion
Are We Advancing in the Social Media War on Terror?
We appear to be making progress when it comes to combating ISIS propaganda online. That is the message from Rick Stengel, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, in an interview with CNN. “We have evidence that there are young people who are not joining because we have somehow interceded,” said Stengel, who had just returned…