The article I read, "U.S. Government Sets up Online 'app. store' ", is about just that. According to the article, the White House administration has revealed a government 'app. store' that is intended for use by the federal bureaucracy only. The U.S. chief information officer believes that this application of technology will bring the policies of the government up to speed with the trends of today. He also believes that this will assist the government in leveraging new technology. On Tuesday, September 15, Google announced their formation of a 'government cloud'. This cloud would contain public data for use by federal, state, and local governments.
I believe that this new and innovative use of already existing technology is a great way to benefit our country as a whole-by strengthening our internal structure (government) the nation becomes stronger. Providing an application that is solely for government use will make communication, convenience of data, and data transfer much more ideal for our officers. I think if use of the 'app. store' becomes mandatory for officials, it could revolutionize communication throughout the White House and beyond.
A major concern I have surrounding this application is security. If officials utilize 'cloud-computing', the storage of data is somewhat safer because it is not stored on the hard drives of the people using it; instead, it is being pulled from the internet. Assuming that the Google Cloud would be a private cloud, this also increases the security of the information being accessed. Another thought is the access and data flow of those who utilize the 'app. store'(of course not all officials would have access to the same apps.) because this information is sure to draw plenty of attention from potential hackers and frauds. Implementing a system providing access to top secret intelligence should be complexly encrypted to ensure that no one besides the intended recipient gains access to the information. This is a major risk that could be potentially hazardous to the public, but highly beneficial if properly executed. Another thought is to continually jump between different Wi-Fi frequencies in no specific pattern to offset connection hackers. This idea of government 'apps.' has equally beneficial and jeopardizing effects that could occur. The highest concern for a launch and heavy integration of this system is ultimately security and a possible unnecessary leaking of U.S. private records, transactions, files, and confidential intelligence. On the other hand, if intense and innovative security measures are enforced, applied, and put into place, this could revolutionize internal government communication and policy. Although the servers storing all of data will be private, rather than public, the threat of hackers still exists because in the past, hackers have broken into virtual private networks (VPNs). On a positive note, if the system is implemented and becomes mandatory, the government will save money on procedural items. Considering that the 'app. store' has already been unveiled, I assume such precautions/measures are already being taken. In my opinion, for an application such as this, it is only as good as its platform, storage, and infrastructure.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/09/16/government.app.store/index.html?iref=newssearch
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A government "app. store" would definitely improve communication regarding important data throughout government officials. The security aspect, however, is a huge component. Tons of private information would be kept in these government apps. If a hacker were to obtain this data, many people, if not the entire country, would be in danger. There is a lot of risk involved with this system but I think that our present technology is capable of keeping everything private. Besides bettering government communication, this system would cut costs. Overall, I believe that if the "app. store" was extremely secure then it would be very beneficial regarding multiple aspects.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tara that a government application store would be a positive for the United States. Privacy has been a major problem with all of the new technological advancements we have made in the past decade and by putting all this information in one place it could be detrimental to many Americans. However, by improving communication within our government as a whole, we could greatly benefit. The system could save our country money, which we need considering we are billions of dollars in debt.
ReplyDeleteI think an online government app store would be a huge asset to government agencies as it will enable more efficient practices within the government. According to the article, agencies can spend less time and taxpayer dollars on procedural executions and focus more attention on using the technology to achieve goals. However, there are two things I question. First, if the government becomes too reliant on the internal storage and communication of this high-tech advancement, it may create barriers to communication and transferring with external governments. Second, obviously privacy and security are main threats, but in addition to this store being an attractive target for hackers, it is also possible that Google could use IT to sort and query the information to gain new information that would benefit other fields just as Facebook wanted to use the information from users.
ReplyDeleteI believe the online government app store is a great idea to an extent. It should only be used to communicate general information. However, I find the security risk too high to put anything important online. It is not a system the government can become dependent on. Looking at 9/11, it seems hackers can find a way into any system, causing devastating consequences that the country still has not recovered from. What would make this one any different? I do not believe the benefits of this system conquer the risk factors associated with it.
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