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Daily Archives: December 24, 2014

Federal Agencies’ Steps to Improve Mobile Access to Government Information and Services

Federal Agencies’ Steps to Improve Mobile Access to Government Information and Services, GAO-15-69: Published: Dec 22, 2014. Publicly Released: Dec 22, 2014.

“According to Pew Research Center, in 2013, some demographic groups relied more on cellphones to access the Internet than others. Those who are young, earn more income, have a graduate degree, or are African American had the highest rate of mobile access. In contrast, according to Pew, those who used cellphones to access the Internet in 2013 at lower rates tended to be seniors, the less educated, or rural populations. Only 22 percent of seniors ages 65 and older accessed the Internet using cellphones, compared to 85 percent of young people. GAO also found that access to the Internet using cellphones has increased, primarily due to lower cost, convenience, and technical advances. Although desktop and laptop computers are still the primary means of access, consumers are increasingly using mobile devices to access websites with government information and services. For example, the number of individual visitors using smartphones and tablets to access the Department of the Interior’s information and services increased significantly from 57,428 visitors in 2011 to 1,206,959 in 2013. Even so, mobile Internet users reportedly face a range of challenges accessing government services online. For example, viewing any website that has not been “optimized” for mobile access—in other words, redesigned for smaller screens—can be challenging. Federal agencies—which have more than 11,000 websites—have taken a range of actions to enhance access to information and services via mobile devices. The Office of Management and Budget, in response to the milestones laid out in its Digital Government Strategy, created the Digital Services Advisory Group, which—together with the General Services Administration‘s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technology—has provided federal agencies with guidance, resources, and tools to enhance access to government services via mobile devices. In addition, five of the six agencies GAO interviewed have taken steps to improve access to their websites via mobile devices. For example, in 2012, the Department of Transportation (DOT) redesigned its main website, www.dot.gov, to provide a platform for mobile access. Three of the other agencies GAO interviewed have also redesigned websites to better accommodate mobile devices and the other two agencies have plans to do so.”

Spillovers of US unconventional monetary policy to Asia: the role of long-term interest rates

Spillovers of US unconventional monetary policy to Asia: the role of long-term interest rates by Ken Miyajima, Madhusudan Mohanty and James Yetman, December 2014. “This paper reviews the role of long-term interest rates in international monetary transmission and related policy challenges in the wake of exceptionally easy US monetary policy. It employs a panel VAR model… Continue Reading

EPIC – Senator Rockefeller Proposes Drone Privacy Bill

“Senator Rockefeller, the outgoing Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee and a leading privacy champion, introduced a bill to require privacy safeguards in the commercial operation of drones. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Privacy Act of 2014 would prohibit surveillance of individuals by companies unless explicit prior consent is obtained and would require the development of… Continue Reading

Census posts report on Children’s Well-Being

A Child’s Day: Living Arrangements, Nativity, and Family Transitions: 2011 (Selected Indicators of Child Well-Being) Household Economic Studies By Lynda Laughlin Issued December 2014. “The well-being of children is a growing area of interest to researchers and policy makers who focus on the social, cognitive, and economic security of children as they transition from preadolescents to young adults. This report uses a variety of… Continue Reading

US Internet to roll out a faster, 10-gigabit fiber-optic service in Minneapolis

Adam Belz, Star Tribune: “US Internet is rolling out ultrafast Internet service in parts of Minneapolis and planning to push eastward with its high-speed, low-cost fiber network in the summer. The Minnetonka firm that offers fiber-optic service to about 30,000 households in southwest Minneapolis announced Tuesday that it will use that network to offer 10-gigabit-per-pecond Internet… Continue Reading