Tech Reading List: In Case You Missed It

In searching for Techwire news, we come across lots of items that are worth mentioning. Herewith are a few articles we’ve come across that you may find interesting and useful.

From The Wall Street Journal: “California, the birthplace of the American tech industry, is emerging as a great foe. … The state Legislature … will consider a bill that, if passed, could classify drivers for ride-hailing companies like Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. as employees, entitled to better wages and benefits. The bill, along with state laws pending or passed on issues ranging from privacy to net neutrality, could substantially reshape companies across the technology sector, many of which are based in the Silicon Valley area where local ordinances targeting tech are also taking hold. The push by policy makers against local companies is an unusual turn that is setting a precedent for greater tech governance throughout the country.”

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From Smart Cities Dive: “The U.S. Court of Appeals' D.C. Circuit unanimously ruled Friday against aspects of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) plan to speed up deployment of 5G infrastructure. The three-judge panel ruled the installation of small cell sites cannot bypass impact reviews on the environment and historic preservation.”

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From Politico: “Lawmakers already sent Newsom a wildfire insurance fund ahead of a deadline pegged to Wall Street downgrading utilities, but that wasn't the end of it, with a new bill emerging to offer a potential lifeline to bankrupt PG&E. That's a tough ask for lawmakers leery of embracing anything that could be labeled a bailout.”

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From Governing*: “A spike in cyberattacks in recent months has left state and local governments reeling. Baltimore faces more than $18 million in losses following a May ransomware attack. Several Florida cities were hit in June. And Los Angeles police data was hacked in late July.” 

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From Government Technology*: The smart doorbell Ring, acquired last year by Amazon for $1 billion, is a popular home security device used to capture imagery around people’s homes. But the company’s push for law enforcement partnerships is causing privacy concerns about the perceived creation of neighborhood-level surveillance networks. Two agencies in Fresno recently partnered with Ring and were trained on usage of the devices. GT’s Lucas Ropek spoke with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office about the partnership. 

*Government Technology, Governing and Techwire are publications of e.Republic.