Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Trump’s push for more admissions data collides with a hollowed-out Education Department

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Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · 19d

The Trump admin wants the Education Department to collect more college admissions data, even as it slashes the staff that ensures the statistics are credible & accurate.

Read more on uncertainties surrounding the future of education research👇 @fedscoop.bsky.social

fedscoop.com/education-de...

Gutted research offices raise doubts about the agency’s future data integrity, several former ED staffers say.

House staffers will have access to Microsoft Copilot this fall

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Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · 23d

House staffers will soon be able to use Microsoft Copilot’s chatbot, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced Wednesday, a move that marks a significant step in the chamber’s push to modernize workflows. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/microsoft-co...

Speaker Mike Johnson said the pilot program will be available for up to 6,000 House employees.

Charlie Kirk Was Shot and Killed in a Post-Content-Moderation World

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Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · 29d

Charlie Kirk Was Shot and Killed in a Post-Content-Moderation World, a smart piece from @wired.com

Videos of the shooting spread across TikTok, Instagram, and X. Researchers say that in some cases the platforms are falling short on enforcing their own content moderation rules.

www.wired.com

Perplexity AI makes its play for government use

Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Sep 8

New: Jerry Ma, Perplexity's VP of policy & global affairs, tells @fedscoop.bsky.social the AI-powered search engine is piloting tools in fed agencies.

Starting today, federal staff can access the platform from govt locations or with a .gov/.mil domain.

fedscoop.com/perplexity-a...

Another artificial intelligence company is staking its claim in the government marketplace. Perplexity AI, an AI-powered search engine, is currently

DOGE employees uploaded Social Security database to ‘vulnerable’ cloud, agency whistleblower says

Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Aug 26

New: SSA whistleblower says DOGE employees stored a copy of an agency database on a custom cloud server w/ no verified oversight, putting millions of Americans' personal data at risk @fedscoop.bsky.social
fedscoop.com/doge-social-...

An SSA spokesperson maintained the agency is “not aware of any compromise” to the cloud environment referenced in the complaint from the agency’s chief data officer.

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Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Aug 18

Hello! I'm hoping to speak with former/current Education Dept staff about the Trump admin's new request for college admissions race data & how a shrinking stats/data workforce complicates this.

You can reach me securely on Signal @miranda.952 or email [email protected]. Thank you!

GSA to unveil USAi, a new tool for federal agencies to experiment with AI models

Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Aug 14

SCOOP: GSA will launch USAi.gov later today, a new platform for agencies the chance to test out AI models.

Models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google & Meta will be available upon launch, w/ more coming later.

W/ help from @rebheilweil.bsky.social

fedscoop.com/usai-general...

Models from four major AI firms will be available for immediate testing upon launch. Notably, Elon Musk’s xAI Grok chatbot will not be one of these four.

RIF packets from FDA included sensitive data for other workers, sources say

Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · Aug 12

Two sources told FedScoop that agency workers have received others’ personal data, including Social Security numbers. The issue comes amid broader concerns about security of the packets. via @madialder.bsky.social fedscoop.com/rif-packets-...

Two sources told FedScoop that agency workers have received others’ personal data, including Social Security numbers. The issue comes amid broader concerns about security of the packets.

Federal agencies can buy ChatGPT for $1 through GSA deal

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Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Aug 6

Update: OpenAI will offer its ChatGPT Enterprise product to federal agencies for $1 a year, per agency.

Comes as part of the firm's long-term efforts to increase use of the gen AI chatbot in the federal government.
@fedscoop.bsky.social

Story: fedscoop.com/openai-chatg...

OpenAI said its ChatGPT Enterprise product will be available to the entire federal government workforce at “essentially no cost” for one year.

Anthropic, Google and OpenAI land GSA contract for governmentwide use

Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · Aug 5

Anthropic, Google and OpenAI land GSA contract for governmentwide use. GSA officials emphasized the contract aligns with the Trump administration’s new focus on preventing “ideological bias” in AI models. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/gsa-openai-g...

GSA officials emphasized the contract aligns with the Trump administration’s new focus on preventing “ideological bias” in AI models.

Anthropic, Google and OpenAI land GSA contract for governmentwide use

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Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Aug 5

News: Civilian fed agencies can now purchase AI products from OpenAI, Google & Anthropic through the GSA's Multiple Award Schedule program.

Officials added it aligns w/ Trump admin's focus on preventing "ideological bias" in govt-used models. @fedscoop.bsky.social

fedscoop.com/gsa-openai-g...

GSA officials emphasized the contract aligns with the Trump administration’s new focus on preventing “ideological bias” in AI models.

GSA is planning to bring its chatbot to the rest of government

Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · Aug 1

Zach Whitman, the agency’s CAIO and CDO, detailed the vision for GSAi across government and weighed in on whether Grok could be used by federal workers. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social and @rebheilweil.bsky.social fedscoop.com/general-serv...

Zach Whitman, the agency’s CAIO and CDO, detailed the vision for GSAi across government and weighed in on whether Grok could be used by federal workers.

Trump nominates former private equity executive Edward Forst as GSA administrator

Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · Aug 1

Trump nominates former private equity executive Edward Forst as GSA administrator via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/robert-forst...

The nomination marks the latest sign of change for the GSA, which was a stronghold for DOGE-aligned staffers earlier this year.

Government coders are studying whether major AI models, including Grok, output hate speech

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Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · Aug 1

Government coders are studying whether major AI models, including Grok, output hate speech via @rebheilweil.bsky.social and @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/government-c...

The General Services Administration is evaluating major AI models based on performance and other metrics, its chief AI officer said in an interview.

Vetting of ‘ideological bias’ in AI models in new Trump plan stirs confusion

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Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · Jul 25

“Not only is ‘objectivity’ elusive philosophically," wrote Cato's Matthew Mittelsteadt, "but efforts to technically contain perceived bias have yet to work. If this policy successfully shapes American models, we will lose int'l customers who won’t want models shaped by a foreign gov't’s whims.”

Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Jul 23

The Trump admin's focus on stopping "ideological bias" in AI models caught the attention of many in the tech world Wednesday, raising a whole new set of questions for the gov procurement process.

Read more for @fedscoop.bsky.social

fedscoop.com/vetting-of-i...

The emphasis on “ideological bias” in the White House’s AI Action Plan is stoking alarm among some tech experts, with one calling it the “biggest error” of the document.

Vetting of ‘ideological bias’ in AI models in new Trump plan stirs confusion

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Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Jul 23

The Trump admin's focus on stopping "ideological bias" in AI models caught the attention of many in the tech world Wednesday, raising a whole new set of questions for the gov procurement process.

Read more for @fedscoop.bsky.social

fedscoop.com/vetting-of-i...

The emphasis on “ideological bias” in the White House’s AI Action Plan is stoking alarm among some tech experts, with one calling it the “biggest error” of the document.

Vetting of ‘ideological bias’ in AI models in new Trump plan stirs confusion

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Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · Jul 23

The emphasis on “ideological bias” in the White House’s AI Action Plan is stoking alarm among some tech experts, with one calling it the “biggest error” of the document. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/vetting-of-i...

The emphasis on “ideological bias” in the White House’s AI Action Plan is stoking alarm among some tech experts, with one calling it the “biggest error” of the document.

James Walkinshaw dishes on DOGE, data and continuing Gerry Connolly’s IT legacy

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Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Jul 22

James Walkinshaw, the likely successor to the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, hopes to continue his former boss's federal IT advocacy while forging his own legacy in the DOGE era

Read more from our interview below! @fedscoop.bsky.social @jameswalkinshaw.bsky.social

Running for his old boss’s seat in Virginia’s 11th district, Walkinshaw details his tech agenda in an interview with FedScoop.

Miranda Nazzaro @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social · Jul 22

Thanks so much for sharing !! @timstarks.bsky.social

GSA acting head says nearly half of agency workforce is using GSAi daily

Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · Jul 17

GSA acting head says nearly half of agency workforce is using GSAi daily via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/gsa-acting-h...

Stephen Ehikian said agency workers are “using these tools, adopting them, certifying them and also providing them as a shared service across the government.”

State Department deputy Michael Rigas named GSA’s acting chief

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Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · Jul 21

President Donald Trump has tapped State Department leader Michael Rigas to serve as the General Services Administration’s new acting chief, the agency announced Monday. via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/trump-gsa-ac...

Stephen Ehikian, who has served in the role on an interim basis since January, will remain at the agency as deputy administrator.

James Walkinshaw dishes on DOGE, data and continuing Gerry Connolly’s IT legacy

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Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

FedScoop @fedscoop.bsky.social · Jul 22

James Walkinshaw dishes on DOGE, data and continuing Gerry Connolly’s IT legacy via @mirandanazzaro.bsky.social fedscoop.com/james-walkin...

Running for his old boss’s seat in Virginia’s 11th district, Walkinshaw details his tech agenda in an interview with FedScoop.

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Reposted by Miranda Nazzaro

Talking Biz News @talkingbiznews.bsky.social · Jul 7

@mirandanazzaro.bsky.social departs @thehill.com for a new tech reporting opportunity: talkingbiznews.com/media-news/n...