Dr. Valerie Mercer
@valsmithmercer.bsky.social
Assistant Info Technology Professor, Retired CTO | Reposts with #ITECxxxx are associated with courses I teach. Reposts are not endorsements.
#ITEC4205 If data privacy compliance is still viewed mainly as a matter of documentation, policy updates, or technical adjustments, it is no longer sufficient in the eyes of regulators. www.techradar.com/pro/data-pri...
Data privacy: consent isn’t a checkbox, it’s a commitment
Why the Healthline Case Signals a Move from Compliance Theater to Data Reality
www.techradar.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:13 PM
#ITEC4205 If data privacy compliance is still viewed mainly as a matter of documentation, policy updates, or technical adjustments, it is no longer sufficient in the eyes of regulators. www.techradar.com/pro/data-pri...
#ITEC4205 “Critics worry about AI giving school staff bad information, while advocates say this saves time.” www.texasstandard.org/stories/texa...
School districts turn to AI to comply with new state laws about library book content
Critics worry about AI giving school staff bad information, while advocates say this saves time.
www.texasstandard.org
November 5, 2025 at 2:07 PM
#ITEC4205 “Critics worry about AI giving school staff bad information, while advocates say this saves time.” www.texasstandard.org/stories/texa...
#ITEC4205 Cybersecurity is not just a concern or an add-on feature; it’s an integral component of the safety strategy for autonomous vehicles to ensure safe and secure mobility. www.eetimes.com/securing-the...
Securing the Road Ahead in the Transition to AVs - EE Times
As industry heads towards SDVs, cybersecurity protection from malicious actors are becoming more important over time.
www.eetimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:23 PM
#ITEC4205 Cybersecurity is not just a concern or an add-on feature; it’s an integral component of the safety strategy for autonomous vehicles to ensure safe and secure mobility. www.eetimes.com/securing-the...
"When no one believes a company has the best interests of its employees in mind, no one will want to work for that company," #ITEC7230
www.inc.com/joe-procopio...
www.inc.com/joe-procopio...
As Amazon Cuts 30K More Jobs, It’s Time for a Leadership Intervention
Yes, 30,000 job cuts is a big deal—but more damaging for the tech industry is how leadership talks about these layoffs.
www.inc.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:19 PM
"When no one believes a company has the best interests of its employees in mind, no one will want to work for that company," #ITEC7230
www.inc.com/joe-procopio...
www.inc.com/joe-procopio...
#ITEC4205 “Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are worse at retrieving accurate information and reasoning when trained on large amounts of low-quality content, particularly if the content is popular on social media” www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Too much social media gives AI chatbots ‘brain rot’
Large language models fed low-quality data skip steps in their reasoning process.
www.nature.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:16 PM
#ITEC4205 “Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are worse at retrieving accurate information and reasoning when trained on large amounts of low-quality content, particularly if the content is popular on social media” www.nature.com/articles/d41...
#ITEC7220 "The goal is not to surf faster, but to stay on the wave longer, guiding others with clarity and purpose," www.inc.com/steven-gonza...
3 Leadership Lessons From Surfing
Standing on a moving board in the ocean isn’t easy, and neither is leading other humans.
www.inc.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:14 PM
#ITEC7220 "The goal is not to surf faster, but to stay on the wave longer, guiding others with clarity and purpose," www.inc.com/steven-gonza...
#ITEC4205 AI implementation isn't the same as AI adoption www.newsweek.com/nw-ai/ai-not...
AI is not a 'silver bullet': Why most initiatives falter
Most AI projects never scale. MIT's Paul McDonagh-Smith explains why culture, governance and leadership, not technology, decide who succeeds.
www.newsweek.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:16 PM
#ITEC4205 AI implementation isn't the same as AI adoption www.newsweek.com/nw-ai/ai-not...
#ITEC4205 Developed by Harvard University dropout in 2024, Friend’s a wearable device that claims to be an AI companion by listening to conversations and sending real-time responses. www.queensjournal.ca/friend-or-fo...
Friend or foe: The dystopia behind wearable AI technology - The Queen's Journal
Imagine a friend who never leaves your side, listens to every word you say, and hangs around your neck. That’s the promise of Friend, a necklace powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) making waves in...
www.queensjournal.ca
October 9, 2025 at 5:14 PM
#ITEC4205 Developed by Harvard University dropout in 2024, Friend’s a wearable device that claims to be an AI companion by listening to conversations and sending real-time responses. www.queensjournal.ca/friend-or-fo...
#ITEC4205 The massive demand for data to train AI models is threatening to undermine one of privacy advocates’ key goals: data minimization. news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/a...
AI’s Voracious Appetite for Data Imperils Key Privacy Principles
The massive demand for data to train AI models is threatening to undermine one of privacy advocates’ key goals: data minimization.
news.bloomberglaw.com
October 8, 2025 at 3:58 PM
#ITEC4205 The massive demand for data to train AI models is threatening to undermine one of privacy advocates’ key goals: data minimization. news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/a...
Data Scientist Fourth Fastest-Growing U.S. Job, Says BLS www.biospace.com/job-trends/d...
Data Scientist Fourth Fastest-Growing U.S. Job, Says BLS
Data scientist employment is expected to grow 33.5% from 2024 to 2034 due in part to a growing demand for data analysis, according to new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics findings. Biopharma hotspots w...
www.biospace.com
September 9, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Data Scientist Fourth Fastest-Growing U.S. Job, Says BLS www.biospace.com/job-trends/d...
#ITEC4205 www.fastcompany.com/91357632/int... How the Internet of Things impacts everyone's privacy - Fast Company
How the Internet of Things impacts everyone's privacy
Even if you don’t mind sharing data with an Internet of Things company, there are privacy risks to using such devices.
www.fastcompany.com
July 3, 2025 at 6:54 PM
#ITEC4205 www.fastcompany.com/91357632/int... How the Internet of Things impacts everyone's privacy - Fast Company
Middle Georgia State University School of Computing and Middle Georgia ISC2 will have a special Monday evening meeting Mon, July 14, at 5:30 pm at MGA Warner Robins Campus Walker Auditorium.
Robert Whetstine
Cybersecurity Leader and
Dir of Info Security
Global Payments Inc.
Robert Whetstine
Cybersecurity Leader and
Dir of Info Security
Global Payments Inc.
July 1, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Middle Georgia State University School of Computing and Middle Georgia ISC2 will have a special Monday evening meeting Mon, July 14, at 5:30 pm at MGA Warner Robins Campus Walker Auditorium.
Robert Whetstine
Cybersecurity Leader and
Dir of Info Security
Global Payments Inc.
Robert Whetstine
Cybersecurity Leader and
Dir of Info Security
Global Payments Inc.
2025 NextGen Coders & MGA Summer Coding Camp July 7-11
Join MGA Computer Science RSO and NexGen Coders for a five-day clinic devoted to coding through games, apps, and creative projects. Lunch, snacks, and a free gift at MGA Warner Robins Campus in Administrative Services Building.
Join MGA Computer Science RSO and NexGen Coders for a five-day clinic devoted to coding through games, apps, and creative projects. Lunch, snacks, and a free gift at MGA Warner Robins Campus in Administrative Services Building.
June 19, 2025 at 1:53 AM
2025 NextGen Coders & MGA Summer Coding Camp July 7-11
Join MGA Computer Science RSO and NexGen Coders for a five-day clinic devoted to coding through games, apps, and creative projects. Lunch, snacks, and a free gift at MGA Warner Robins Campus in Administrative Services Building.
Join MGA Computer Science RSO and NexGen Coders for a five-day clinic devoted to coding through games, apps, and creative projects. Lunch, snacks, and a free gift at MGA Warner Robins Campus in Administrative Services Building.
#ITEC6250 securityboulevard.com/2025/06/nist... NIST Launches Updated Incident Response Guide - Security Boulevard
NIST Launches Updated Incident Response Guide
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a long-awaited update to its incident response guidance: Special Publication 800-61 Revision 3 (SP 800-61r3). This new version, t...
securityboulevard.com
June 13, 2025 at 3:33 PM
#ITEC6250 securityboulevard.com/2025/06/nist... NIST Launches Updated Incident Response Guide - Security Boulevard
#ITEC4205 IoT-based predictive maintenance, environmental monitoring, and wearable tech will help safeguard workers across the industry. www.power-technology.com/analyst-comm...
Safety first: How IoT can protect workers in the power industry
The power industry is inherently high-risk, with workers exposed to electricity, hazardous materials, heavy machinery, heights, and confined spaces.
www.power-technology.com
May 30, 2025 at 6:25 PM
#ITEC4205 IoT-based predictive maintenance, environmental monitoring, and wearable tech will help safeguard workers across the industry. www.power-technology.com/analyst-comm...
2025 MGA Summer Intensive Bootcamp Data Structures & Algorithms.
June 2- 5 8:30am to noon daily (Wrap-up at 1:00 PM on Day 4)
MGA Warner Robins Campus, Room ASB 214
-Focus: Java-based DSA
-Open To All MGA students and the public
June 2- 5 8:30am to noon daily (Wrap-up at 1:00 PM on Day 4)
MGA Warner Robins Campus, Room ASB 214
-Focus: Java-based DSA
-Open To All MGA students and the public
May 29, 2025 at 10:08 PM
2025 MGA Summer Intensive Bootcamp Data Structures & Algorithms.
June 2- 5 8:30am to noon daily (Wrap-up at 1:00 PM on Day 4)
MGA Warner Robins Campus, Room ASB 214
-Focus: Java-based DSA
-Open To All MGA students and the public
June 2- 5 8:30am to noon daily (Wrap-up at 1:00 PM on Day 4)
MGA Warner Robins Campus, Room ASB 214
-Focus: Java-based DSA
-Open To All MGA students and the public
#ITEC4205 Proposed 10-year moratorium on state AI rules, reflecting a concern among tech companies about growing patchwork of state AI and data privacy measures. www.techtarget.com/searchcio/ne...
U.S. policy moves reflect big tech issues with state AI laws | TechTarget
Big tech companies have been voicing concerns with the growing patchwork of state AI and data privacy laws, of which Congress is taking note.
www.techtarget.com
May 28, 2025 at 12:50 PM
#ITEC4205 Proposed 10-year moratorium on state AI rules, reflecting a concern among tech companies about growing patchwork of state AI and data privacy measures. www.techtarget.com/searchcio/ne...
Shira Perlmutter's termination came shortly after the Copyright Office published a long-anticipated report on artificial intelligence.
Fired Copyright Office head sues Trump administration over removal
Shira Perlmutter's termination came shortly after the Copyright Office published a long-anticipated report on artificial intelligence.
www.npr.org
May 24, 2025 at 3:35 AM
I call "failing well" a science for a reason…because it's much more than a catchy term
#FailingWell describes the systematic approach to understanding failure: how we think about, talk about, & learn from them
It takes practice & dedication to fail well, but these 5 practices can help you start!
#FailingWell describes the systematic approach to understanding failure: how we think about, talk about, & learn from them
It takes practice & dedication to fail well, but these 5 practices can help you start!
May 23, 2025 at 2:42 PM
NIST Privacy Framework receives draft update #ITEC4205 www.techtarget.com/healthtechse...
NIST Privacy Framework receives draft update | TechTarget
Explore proposed updates to the NIST Privacy Framework, which aims to improve alignment with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
www.techtarget.com
May 18, 2025 at 10:41 PM
NIST Privacy Framework receives draft update #ITEC4205 www.techtarget.com/healthtechse...