Public Policy

Overview

• Chapter one: introduces us to the basics of public policy analysis. In mid-June, I attended the Attorneys General Alliance annual meeting where there was a lot of discussion on the impact of social media on society, specifically related to our youth. An FBI Special Agent discussed how the dark web and emotionally vulnerable youth can be compelled in unimaginable ways. There was a call for law enforcement collaboration and an argument for stricter regulations for social media giants like Roblox, Meta (Facebook& Instagram), Tik Tok and SnapChat. As you may be aware, Congress passed a law banning Tik Tok in the United States beginning January 19, 2025, due to national security threats and data collection from its users. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law, but now President Trump has signed an Executive Order delaying implementation for 90-days, to hopefully broker a sale. He cannot unilaterally overturn the law or will of Congress. That 90-days has run-up and still no sale of Tik Tok has been announced. President Trump continues to issue extensions. This week's thread requires you to research and discuss two major reasons for lawmakers intervention into this particular public problem and the rationale for the ban and what it could mean for the future of social media networks. Discuss why the government should intervene for each of the reasons identified and your thoughts on the justification of the intervention. *Please be advised, mostly opinionated responses are not acceptable. Your initial responses should be based in facts and in the context of our chapter materials. The questions we will cover this semester are not arbitrary, but meant to help you understand our governmental system and the decision-making process of our officials. Public policy is about defining the problem and then formulating solutions to solve it and elected officials use facts, statistics, polling data and/or other relevant information to justify their positions, so I expect that of you as well. A Note About AI Use
  If you use a tool like ChatGPT this week to organize your thoughts, brainstorm examples, or understand policy terms include a quick note at the bottom of your post (1–2 sentences) describing how you used it. This isn’t to penalize you, it’s to help you become more thoughtful about how AI can support your learning, not replace it. I am seeing a lot of AI generated materials. Learn to use the tools to elevate your thinking.
• Chapter One Assignment - CybersecurityAssignment [Image unavailable: Task: Submit to complete this assignment] Due December 30 at 11:59 PMIn today's interconnect world, cybersecurity has become a critical concern for government, businesses, organizations and individuals. Cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in digital systems to commit fraud, steal sensitive data, and cause financial and reputational harm. These threats come in various forms and with the rapid advancement in technology and sophistication of criminal networks, it's essential for government to implement robust security measures. Most of my 2025 legislative sessions have concluded for the calendar year, but a flurry of bills around the country were introduced and enacted dealing with data privacy and cybersecurity. Governments play a crucial role in establishing regulatory frameworks and investing in national cybersecurity infrastructure. However, they cannot monitor or control every private system, creating gaps in coverage and making us vulnerable to attacks. In recent discussions with some elected officials, there seems to be concern that international cybercriminals are going beyond ransomware attacks and identity theft to embedding themselves into our critical systems (hiding there) to eventually create disruption and destruction - to induce societal panic. Take a look at the Volt Typhoon. Have you ever heard of Pig Butchering? It is not what you think and you and I deal with this international criminal network at least once or twice a week! It has been a major topic of discussion in almost every conference I've attended over the past year, and the problem continues to grow. Chapter one's assignment requires you to discuss who bears the cost/risk of cybercriminals and their activities whether minor or destructive? Is this strictly governments problem to solve or do we have some shared responsibility? https://www.ncsl.org/technology-and-communication/cybersecurity-2025-legislationA Note About AI Use
  If you use a tool like ChatGPT this week to organize your thoughts, brainstorm examples, or understand policy terms include a quick note at the bottom of your post (1–2 sentences) describing how you used it. This isn’t to penalize you, it’s to help you become more thoughtful about how AI can support your learning, not replace it. I am seeing a lot of AI generated materials. Learn to use the tools to elevate your thinking.