As the Internet of Things becomes increasingly prevalent, the government will play an important role in enabling and regulating how the industry will develop, according to panelists at a National Telecommunications and Information Administration workshop. They listed a number of areas in which that advice can take shape.

Federal information sharing is key to combating terrorism and cyber threats, according to law enforcement representatives from several states.

Delta Air Lines is investing $50 million to end lost or delayed luggage with a global RFID, or radio-frequency identification, tracking system. Essentially, the RFID tag will attach to the bag the same as current luggage tags, but instead of telling airlines where to send the bag if lost, it’ll work to prevent the bag from ever being misplaced. Delta plans to have the system online in 344 airports this fall.

U.S. states are some of the largest employers in the country, so it only stands to reason that they are and can be some of the most influential advocates of preventive medicine and wellness programs for Americans.

Texas on Sept. 1 launched an IT marketplace website for state agencies to get the best deals for cloud services, the Lone Star State’s CIO tells MeriTalk.com. “Texas is leading the country on cloud. We have more cloud contracts in place than any other state,” CIO Todd Kimbriel said in an interview.

California’s Child Welfare Digital Services Team is working to create an updated case management system to help social workers who deal with high caseloads.

As politicians, judges, and correctional facility administrators look for ways to curb recidivism and prepare former inmates for reintegration into society, distance learning has emerged as a viable option.

Two men from North Carolina were arrested Thursday on charges related to their alleged roles in hacking the computers of several senior government officials and government computer systems, according to the Department of Justice.

Members of Congress are working to pass the Kelsey Smith Act, which would give law enforcement access to phone location data in some emergency situations, despite claims from privacy groups that the law could be abused.

A new tool called the Electronic Recovery and Access to Data Prepaid Card Reader allows police officers to check the balance of cards, including credit and debit cards, gift cards, hotel key cards, library cards, and Metro cards. The device will be useful because criminals rarely travel with stacks of paper money anymore.