Convergence of Tech and Government: Hope for Future Nations?

A recent Share Post survey revealed that cybersecurity firms are seeing a record volume of venture capital. According to the report, cyber spending is expected to increase from $95 billion in 2018 to $165 billion in 2023, bypassing the spending on IT. The largest players in the field — Symantec, Cisco and Microsoft — have been acquiring cyber start-ups. The report states that it’s not just the private sector — cybersecurity is also a huge issue for governments around the world who are concerned with protecting both consumers and corporations, as well as national security.

In fact, the United States Digital Service (USDS) is one such government startup. Taking cue from the private sector, the organisation is making strides in utilizing innovative strategies from Silicon Valley. Of primary concern to USDS are the data security issues for the Department of Defense (DOD), the Veterans’ Administration, USCIS, the immigration arm of the government, and healthcare.

One of the organisation’s more controversial projects was “Hack the Pentagon,” in which private companies were challenged to find vulnerabilities in the DOD systems. While an unusual endeavor for the government, the strategy proved to be more effective in terms of both costs and results.

(One of the more controversial projects of USDS was “Hack the Pentagon”)

The Defense Department has enlisted the bug bounty startup HackerOne to manage the pilot program.

Security breaches are an important area of focus for the government, but so is joining the digital revolution in other ways. For example, USDS has implemented various tools to streamline disability claims for veterans and Greencard applications for immigrants.

The convergence of tech and government is new and worth notice: historically, the tech sector has been developing at a fast pace, readily accepting and incorporating innovations, while the government moves slowly, hurdled with bureaucracy, paperwork and the adherence to its ways. However, when massive data breaches occur, the government is more inclined to bring in the tech experts.

So far, the US seems to be ahead of other nations in terms of cybersecurity. The space nation of Asgardia is an exception rather than the rule — welcoming startups from the outset and encouraging their development. And while Russia and China see plenty of technological advancements, they are not yet ready to join forces with the tech gurus. In fact, new technologies — such as decentralized web (D-Web), made possible by blockchain technology — is gaining traction in countries where government oversight is generally unwanted.

The USDS is the first promising example of a national organisation aligning itself with tech to improve various facets of the services the nation provides for its citizens. Whether others will follow suit, only time will tell.

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