New Cybersecurity Chief Chosen By Obama
Early this week, Obama once again made a move that set certain circles a-buzzing. You might have heard of it already – he appointed a cybersecurity chief. President Obama picked Howard Schmidt, who already has a reputation for being good at what he does. He has vast experience both with the government and the IT industry.
This move is no less controversial than others. I guess it’s always like that when you’re a public figure. You can’t please everyone, and you’ll always have various opinions about what you do. According to Richard Waters of Financial Times, the news was welcomed by security experts. He writes:
The appointment of Howard Schmidt, an internet security veteran with experience in both industry and government, was greeted with relief among security experts, where the move was seen as a welcome outcome after a seven-month delay in filling the role.
Like other security industry experts, Mr Silva said that Mr Schmidt’s broad experience and personal contacts in both the public and private sectors would put him in a good position to make the most of the role.
The Computer and Communications Industry Association added that the new official will also be in a position to represent the administration’s position as momentum builds on Capitol Hill for legislation on cybersecurity.
Of course, there remains some skepticism as to just how effective the role will be. It’s not even the person that some are questioning – it is the office and the powers that are associated with it. What do you think?
Categories: News, Real-World Issues
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