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Seattle Information Technology

City of Seattle invests $320,000 to improve digital literacy, access to technology

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Verizon Foundation contributes additional $25,000
to help bridge digital divide

The City of Seattle today announced the recipients of the 2020 Technology Matching Fund. With an investment of $345,000, 15 organizations will receive funding for community-led projects which aim to increase access to technology and provide digital skills training for underserved communities.

The grants range from $12,490 to $25,000, and organizations have pledged a total of $360,000 to match City dollars with at least 50 percent in cash or in-kind contributions of labor, professional services and donated hardware and software.

Youth participate in a Somali Family Safety Task Force program funded by the Technology Matching Fund.

“The dual crises of COVID-19 and systemic racism in our region and our country are bringing into sharp relief the continued need for meaningful, intentional investments in our low-income communities and communities of color. More and more, our communities are relying on access to the internet and digital literacy skills to engage with their communities and make their voices heard. More than ever, it is crucial that we are investing in digital equity for all our communities,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “In addition, important tasks like applying for assistance or jobs, accessing healthcare, participating in online learning, and communicating with our loved ones have all moved online. These investments will build digital literacy, further technology equity and create opportunity for our historically underserved communities, making for a more inclusive, just city.”

This year’s recipients include a program offering technical training for the Eritrean community, including helping youth access academic resources and seniors stay connected; a workforce development training bootcamp for STEM educators and youth leaders; a supportive housing provider establishing computer access for its formerly homeless residents; an organization offering mobile device literacy instruction for hundreds of low-income adults; an immersive filmmaking experience for youth; a program for young women to explore coding and STEM careers; and an organization that provides adaptive technology for children with disabilities.

Technology Matching Fund grants are distributed annually as part of the City’s broader Digital Equity Initiative and managed by the Seattle Information Technology Department (Seattle IT). Funded projects improve connectivity and provide devices and technology support to communities that might not otherwise have equitable access, including immigrants, refugees, homeless people, seniors, youth, and people with disabilities.

Literacy Source, a Technology Matching Fund recipient, helps the one in six adults in Washington state who are lacking the basic literacy or language skills necessary for self-sufficiency. 

“The current COVID-19 crisis has changed our ways of interacting and connecting, magnified disparities in our community and emphasized the need to bridge the digital divide,” said Seattle City Councilmember Alex Pedersen, chair of the Council’s Transportation and Utilities Committee, which includes oversight of Seattle IT. “Improving access to and adoption of technology to achieve digital equity is a major commitment of mine, and I look forward to seeing how this and other investments will open pathways and improve access to education, job training and other vital services.”

The Technology Matching Fund was created in 1997 and has since awarded more than $5.7 million to organizations, funding more than 350 community technology projects. The grants are funded through the city’s cable franchise fees and contributions from community partners such as Facebook, which invested in matching fund projects in 2017 and 2018. This year, the Verizon Foundation contributed $25,000 to broaden the reach of the City’s $320,000 matching fund.

“At Verizon, our goal is to develop a hyper-local focus in our communities to further bridge the digital divide and have meaningful social impact. We are continually looking for ways to engage with Seattle communities to better meet their needs,” said Azmeena Hasham, executive director of community engagement at Verizon. “The City’s Technology Matching Fund is a tremendous resource for our local communities to expand access to digital technology solutions. It provides a robust framework to source and select the best ideas, while encouraging new ideas to take root. By partnering, these synergies allow us to more comprehensively serve the needs of our Seattle communities. We truly appreciate this opportunity to participate in the 2020 Technology Matching Fund.”

The Technology Matching Fund awards up to $25,000 to non-profit organizations in Seattle for digital-equity projects. The City of Seattle’s Community Technology Advisory Board recommended the funded projects from a competitive pool of 41 applicants, which submitted proposals prior to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, Seattle IT staff will work with funded organizations that may need to offer their programs or services virtually or in a different format than originally planned and will adjust timelines and some requirements for requesting awarded grant funding.

“While Seattle is a connected city, technology gaps persist. We are continuing to make strides so that all residents can benefit,” said Seattle’s Chief Technology Officer Saad Bashir. “Together, with a diverse group of community partners, we’re committed to closing the digital divide.”

Below is a list of the 2020 Technology Matching Fund recipients. Read more about the projects here.

  • 206 Zulu, Coolout Academy Digital Literacy Program
  • Boys & Girls Club of King County, Bringing Technology to Northgate Girls & Boys Club
  • Empowering Youth and Families Outreach, Computer Station Upgrade & Youth Laptop Provision
  • Eritrean Association of Greater Seattle, Digital Equity and Advancement Project
  • Filipino Community of Seattle, FCS Innovation Learning Project
  • First Place, The Diversity S.T.E.M. Training Program
  • Garinagu HounGua, Garifuna Technology Literacy
  • Literacy Source, Basic Digital Literacy in North Seattle
  • Low Income Housing Institute, Sand Point Cottage Community
  • PROVAIL, Adaptive Technology Lending Library
  • Seattle Goodwill Industries
  • Seattle International Film Festival, SIFF Education Mobile Youth Workshops
  • Somali Family Safety Task Force, Somali Digital Access and Literacy
  • Year Up Puget Sound
  • Young Women Empowered, Y-WE Code

To learn more about the City of Seattle’s commitment to digital equity and the Technology Matching Fund, go here.

Seattle IT launches new mobile app for restaurant takeout map

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A new mobile app version of the City of Seattle’s #SupportPugetSoundSmallBiz map, a popular regional interactive map connecting residents with takeout and delivery options during Washington’s stay-at-home order, is now accessible via iOS and Android.

Seattle Information Technology’s Geographic Information System (GIS) team launched the free mobile app to allow swift access to the map which allows users to search for small businesses near them and find operating hours, contact information and customized links for delivery services.

After launching a Seattle-specific map in late March, municipalities from across the region reached out to Seattle IT and asked to participate. Mayor Jenny Durkan last month announced the expansion of the map. It now includes nearly 3,000 restaurants across Puget Sound, including more than a dozen cities in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Municipalities worked with their local economic development organizations to add restaurants to the map, which is also available in a screen-reader accessible version for users who are blind or have low vision.

Since it went live, the map has logged nearly 278,000 visits, and during the first two weeks in May has averaged 1,400 views per day. 

“At a time when we’re all feeling the stress and negative impacts of COVID-19, it is extremely inspiring to work in an organization where so many have pivoted to the new shared focus of responding to this crisis,” said Harvey Arnone, Seattle IT’s GIS/CAAD applications development manager.

Many restaurants offering to-go food during the coronavirus pandemic will continue to offer takeout as Washington’s economy slowly reopens. Dining rooms will remain closed until at least May 31. If public health data looks favorable, most of Washington’s 39 counties could begin the second phase of the governor’s four-part statewide reopening plan on June 1, which would allow restaurants to restart some dining.

Seattle IT continues to partner with municipalities across the Puget Sound to populate the map with businesses. To help ensure quality and consistent data, IT has created an internal map and survey that business owners can use to enter their information. If you are a business owner and want to be added to the map, please email at supportsmallbiz@seattle.gov for instructions.

The City has also created a comprehensive resource page for residents and small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The page is updated as more information becomes available.

Internet and wireless providers pledge to make it easier to access broadband amid coronavirus crisis

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The Federal Communications Commission recently introduced a broadband and telecom industry measure called Keep Americans Connected pledge. The 60-day pledge, announced March 13, calls on telecom companies to help people remain connected amid the coronavirus outbreak. 

So far, virtually every major company in the U.S. broadband and telecom businesses, including those in Seattle, has committed to the pledge:

  • Not terminate service to residential or small business customers because of inability to pay bills due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • Waive any late fees that residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
  • Open Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.

Carriers have also offered additional support. Here’s an overview:

AT&T  is waiving wireless overage charges for data, voice and text for residential or small business.

CenturyLink is suspending data usage limits.

Comcast paused data plans for 60 days giving all customers unlimited data for no additional charge. New customers that are qualified low-income households can receive 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which includes an internet speed increase to 25 Mbps for new and existing program customers.

Sprint is waiving activation and upgrade fees as well as offering free next-day shipping for upgrades and new phone orders. Customers with metered data plans will receive unlimited data per month for 60 days. Customers will also receive an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot data per month for 60 days at no extra cost.

T-Mobile is offering current customers with data plans unlimited smartphone data for 60 days (excluding roaming). Customers will also receive an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot/tethering service. The offer applies to T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers.

Verizon has introduced new affordable plans for low-income households, waived over-limit fees, and increased wireless customers’ data allowance by 15GB through April 30.

Wave is waiving internet data overage fees for customer charges incurred in March and April and increasing its Simply Internet low-income service speed to 18Mbps for all new and existing Seattle customers.

For more specific information on your service provider’s offerings, contact their customer service team or visit their website. Also, be sure to contact your service provider directly with any service issues or payment hardships related to COVID-19.

A decade of open data, test your knowledge of Seattle data

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On average, how many 911 calls were placed per day in Seattle in 2019? What was the most popular name of dogs licensed? Which direction do most bikes travel on the Fremont Bridge? You don’t have to look far to find the answers.

Since the launch of the City of Seattle’s open data program in 2010, the open data portal has served as a wealth of information, giving residents insight into how the City is operating and empowering them with a rich source of information spanning more than 500 datasets, each ranging in size from a few dozen spreadsheet rows to several million rows.

For the 10th annual International Open Data Day on March 7, our open data team is marking the occasion with a fun data quiz. You can make educated guesses or dive into some of the City’s most popular datasets for answers.

In 2016, an executive order created an official open data policy directing City departments to make their data accessible to the public after screening for privacy, security, and quality considerations. The move set in motion a long-term cultural shift making Seattle a leader in open data and a model of transparency and accountability.

For instance, Seattle was the first in the nation to publish 911 dispatch data in near real time.

Some datasets have a unique origin. The Seattle Public Library’s dataset “checkouts by title” captures every check out dating back to 2005. The source is an electronic installation and public artwork at the Central Library that has tracked more than 100 million records of checkouts to date. The most popular titles? Children’s books finished in the top three: “Are You Ready to Play Outside?” by Mo Willems (10,007 checkouts), Dr. Seuss classic “Green Eggs and Ham” (9,959 checkouts) and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle (9,942 checkouts).

Seattle Animal Shelter data reveals the City’s reigning top dog is a Labrador Retriever. It’s top toy breed coming in at number three is a Chihuahua, exceeding the national ranking by 30 spots!

Open data is more than just a window into interesting city information and operations, it’s a valuable tool that over time can tell a story that has the potential to impact and influence public policy. The open data portal includes data across a wide range of topic areas, including traffic flow, public safety and city permitting.

The open data program makes the data generated by the City openly available to the public for the purpose of increasing the quality of life for our residents; increasing transparency, accountability and comparability; promoting economic development and research; and improving internal performance management. Open data also powers tools hosted on the City’s website such as Open Budget, Performance Seattle, and the Seattle Department of Transportation’s Capital Projects Explorer

Seattle launches open archive of City’s social media networks

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Social media has transformed civic engagement. Cities like Seattle are using social media to share information, engage with residents, and deliver services more quickly and effectively than ever before – but accessing past social media content can be a challenge.

Detailed searches of the City’s social media sites are now possible through a centralized, free and open portal powered by ArchiveSocial, which works with hundreds of government agencies and private companies to capture and archive information shared on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

This new social media archive lets you relive some of your favorite moments from City history, like Kitty Hall, the Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory parade, or Seattle’s farewell to the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Accessible on the Seattle Municipal Archives’ website, the archive captures social activity – posts and comments – going back to the City’s very first posts, creating a comprehensive set of records. The archive is in beta as additional City accounts are added.

“While all content on the City’s social media platforms is considered a public record, searching for it can be tedious,” said Michal Perlstein, who leads Seattle IT’s Public Engagement Services team, which works with City departments to improve public-facing digital communications. “Wouldn’t it be great to enter search terms and get the social media results you’re looking for instead of manually sifting through the vast amounts of data across the City’s social media accounts?”

The archive features more than 223,600 (and counting) publicly searchable posts, photos, and videos compiled from 114 City of Seattle social media accounts – from parks, to public safety, to public utilities, to public officials.

“By implementing a social media archive, we’re bringing increased usability and transparency to the City’s digital communications,” said Perlstein. “The archive also helps the City comply with records retention policies and streamlines responses to public information requests.”

Seattle Information Technology’s Public Engagement Services team has been leading an effort to streamline the City of Seattle’s social media presence. The process has included standardizing the visual identity across dozens of City department accounts, updating policies, and launching the social media archive.

The archive is another tool that helps advance Seattle’s commitment to providing greater transparency into its data. The City also maintains an open data portal; a web analytics dashboard; and Performance Seattle, a centralized dashboard designed to track the progress of major City initiatives across seven priority areas.

Seattle IT helps power giant free health clinic at Seattle Center

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Stephen Burke, Seattle IT desktop support technician, is marking his sixth year creating a complex online network to power and connect the Seattle/King County Health Clinic, a giant free health clinic at Seattle Center, Feb. 13 to 16. The volunteer-driven event provides free dental, vision, and medical to anyone who struggles to access and afford healthcare. 

This year, Burke started from scratch. And he is embracing the challenge. In the past, the mobile clinic was held at KeyArena, which is undergoing an overhaul and is unavailable. So Burke shelved his carefully constructed network blueprints for the arena and this year crafted a new plan to span the clinic’s three Seattle Center venues: McCaw Hall, Exhibition Hall and Cornish Playhouse.  

A man holding a spool of string walks next to a long table with technology equipment.
Stephen Burke, Seattle IT desktop support technician, prepares technology to help power the Seattle/King County Health Clinic at Seattle Center. Photo: Auston James

While Burke estimates he spends about a month preparing, he efficiently executes his plan over the course of two days.  

“We will need to invent a network on the go,” said Burke. “I have a team of volunteers to help.”  

Not all volunteers have an IT background, but under Burke’s guidance they get the job done. In addition to building a network of wires that bring power and internet connectivity to the clinic, Burke and a staff of about five will be on hand during the clinic to provide technical support.  

Seattle IT loaned the clinic 62 computers –  about 25 of which are used for patient registration – and Microsoft provided another 12 computers. 

“The expectation of technology is huge. One of our responsibilities as techs is to have the technology working all the time, every time,” Seattle IT Device Support Manager Ivan Balbuena told Seattle Channel in a segment that was part of a recent CityStream program featuring the clinic along with a documentary, “Stronger than Medicine,” which offers an inspiring behind-the-scenes look at the event. 

“A lot of volunteers, like the physicians, bring their own laptops to work with at the clinic,” said Burke. “I troubleshoot to fix any issues they may have as well as all donated and borrowed technology equipment that is used for the clinic.” 

Technology is the backbone of the well-organized clinic which has served 20,000 patients, provided $17 million in direct services, and engaged 17,000 volunteers since it began in 2014. 

“Seattle IT is critical to the successful operation of Seattle/King County Clinic. The clinic uses a wide range of technology, from X-ray and ultrasound equipment, to registration systems and remote interpretation devices,” said Seattle/King County Clinic Project Director Julie Colson. “The equipment and systems come from an equally wide array of sources that are unaccustomed to working together. With only two days to set up, thanks to the expertise and support of Seattle IT, all of the technology is integrated and operational allowing us to serve over 3,000 patients during the four-day clinic.” 

Although Burke could unplug from the massive operation, the compassion and sense of community the clinic inspires is contagious and keeps him on the job. 

“I have 32 years in with the City but I’m not going to retire until the clinic moves to the new arena,” said Burke. “Then I will consider it.” 

To learn about the clinic, including patient information, go here. 

Washington’s Privacy Act among flurry of state privacy bills

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By Ginger Armbruster, Chief Privacy Officer

Today is International Data Privacy Day, a holiday meant to raise awareness and promote privacy and data protection best practices. To mark the occasion, Seattle Information Technology’s Privacy Office offers an overview of a few proposed privacy laws in the state of Washington that could impact us in Seattle. 

In addition to reintroduced federal legislation (State Sen. Maria Cantwell’s Consumer Online Privacy Rights Act -COPRA was reintroduced late last year), state lawmakers are considering several privacy bills. It will be very interesting to see what comes of them. Here’s a recap of a few of the privacy-related bills lawmakers are considering this session:

The Washington Privacy Act (WPA – SB 6281) seeks to offer similar consumer data protections to the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. The law would require companies to provide information about how data is collected and used, and give consumers the ability to correct inaccurate information and delete data under specific circumstances. The law would apply to businesses that control or process personal data of 100,000 consumers or more. Businesses that collect more than 50 percent of their revenue from the sale of personal data and process or control personal data of more than 25,000 consumers are also subject to the regulations.

The Use of Facial Recognition Services Bill (SB 6280) would put stringent limitations on use, public comment, periodic testing and extensive reporting for any government agency seeking to use facial technology. This law would have implications for use beyond police investigation from mobile device authentication to a variety of smart city sensor technologies.

The Remedies for Misuse of Biometric Data Bill (HB 2363) establishes as a fundamental human right, the personal ownership of biometric identifying data such as fingerprints and other markers and requires a task force made up of primarily civil libertarians and privacy advocates to present findings and recommendations to relevant legislative committees about legal remedies for data misuse violations. Passage of this may set precedent for governance of sensitive personal data in the future.

Since the state’s legislative session opened two weeks ago, lawmakers have brought a renewed focus on consumer privacy through the introduction of 10 privacy-related bills across the House and Senate. The Privacy Office is closely tracking the bills.

Mitigating privacy risks of evolving technology

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By Ginger Armbruster, Chief Privacy Officer

A new decade means new tech. As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning disrupt every industry, government must capitalize on opportunities to operate more efficiently and deliver better services while mitigating threats to cybersecurity and protecting privacy. 

Enter the City of Seattle’s Privacy Office, part of the Seattle Information Technology Department, which conducts hundreds of privacy reviews each year on technologies the City uses to deliver needed services.  The reviews ensure new and existing City programs appropriately manage and protect the public’s information. 

Data Privacy Day, held annually on Jan. 28 to increase awareness of privacy and data protection issues, presents an opportunity to highlight some of the new and innovative technologies the Privacy Office is tracking across City government. 

  • Employing advanced technologies to improve the quality of emergency response calls. 
  • Using marketing automation tools to conduct more efficient and targeted resident outreach to deliver programs and needed services. 
  • Exploring intelligent city technologies to improve traffic and building safety.  
  • Using contracted unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to improve watershed asset management. 

Each of these technologies offers opportunities for improving how City government delivers services. Introducing advanced technologies also requires privacy risk reviews to determine if the public’s personal data may be inadvertently affected.  

Artificial intelligence and algorithmic decision making have elected officials and academic thought leaders considering equity concerns as machine learning and decision making may amplify inherent human bias.  

The goal of the Privacy Program is to support these initiatives while offering methods to reduce negative impacts on personal data privacy. To learn more about how the City meets its privacy commitments through the Privacy Program, visit the website. 

Data Privacy Day, prime time to think about a new, improved digital you

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Content provided by the National Cyber Security Alliance

When Americans reflect back on the previous year and think about their aspirations for 2020, common goals range from getting more exercise to improving finances to eating healthier. At the beginning of a new decade in today’s hyper-connected world, it’s prime time to think about a new, improved digital you. By taking some smart, simple steps, you can greatly impact the safety and security of your online identity. 

“In the last few years, millions of digital citizens have become more aware of cybersecurity and how to better protect their privacy. At the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), we remind consumers and businesses about basic information like the critical importance of software and system updates, how to avoid phishing scams and to never conduct financial transactions using public WiFi,” said Kelvin Coleman, NCSA’s executive director. “It is estimated that in 2020, there will be 20.4 billion connected devices. With this increased interconnectivity, there are some easy-to-implement, tried-and-true practices to keep you safer and more secure. With Data Privacy Day coming up on Jan. 28, we want both individuals and businesses to have a strong head start on protecting their online identity and privacy.” 

NCSA’s Top Recommendations for a New Digital You 

  • Re-invent yourself with a different online identity. If a site asks for sensitive, personal information – like your email and/or mailing address, Social Security number, birth date, phone number, etc. – consider “re-inventing” your digital persona by sharing alternative answers to those queries that ONLY you would know. An “alter-internet” persona will help limit tracking by search engines, websites and apps. Think of yourself as an actor slipping into a role to help thwart the continuous onslaught of online intrusions. This can also help safeguard you from identity theft. 
  • Share with care. Be aware that when you post a picture or message, you may also be inadvertently sharing personal details and sensitive data with strangers about yourself, family and friends. It is also OK to limit who can see your information and what you share. Learn about and use privacy and security settings on your favorite websites. NCSA has an excellent resource that includes direct links to update you privacy settings on popular devices and online services. 
  • Lock down your login. Create long and unique passphrases for all accounts and use multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible. A strong passphrase is a sentence that is at least 12 characters long. Focus on positive sentences or phrases that are easy to remember (for example, “I love country music.”). On many sites, you can even use spaces. MFA will fortify your accounts by enabling the strongest authentication tools available, such as biometrics or a unique one-time code sent to your phone or mobile device. This additional layer of security makes it harder for bad guys to log in as if they were you.

Cable TV fees to increase, Feb. 1

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Many may not know the Seattle Information Technology Department regulates cable television providers offering service in Seattle and responds to consumer questions and issues.

With an increase in cable TV fees on the horizon, the City’s Office of Cable Communications advises Seattle cable subscribers to watch for notices from their cable providers announcing changes to monthly pricing. Citing annual programming cost increases by major TV networks, Comcast Xfinity and Wave Broadband will raise prices for some video services and equipment beginning Feb. 1.  

The Comcast broadcast TV monthly fee will increase from $10 to $14.95, and the TV box fees will rise from $2.50 to $4.85 per month. Wave Broadband will add $2 to its monthly fee for local broadcast TV. The price for digital set-top boxes will go up $1, and the Seattle TV station fee will increase by 58 cents per month.

The Office of Cable Communications website has a complete listing of 2020 rate changes for Comcast and Wave subscribers. Staff can also help resolve complaints, answer questions regarding cable service and provide information about discounted cable TV.