The Census Bureau has established a “fusion center†to help track misinformation in social media platforms during the 2020 census, Federal News Network reported Thursday.
Enrique Lamas, the bureau’s chief operating officer, said the fusion center was formed under the leadership of Atri Kalluri, head of the decennial information technology division, in order to monitor “things that are being said that need further clarification from the Census Bureau.â€
The bureau has been collaborating with the Department of Homeland Security and intelligence community stakeholders to conduct social media monitoring, “red team†penetration testing and other cybersecurity initiatives to protect the decennial count from cyber attacks.
Census Bureau Director Stephen Dillingham said his agency is focused on training its workforce and continues hiring professionals with “special skill sets†with a focus on data analytics and data science.
“The introduction of data scientists at the Census Bureau creates the opportunity for new skills to explore and analyze data,†Dillingham said. “So stay tuned as we continue to roll out a talented data science workforce and transform our core business practices.”
