Annotated Webography: Homeland Security/Defense

Annotated Webography: Homeland Security/Defense
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Annotated Webography: Homeland Security/Defense
Introduction
Protecting the homeland is not only the responsibility of the federal government but also that of the state and local governments and the private sectors. To this end, various federal, state, and local departments and private/commercial organizations provide information about homeland security through their official websites. This annotated webography analyzes seven websites that offer information about homeland security and what various actors are doing to protect the homeland. It allows researchers or the public to quickly identify which websites contain helpful information about homeland security or defense.
Sources
TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u U.S. Department of Homeland Security PAGEREF _Toc122651866 \h 3/ New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services PAGEREF _Toc122651867 \h 4/Homeland Security Today PAGEREF _Toc122651868 \h 5/Homeland Security Digital Library PAGEREF _Toc122651869 \h 6/c/Committee on Homeland Security PAGEREF _Toc122651870 \h 7https://homeland.house.gov/U.S. Chamber of Commerce PAGEREF _Toc122651871 \h 8/program/policy/cyber-intelligence-and-security-divisionTriangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security PAGEREF _Toc122651872 \h 9https://tcths.sanford.duke.edu/
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
0-381000The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the federal agency responsible for improving the nation's security. Its mission is to safeguard the homeland and the American people. To this end, it has a comprehensive website that provides the public with information about its role in homeland security, any news on homeland security, and what citizens can do to protect the homeland. The website is very easy to navigate because, at the top, it has a horizontal navigation bar that gives the readers access to specific information. For instance, the reader can click on the "about us" feature to learn about the DHS mission, history, and contact information, among others. The navigation bar allows the reader to obtain information about how to get involved in protecting the homeland, such as through the "if you see something, say something" campaign or the Citizen Corps program. It also provides links to its various social media handles, making it easy for the public to engage with it on homeland security issues. In addition, it has a search bar that allows users to look for specific information on the website. It is a source of a wide range of information about homeland security, from cyber security to border security to disasters. However, the website can be improved by using relevant calls to action to engage readers more. For instance, it can use words such as “sign up for Citizen Corps” to encourage citizens to be involved in protecting the homeland.
New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services0-404100 (DHSES) offers leadership in preventing and mitigating emergencies and disasters that may affect New Yorkers. Its website provides details on how the residents of New York can obtain help in an emergency or disaster and how they can protect themselves. This includes information on how to stay safe in case of an emergency, participate and receive training in Citizen Corps, and report terrorism activities. Like the DHS website, the DHSES website has a direct link to the "see something, say something" campaign. It makes it possible for readers to gain awareness of the signs of terrorist activities so that they can report them through the "submit a terrorism tip" feature on the navigation bar. The website also informs the public of available training opportunities, which is helpful information for those looking to join the Citizen Corps. At the bottom of the website is a friendly call to action titled "connect with us," which encourages the public to engage with DHSES on its various social media platforms. People just need to click one of the social media icons and are directed to the specific DHSES social media site. Its main homepage lacks a clear section for the latest information. However, it has a pressroom that shares official news, although it is not limited to homeland security issues. The website can be improved by providing a navigation bar specifically designed to direct readers to homeland security-related matters so that people interested in homeland security can access specific news items.
Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Today0-415600 is a not-for-profit media outlet that focuses on informing and supporting those involved in achieving the homeland security mission. This includes the public, the private sector, practitioners, and academic organizations. The website provides very comprehensive information about what is happening regarding different aspects of homeland security. It shares news concerning border security, transportation security, cyber security, airport and aviation security, human trafficking, and counterterrorism, among other homeland security issues. It also reports news about general trends in the homeland security industry. The website is useful to anyone interested in understanding the successes and challenges faced by the homeland and national security communities in the U.S. The website is well-organized in terms of the various homeland security issues. There is a section for each homeland security issue, and once a reader clicks on each section, they are directed to all the news articles about that specific issue. In addition, there is a link to the most popular and the latest articles, which enhances easy navigation. The website is a source of current news on homeland security, including what the DHS is doing as part of its mandate to protect the homeland. It also has a feature on its navigation bar called “Federal Pages,” which directs leaders to news articles specific to federal departments, such as the justice and homeland security departments. However, this feature is a bit confusing because readers can assume that it directs them to specific federal agencies' websites or web pages. This issue can be improved by renaming the feature to something like “Federal Departments News” to ensure readers know exactly what the feature is all about.
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Homeland Security Digital Library
0-415600 The Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL) provides over 250,000 resources covering homeland security issues. These resources are useful to governments...