Internet/Broadband

Coverage of how Internet service is deployed, used and regulated.

NTIA Receives More Than 1,400 Comments on AI Accountability Policy

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) received roughly 1,447 written comments in response to its Artificial Intelligence Accountability Policy Request for Comment (RFC), which was issued in April, 2023, and is part of President Biden’s commitment to seizing the opportunities AI presents while managing its risks. The comments are available to the public at Regulations.gov: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NTIA-2023-0005/comments. These comments will help inform

How Successful Is the Affordable Connectivity Program?

Across the country, states are making critical decisions about how to leverage $80 billion in federal broadband infrastructure funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). With the right planning, these funds could ensure that high-speed internet service will finally reach every single home and business in the country, which has been one of Common Sense Media's top priorities for years.

Advance Colorado Broadband Grant Program is Open

The Colorado Broadband Office announced the opening of the Advance Colorado Broadband grant program. The program began accepting applications for the Capital Projects Fund (CPF).

Tech majors are booming, but rural students stuck in the digital divide

Colleges are seeing a surge in technology majors, but rural students are lagging behind on opportunities to take advantage of the growing, high-paying fields. From 2018 to 2022, Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services majors increased 23 percent, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, from 423,315 to 518,844. Rural students, however, face two pressing issues: the digital divide of internet reliability and technology access and education opportunities. The National Center for Education Statistics said that in 2019, around 76 percent of rural students

Indiana aims to keep local communities informed about BEAD

All states are tackling broadband accessibility in some way, but each is taking its own approach.

Tough Path for Challenge to FCC Broadband Fee Revenue

The Federal Communications Commission's Universal Service Fund (USF) faces its third recent challenge June 14 in oral arguments before the Eleventh Circuit over Congress’ delegation authority. The lawsuits from Consumers’ Research seek to clarify limits on Congress’ authority to delegate power to executive agencies, and what powers agencies can leave to private actors. In 2022, the USF approved nearly $7.5 billion in non-COVID spending on accessible broadband service, funded by its increasing contribution factor.

FCC Seeks Comment on "All-In" Pricing for Cable and Satellite TV

Access to clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate information about the pricing of video services helps consumers make informed choices and encourages competition in the market. It does so by empowering consumers with information to comparison shop and to find the video programming services that best meets their needs and matches their budget. Consumers who choose a video service based on an advertised monthly price may be surprised by unexpected fees related to the cost of video programming that raise the amount of the bill significantly.

Statement from President Joe Biden on Proposed FCC All-in Pricing Rule

My Administration’s top priority is lowering the cost of living for the middle class, and that includes cracking down on companies’ use of junk fees to hide true costs from families, who end up paying more as a result. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under the leadership of Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, proposed a new rule that would require cable and satellite TV providers to give consumers the all-in price for the service they’re offering up front.

How climate vulnerability and the digital divide are linked

The Wi-Fi signal is weak outside the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Anacostia, a historic African-American section of Washington, DC. It is one of Monica Sanders’s final stops on an overcast December afternoon. Sanders, an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University, isn’t just checking Wi-Fi speeds.

Sens. Klobuchar, Grassley, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Competition and Rein in Big Tech

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)—as well as Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ)—reintroduced the American Innovation and Choice Online Act. This bipartisan legislation would restore competition online by establishing common sense rules of the road for dominant digital platforms to prevent them from abusing their market power to hurt competition, online businesses, and consumers. The American Innovation and Choice Online Act will: