1. Monthly archive
  2. September 2022

September 2022

An Assessment of the “All-In” Assumption for FCC 477 Data

Until recently, the only source for broadband availability data was the Form 477 data collected (since 2014) by the Federal Communications Commission. These data are collected by the FCC from broadband providers at the census block level (averaging about 20 homes). Under an “all-in” assumption, a census block is deemed to have broadband (at a specified speed threshold) if a provider serves (or could serve in a few months) a single location within the block. This assumption tends, of course, to overstate broadband availability.

Color Of Change Launches Black Tech Agenda as a Roadmap for Racial Equity in Tech Policy

Color Of Change, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization, launched the “Black Tech Agenda." The agenda sets an affirmative vision for how to create tech policy that centers on racial justice and ensures bias and discrimination are rooted out of the digital lives of Black people and everyone. The agenda has 6 pillars that outline real policy solutions for Congress to advance racial equity in Tech:

Is the BEAD Program Large Enough to Solve the Rural Digital Divide?

One of the biggest questions associated with the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant program is if that is enough money to solve the national rural digital divide. The funding works out to be around $850 million per state, but will vary significantly by state.

Google Loses Most of Appeal of EU Android Decision

Google lost most of its appeal to overturn the largest antitrust fine it has so far faced globally, a boost to the European Union’s campaign to rein in alleged anticompetitive conduct by big tech companies.

Governor Newsom Signs Nation-Leading Social Media Transparency Measure

Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) signed a first-of-its-kind social media transparency measure to protect Californians from hate and disinformation spread online. AB 587, sponsored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), will require social media companies to publicly post their policies regarding hate speech, disinformation, harassment, and extremism on their platforms, and report data on their enforcement of the policies.

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