July 2024

Online Health and Safety for Children and Youth: Best Practices for Families and Guidance for Industry

Digital technology use has the potential to both benefit young people’s well-being and to expose them to significant harms. The use of social media and digital technology can provide opportunities for self-directed learning, forming community, and reducing isolation. This can be especially important for youth who are marginalized or experiencing mental distress. This report summarizes the evidence on young people’s use of online platforms and the risks and benefits to their health, safety, and privacy.

California re-enters the showdown over the future

After a campaign that started out looking like a Queens vs. Scranton rematch, Americans are all but certain to be asked to choose between two visions of the future shaped by California. One is the pioneering candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris, a Bay Area-born politician who would become both the first woman president and woman president of color.

Verizon delivers strong wireless service revenue and broadband subscriber growth in Q2

Verizon reported second-quarter 2024 results today with strong wireless service revenue, broadband subscriber growth, and continued momentum in its three financial priorities of wireless service revenue, consolidated adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow. The company remains on track to achieve its full-year 2024 financial guidance. Highlights from quarter two include:

Why Universal Broadband Access Is More Important Than Ever

That universal broadband access is a goal worth pursuing has become conventional wisdom. The risk of being elevated to conventional wisdom is that the root arguments bury themselves so deeply that alternate notions sprout and threaten them. While broadband access touches social, cultural, political, health-related and even spiritual elements of modern life, let’s focus on two: education and economics. That’s where the digital divide can do the most damage. Anyone who has hopped on to YouTube for an appliance repair or software how-to knows the value of instructional show-and-tell.

FTC set to look into unequal online pricing scheme

A great deal of the Biden administration’s economic agenda has focused on protecting people from getting ripped off: The ever-shrinking Snickers bar, fighting 

Biden-Harris Administration Awards $20.5 Million to Michigan to Implement Digital Inclusion Efforts

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded more than $20.5 million to Michigan to implement their Digital Equity Plan.

Biden-Harris Administration Approves Connecticut’s “Internet for All” Initial Proposal

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Connecticut’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative. This approval enables Connecticut to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program. The BEAD program is a $42.45 billion state grant program authorized by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Celebrating Disability Pride Month by Embracing Inclusion and Accessibility

As we celebrate Disability Pride Month and the 34th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it’s crucial to recognize the achievements, contributions, and resilience of individuals with disabilities. The digital divide disproportionately affects people with disabilities, making it challenging for them to access the same opportunities and resources as their non-disabled peers.

Ford Foundation President Darren Walker Announces Departure in 2025

Francisco Cigarroa, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Ford Foundation, announced that president Darren Walker has shared his plans to step down from the foundation by the end of 2025. The Ford Foundation Board of Trustees will oversee the presidential leadership transition process.