The broadband gap's dirty secret: Redlining still exists in digital form

The decades of US redlining represent a form of systematic racism that has denied generations of Black communities the kind of opportunities many other Americans enjoy, and the fear is it's happening again with broadband internet service. Big providers, when deciding where to invest the money to upgrade their networks, often focus on wealthier parts of cities and shun low-income communities. Fiber connections are expensive, and internet service providers are hesitant to expand unless they expect a return on their investment. As a result, poorer communities often have no internet or are stuck with slow, legacy networks that can't meet today's demands--even though they usually pay as much as their wealthier neighbors who have gigabit fiber connections. There is hope that the situation will change with Biden's infrastructure plan, as the funds could incentivize companies to build in areas they previously avoided. In the meantime, state and local governments, along with nonprofits, low-cost internet providers and other organizations, are finding ways to bring internet access to underserved communities. Some organizations point to reclassifying broadband as a telecommunications service to enforce digital equity, but this can only be done once President Biden appoints a fifth commissioner to the Federal Communications Commission.