Could The Digital Divide Unite Us?

The digital divide is not only a rural problem. The digital divide is a problem that unites us across rural, urban, suburban and tribal lands. It is a bipartisan problem. The solution must be multi-pronged: affordable ubiquitous broadband with the appropriate devices and trusted digital literacy and technical support. It has been over a decade since the federal government has supported broadband access and use for disadvantaged communities. The current emergency support for digital inclusion is temporary. This pandemic has resulted in local innovative and collaborative solutions addressing the digital divide. Now is the time for innovation and collaboration at the federal level. Might the digital divide unite us?

[Angela Siefer is the Executive Director, Bill Callahan is the Research and Policy Advisor, and Sean Davis is the Manager of Research and Policy for the National Digital Inclusion Alliance]