COVID-19 Lessons May Boost State Gov Digital Equity Work

As digital equity work becomes a new priority for decision-makers in both the public and private sectors, several state governments have already put quite a bit of work into bridging the digital divide, primarily by working to foster better broadband access. What Pew Charitable Trust researchers have found is that there’s no magic bullet — no incentive, regulation, law or partnership — that by itself can fix the digital divide. There are, of course, actions that can be taken at all levels of government to support the work. A vital lesson made clear by the Pew Charitable Trust's 10 case studies is that the most effective approach is more like magic buckshot than a magic bullet, meaning that it takes several different actions working in service of the same goal. With that in mind, there are two states that rank as perhaps the best example of what government can accomplish: Maine and North Carolina.