New America Urges FCC to Abandon “Misguided and Cynical” Lifeline Proposal

New America's Open Technology Institute urged the Federal Communications Commission to abandon a cynical set of proposals that would weaken the Lifeline program and jeopardize consumer privacy. In comments filed with Public Knowledge, OTI argued that these proposals would exacerbate the digital divide and harm low-income Americans.  OTI and Public Knowledge argue that the FCC must 1) encourage more qualifying subscribers to participate in the program; 2) abandon its proposals to ask questions of Lifeline subscribers that would threaten to discourage participation; 3) reject its proposal to monitor usage of Lifeline by its recipients; 4) continue to allow carriers to offer Lifeline subscribers free handsets with their service; and 5) protect the privacy and digital security of Lifeline participants.