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Maryland governor signs online data privacy bills

Governor Wes Moore (D-MD) signed two measures into law that are aimed at better protecting personal data online from Big Tech, including a bill making Maryland the second state to try to create strong limits on information collected on children. The measure, known as the Maryland Kids Code, seeks to limit data that could be collected from children online and protect them from being flooded with harmful material they were not trying to find. Supporters say the new law aimed at protecting children was crafted to withstand court challenges like one that halted a California law.

First Tech Fund: Immigrant-founded nonprofit provides laptops, tech to students in need

First Tech Fund is a new nonprofit dedicated to closing the digital divide among underserved high school students in New York City. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the burgeoning digital divide among students of different economic backgrounds.

Rural communities' digital deserts cripple tele-education during coronavirus outbreak

Rural communities with poor to little broadband Internet access are stuck in digital deserts with no way to ride out the situation, according to digital accessibility activists. Tim Marema, the editor of The Daily Yonder, said the years of lagging behind broadband infrastructure construction in places like Appalachia make it tougher to come up with solutions to those barriers during the outbreak.