Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Federal Broadband Funding to Connect 89,000 Minnesotans

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced today that nearly 89,000 Minnesota homes and businesses could receive new high-speed broadband service through the state's $652 million federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment allocation. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has formally accepted DEED's proposed map of final eligible locations that BEAD funding could serve.

Arkansas’ First BEAD Round Covers 9 Percent of Locations With Just 2 Percent of Funds

Arkansas’ first round of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment funding has yielded an efficient start, with just 2 percent of the state’s $1 billion allocation preliminarily covering 9 percent of eligible locations. The Arkansas State Broadband Office announced Feb. 7 that 18 applicants had been selected to receive $25.3 million in subsidies to extend broadband to 7,136 unserved or underserved locations within the state. The average requested subsidy per location was just $3,555.

Digital Inclusion Bytes: Digital Skills – Which skills are we talking about?

There’s been great progress in recognizing how essential digital skills are! But which skills are those, and who needs them when? In this series we'll look at the framing of digital skills training, starting with the basics, and to provide tools for you to use. This is the first of two posts on digital skills. Part 1 presents a model for digital skill learning purposes, the link between individual and broader field needs, and introduces digital skill assessments, lists, and frameworks.

Led by Trump-picked Chairman Carr, the FCC takes aim at media companies

NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, NPR and KCBS radio all have one thing in common: They’re under scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission, which is now being led by Brendan Carr, a Republican who has praised President Donald Trump as a leader in combating bias in the media. NBCUniversal and its parent company, Comcast, were the latest media companies to receive word of an investigation by the FCC.

Now Accepting Nominations for the 2025 Digital Equity Champions Awards

Named for Charles Benton, the founder of Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, NDIA created the awards to recognize leadership and dedication in advancing digital equity: from promoting the ideal of accessible and affordable communications technology for all Americans to crafting programs and policies that make it a reality. NDIA presents two awards: the Digital Equity Champion Award recognizes an outstanding individual who has made a difference in the field of digital equity, while the Digital Equity Emerging Leader Champion Award acknowledges an up-and-coming leader.

The Kids are Online: Research-Driven Insights on Child Safety Policy

This report summarizes the key discussions and insights from an in-person symposium held in September 2024 on the topic of children’s online safety policy. During the symposium, the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) attempted to foster meaningful dialogue, identify areas of consensus and disagreement, and chart actionable paths forward. Key themes from the symposium include:

Building Digital Skills for the Pueblo of Jemez: Respecting Tradition While Embracing Technology

For people deeply rooted in ancestral practices, sustainability is key to the Jemez Pueblo way of life. When the Pueblo was selected in 2022 to host a Digital Navigator program, it was clear the initiative would need to be thoughtfully integrated into the community’s culture to succeed.

More than 300 applications received for Washington State’s first round of BEAD funding

There is massive interest in the Washington State Broadband Office’s first application round for $1.2 billion in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program funding. The first round, which closed January 31, resulted in 307 applications covering most of the project areas across the state. Awards will be made after all three funding rounds and federal approval. More hard work is ahead as the first round of applications undergo review and approval. Once those reviews are complete, future application round opening dates will be announced.

Montana Advances Opportunity with Digital Equity

To close Montana’s digital divide, the Montana Broadband Office created a Digital Opportunity Plan, which addresses broadband adoption barriers in four main areas: availability, service affordability, device access, and digital skills.

4 Ways to Improve and Accelerate Broadband Expansion Nationwide

As states begin rolling out the federal program to expand high-speed broadband access, national policymakers need to keep the momentum going after three years of state-led outreach and planning with internet service providers (ISPs) and communities.