Upcoming event

The Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) is hosting a series of Office Hours to answer questions about aspects of the Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program (ACP Outreach Grant Program) such as the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), application package, and application submission process.

Digital skills and wealth go hand in hand. Without affordable internet and devices, and the skills to get online, people cannot access financial resources, set up accounts and bank online. People of color living in under-resourced communities are most impacted by the lack of digital and financial inclusion resources available to them. Digital inclusion practitioners, financial companies and community leaders are looking for new approaches that foster economic stability and wealth creation.

Digital Planet is an interdisciplinary research initiative of The Fletcher School’s Institute for Business at Tufts University. Using publicly available data from the US Census Bureau, BroadbandNow, and Microsoft, Digital Planet created an interactive broadband mapping toolkit to pinpoint broadband access gaps and affordability deserts by zip code nationwide.

A discussion on how local, state, and federal policymakers and community leaders can use data from the interactive tool to inform broadband strategies.

The meeting will include updates on the progress CSMAC subcommittees are making in addressing topics they are addressing, specifically 6G wireless systems, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) improvements, and UltraWideband communications.

NTIA will post a detailed agenda on its website, http://www.ntia.gov/category/csmac, prior to the meeting.

To the extent that the meeting time and agenda permit, any member of the public may address the Committee regarding the agenda items.

Since the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), there has been much talk about high-speed Internet and broadband. This webinar will serve as an overview of the infrastructure and technology required to provide Internet for All.

Topics covered will include:
• Difference between broadband vs. high-speed Internet
• History of broadband infrastructure in the United States
• Key terms and definitions
• Different types of technologies
• Life of an Internet packet
• Economics of a network

Opening Remarks

FCC CGB Chief Alejandro Roark

Panel

OATS from AARP, FCC Outreach staff, and Industry Providers AT&T, Charter, and Comcast.

Speakers will discuss opportunities the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has provided to deliver broadband to older adults, and the challenges of providing broadband services for the aging community.

Space is limited. Reserve your spot by responding directly to drberlyn@theprojectgoal.org 

Product endorsements, whether they are from minor celebrities or household names, help sell products. But deceptive endorsement advertising, especially on social media platforms and in consumer review websites, can mislead consumers. The rapid evolution of social media and endorsement advertising has created new challenges, such as how to disclose financial relationships between social media influencers and brands properly. And the rise of new Web 3 platforms, including the metaverse, will likely create new questions, such as the rules around virtual celebrity endorsements.

To attract customers, some businesses have taken to posting fake reviews online to manipulate their own reputation or that of their competitors. These fake reviews deceive customers into buying goods or services of unknown or substandard quality, damage honest businesses’ reputations, and influence billions in e-commerce. Unfortunately, while industry and government have taken significant steps to address their proliferation, the prevalence of fake reviews has likely grown alongside the digital economy.

The Technological Advisory Council will continue to consider and advise the FCC on topics such as 6G, artificial intelligence, advanced spectrum sharing technologies, and emerging wireless technologies, including new tools to restore internet access during shutdowns and other disruptions. This agenda may be modified at the discretion of the TAC Chair and the Designated Federal Officer (DFO).