Upcoming policy issue

The Biden administration's push to increase competition in the technology industry could be on a collision course with a formidable obstacle: the courts. As president, Donald Trump appointed 226 federal judges, leaving a huge mark on the judicial system, particularly appellate courts.

While making broadband available is an obvious first step to closing the digital divide, getting people to use it as a way of life takes more than bringing it to their doorsteps. Over the coming weeks and months, Congress, industry and stakeholders must work together to formulate a multi-pronged approach that not only tackles broadband availability and affordability, but also the accessibility component of the digital divide. The National Urban League’s Lewis Latimer Plan sh

A glimpse into how Senate negotiators may structure the $65 billion in broadband investments the infrastructure package would provide. The draft is likely to fuel renewed advocacy from consumer groups and anyone else hoping for ultra-fast fiber optic buildout, as it instead opts for lower minimum broadband speed thresholds (100 Megabits per second download over 20 Mbps upload would count as "underserved" for the $40 billion tentatively slated to go to the Commerce Department’s state grants, less than the fiber-focused minimums some Democrats wanted).

The US government is negotiating a plan to address one of the most important—but overlooked—problems facing the country: the digital divide. While this problem is often talked about as a simple problem of access to broadband internet service, it is deeper and more complex than mere infrastructure. In truth, the digital divide also is a problem of inclusivity, institutions, and individual proficiency, and a solution needs to address all four dimensions. To close the digital divide, policymakers should:

NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Fiber Broadband Association, INCOMPAS, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Public Knowledge released a statement urging Congress to take bold action on broadband infrastructure. “Better, faster broadband for all is a national priority for students, families, and small businesses across America’s rural communities and urban neighborhoods," the statement reads.

The House Agriculture Committee approved a bill (HR.4374) to provide $43 billion over eight years to bring broadband service to hundreds of thousands of families and businesses that lack access. The bulk of the money, $36 billion, would go to loans, grants, and loan guarantees for the construction or improvement of internet service in small towns and rural areas with poor or no service.

The Biden administration is gearing up for a showdown with cable and telecommunication companies over plans to bring back Obama-era net neutrality rules.

The National Association of Counties' Broadband Task Force was chartered with the premise that "if you can't connect… you can't compete." It is the equity issue of our hour. After months of study and dialogue, our Task Force concluded that a comprehensive, coordinated approach is needed to pursue new broadband infrastructure investment, public policies, and user skills.

The Administrative Conference of the US (ACUS) has recommended federal agencies take a number of steps to address the issues of mass computer generated and falsely attributed comments. In this case, it is recommending that agencies like the Federal Communications Commission, who must give members of the public the opportunity to weigh in on proposed rules for the agency's consideration, find better ways to manage what can be a flood of comments in the digital age. Among the recommendations are calls for agencies to "welcome" the filing of mass, "identical or substantively identical" comment