Benton Institute for Broadband & Society - Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority Group

Visions of Digital Equity Principles

benton — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 11:34:35 +0000

Digital equity—or, digital opportunity, if you prefer—is having a moment. The US is making an unprecedented investment to ensure that individuals and communities have the capacity to fully participate in our society and economy. This is a huge undertaking with momentous implications on the future of the Nation. Each state has been asked to envision how life there can be transformed by achieving digital equity. As part of their digital equity plans, states have the opportunity to illustrate how ubiquitous, affordable connectivity to reliable, high-speed broadband will benefit communities through increased access to health care, education and job training, economic growth, and civic participation. With this extraordinary opportunity before state policymakers and local communities in mind, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society launched the Visions of Digital Equity project to aid both in ensuring that more community voices are heard in crafting visions that increase opportunity for all. Through surveys, community meetings, interviews, conversations, and a collaborative writing process with community contributors, we have arrived at a set of principles to help guide both the process and the resulting visions of digital equity. We hope these principles help the residents in each state evaluate their digital equity plans.

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/visions-digital-equity-principles

https://www.benton.org/publications/visions-digital-equity

Teaser:

We’re asking states to articulate what success looks like when we achieve digital opportunity for all.

Source:

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Author:

Adrianne Furniss

Send date:

Tue, 08/01/2023

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 7/31/2023

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 08/01/2023

Coverage Type:

Editorial

Understanding and Driving Enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program

dclay@benton.org — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 16:59:03 +0000

Fitting the monthly cost of a broadband subscription into a low-income household budget is difficult, to say the least, because of the costs of competing necessities like lodging, food, and healthcare. These financial pressures—and unexpected expenses—keep too many people in the U.S. from subscribing to home broadband service—or cause them to drop service at times to make ends meet. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress recognized these obstacles for low-income people and created a program—first called the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program—to reduce the monthly costs of connectivity. With passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021, Congress turned the temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit Program into a longer-term subsidy. Launched in January 2022 with $14.2 billion in funding, the Federal Communications Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a critical component of the ongoing federal investment in broadband adoption. Eligible households receive $30/month (and up to $75/month on Tribal lands) to defray the cost of internet service, as well as up to $100 towards the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers. On January 18, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society hosted a panel discussion on ACP enrollment. Drew Garner, the State Broadband Policy Advisor at Common Sense Media, moderated the panel. He began the discussion by noting the three steps low-income households must complete before they begin enjoying ACP benefits: first, they must confirm that their household is eligible to participate in the program; then they must complete an application to be enrolled in ACP; and, finally, they must choose an internet service provider and pick a plan to subscribe to.

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/understanding-and-driving-enrollment-affordable-conn…

Teaser:

Despite its success, ACP observers estimate that the program will run out of current funding by mid-2024, thus digital equity advocates must convince Congress to fund the program for low-income households.

Source:

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Author:

Kevin Taglang

Send date:

Fri, 01/20/2023

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 1/19/2023

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Not Available

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Thu, 01/19/2023

Coverage Type:

Analysis

High-Speed Internet Improves Solar Panel Output on Tribal Lands

zwalker@benton.org — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 21:22:53 +0000

The Forest County Potawatomi Community of Wisconsin had been generating electricity to run its community center using solar panels for years—they just didn’t have an accurate way of tracking their energy usage. Thanks to an Internet for All grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), they now do. NTIA’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) awarded the Forest County Potawatomi Community $125,232 to provide reliable high-speed Internet service to the Tribe’s solar arrays. The broadband component is critical to the success of the project, ensuring that Hauber and Lange can accurately monitor and store data. The solar panels produce enough energy to charge the building’s energy usage during the day. Before NTIA funded the program, Lange would have to physically drive out to the solar panel site to make sure everything was functioning properly. Data from the solar panels were stored in USBs, which only held 30 days of info. And, with slow download speeds, data collection could take upwards of 2-3 days' worth of time to collect. Now that everything goes through their own secure network, the Tribe is no longer dependent on an outside manufacturer or data company to understand how the solar panels on the community center are working, and do not lose any of their data.

(March 22, 2024)

Benton Content:

https://www.internetforall.gov/blog/high-speed-internet-improves-solar-panel-out…

Teaser:

NTIA’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program has helped the Forest County Potawatomi Community

Source:

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Author:

Maya James

Send date:

Wed, 04/24/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/23/2024

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 04/23/2024

Coverage Type:

Analysis

Federal Agency

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Federal Broadband Programs

Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program

Marginalized Populations

Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority Group

Sen Dick Durbin Visits Dominican, Meets with Student Digital Navigators

zwalker@benton.org — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 21:07:18 +0000

Sen Dick Durbin (D-IL) visited Dominican University to discuss the $2.5 million in federal funding the university received through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program that has helped enhance information technology capabilities and close the digital divide for students. Sen Durbin visited one of seven classrooms that, thanks to a portion of the grant proceeds, received technological upgrades to support a hybrid of in-person and remote learning. There, he met with a group of students, most of them digital navigator interns. Their work, which is funded through the grant, has included cybersecurity awareness for students and surveying the student body for guidance in identifying IT priorities on campus. Sen Durbin also spoke with IT personnel and university leaders.

Benton Content:

https://www.dom.edu/university-news/sen-dick-durbin-visits-dominican-meets-stude…

Teaser:

Sen Dick Durbin visited Dominican University

Source:

Dominican University

Send date:

Wed, 04/24/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/23/2024

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 04/23/2024

Coverage Type:

Press Release

Community Anchor Institutions

Schools/Universities

Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Digital Divide

Digital Literacy

Federal Agency

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Federal Broadband Programs

Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program

Internet/Broadband

Marginalized Populations

Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority Group

California Is Spending Billions On ‘Broadband For All,’ But Critics Say It Will Not Lower Internet Prices

zwalker@benton.org — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 20:58:06 +0000

Californians spend an average of $84 per month to connect to the internet—and some of the most vulnerable groups, including older adults, veterans and people with disabilities, tend to pay even more. So the state is spending billions of dollars to make broadband more affordable and available under its Broadband for All plan. It’s creating a new public backbone network called the “middle-mile” across 10,000 miles of California, and offering funding for companies to build the "last mile," the final leg of the network that brings service to your home. The idea is that increased competition will force the large internet companies to drop their rates. But LAist has found that large internet providers are also applying for those billions of dollars of government funding, hoping to use it to expand their service territory into underserved areas. However, they largely do not plan to connect to the state’s public network. Instead, companies want to use their own already-built middle mile infrastructure, which gives them control over prices. Without that element of competition, some say internet bills would likely stay the same or even increase.

Benton Content:

https://laist.com/news/california-broadband-affordability-plan-applications

Teaser:

California is spending billions of taxpayer dollars on a plan to make broadband more affordable and available—will it be enough?

Source:

LAist

Author:

Nereida Moreno

Send date:

Wed, 04/24/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/23/2024

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 04/23/2024

Coverage Type:

Marginalized Populations

Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority Group

Individuals who primarily Reside in a Rural Area

Low-income

Seniors/Aging Individuals

Initial funding for digital equity plans is available. But how do states plan to use it?

zwalker@benton.org — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 21:30:59 +0000

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recently finished approving digital equity plans for all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and Washington (DC) in what Administrator Alan Davidson called a “milestone moment.” The grants announced in the March 29 notice of funding opportunity can be used to begin implementation of those plans, which identify the barriers in each state to accessing and using digital resources and establish measurable objectives for promoting access and use of broadband technology. Based on analysis of the digital equity plans, states are broadly facing the same challenges in getting their residents online. The biggest of those is ensuring that broadband internet is affordable. Many states, including Kansas, Maine and Nevada, had planned to rely on the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP, which provides low-income households with a $30-a-month subsidy to pay for internet access. In addition to making broadband affordable, states said another challenge is that many residents lack the digital skills to take full advantage of the technology, and as a result, are prevented from making “meaningful use” of the internet.

Benton Content:

https://www.route-fifty.com/infrastructure/2024/04/initial-funding-digital-equit…

Teaser:

Reliance on the ACP could force some states back to the drawing board

Source:

Route Fifty

Author:

Chris Teale

Send date:

Tue, 04/23/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/22/2024

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Mon, 04/22/2024

Coverage Type:

Reporting

Achieving Digital Equity in the U.S. Virgin Islands

zwalker@benton.org — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 20:14:21 +0000

The U.S. Virgin Islands' Next Generation Network (viNGN) released the draft U.S. Virgin Islands Digital Equity Plan (USVIDEP) for public comment. Being disconnected from a connected world is not new to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The USVIDEP presents an ambitious approach to how the Territory can become "digitally resilient" and fully participate in this digital age through intentional investments in affordable, reliable internet; devices; opportunities to develop digital skills and access technical support; inclusive, online territorial resources; and how to be safe online. The vision of the USVIDEP is to create a Territory that is digitally resilient. One where Virgin Islanders have access to the same range of digital resources as Mainlanders, without having to leave the Islands to “experience the internet.” To achieve this ambitious vision, the USVIDEP strives to ensure that all Virgin Islanders have affordable, high-speed internet—both in their homes and at the places where they gather; and the digital tools, devices, resources, and cyber protection to fully participate in an evolving digital world.

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/achieving-digital-equity-us-virgin-islands

Teaser:

The vision of the USVIDEP is to create a Territory that is digitally resilient

Source:

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Author:

Grace Tepper

Send date:

Sat, 04/20/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/19/2024

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Fri, 04/19/2024

Coverage Type:

Analysis

Mississippi Addresses Allegations of Inequitable Outreach in BEAD

benton — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:48:14 +0000

The Mississippi broadband office is responding to allegations raised by a legal organization that claims the state is failing to conduct equitable local coordination and outreach with underrepresented communities in preparation of allocating $1.2 billion to expand broadband infrastructure. The Mississippi Center for Justice is alleging that the state office did not include “strategies to address the state’s racial disparities in broadband access” in the state’s initial Volume 1 proposal prepared for the Broadband, Equity Access and Deployment program. The group further contends that the office has not engaged with “diverse stakeholder groups, specifically the incarcerated community,” which represents 1 percent of Mississippi’s population. Sally Doty, the director of Mississippi’s Broadband Expansion and Accessibility ‘BEAM’ office, acknowledges and shares many of the concerns raised by MCJ in its recent filing to the Federal Communications Commission. Doty pointed to the fact that several of the counties mentioned by MCJ have received significant grant awards under the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, rendering certain parts of these regions ineligible for BEAD funding. She emphasized the state is actively engaging with RDOF winners to navigate how to best collaborate and work around the other federal programs.

Benton Content:

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/mississippi-addresses-allegations-of-inequitable-…

Teaser:

A local watchdog organization has accused the Mississippi broadband office of failing to comply with BEAD program guidelines.

Source:

BroadbandBreakfast

Author:

Jericho Casper

Send date:

Wed, 04/17/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/16/2024

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 04/16/2024

Coverage Type:

Reporting

‘The Internet Is Everything'. What It’s Like To Parent When You Don’t Have Basic Computer Skills

zwalker@benton.org — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 21:22:52 +0000

Up until last year, Nancy Navarro didn’t know how to check her kids’ grades or schedule online appointments. She had Wi-Fi at home so her 15 and 11-year-old kids could do their homework on their school-issued laptops, but she wasn’t online herself very often. But then she noticed that her kids’ school was offering free digital training classes through the local nonprofit EveryoneOn, which aims to connect as many underserved people as possible on the internet. Navarro took the class and learned how to identify spam, use Google docs and other basic computer tasks. She was also given a free Chromebook from the organization, which will allow her to keep practicing at home. Navarro's experience is reflected in a new pilot study conducted by EveryOne CEO Norma Fernandez. The research explores what’s motivating underserved Latina and Black women in L.A., along with women from Milwaukee and the Bay Area, to pursue digital skills training, and details some of the challenges they face along the way. It was published by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. Fernandez says very little is known about the intimate experiences of women, and specially women of color, who don’t have access to the internet or personal devices. “I really wanted to glean a more layered understanding of the digital divide from their perspective,” Fernandez said. “They’re the folks who are sitting at the center of the [the issue] and therefore experts on how to solve it,” she said.

Benton Content:

https://laist.com/news/the-internet-is-everything-what-its-like-to-parent-when-y…

Teaser:

EveryoneOn CEO Norma Fernandez wanted to learn more about women of color's experiences as part of the digital divide

Source:

LAist

Author:

Nereida Moreno

Send date:

Tue, 04/16/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/15/2024

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Mon, 04/15/2024

Coverage Type:

Reporting

Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Marginalized Populations

Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority Group

Individuals with a Language Barrier

Research

Headlines Specific Topic:

Benton Foundation

Op-Ed: Help close the broadband access divide by combating digital discrimination

zwalker@benton.org — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 20:49:39 +0000

According to the 2022 federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, "digital discrimination" involves determining who gets broadband access “based on income level, race, ethnicity, religion or national origin.” As an example, some neighborhoods in cities get faster broadband speeds than those in poorer neighborhoods, creating a two-tiered effect. Nationally, the Federal Communications Commission has been empowered by Congress to handle digital discrimination complaints, which provides some remedy for those who find themselves on this new wrong side of the digital divide. But since the FCC must handle complaints from all 50 states, there is a real likelihood of an individual getting caught in the slow-moving bureaucracy of Washington, DC. The new infrastructure law, however, does not prohibit individual states and cities from developing their own approaches. Recently, Los Angeles became the first major US city to ban digital discrimination by expanding LA’s authority to oversee discrimination writ large. Nashville should follow LA's lead by having the Metropolitan Council enact comparable measures to combat digital discrimination. As Tennessee’s largest city, it can be a pacesetter for the state and inspire other cities to do the same.

[Stuart N. Brotman is an endowed professor of media law, enterprise and leadership at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He is the author of "The First Amendment Lives On."]

Benton Content:

https://www.knoxnews.com/story/opinion/2024/04/15/opinion-how-states-and-cities-…

Teaser:

Nashville should follow Los Angeles' lead and enact measures to combat digital discrimination locally

Source:

Knox News

Author:

Stuart Brotman

Send date:

Tue, 04/16/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/15/2024