April 9, 2021

CNET: Biden’s $100 billion broadband plan is already getting pushback

CNET: Biden’s $100 billion broadband plan is already getting pushback. “President Joe Biden wants to spend $100 billion to connect every American to affordable high-speed internet. It’s a lofty goal that’s hard to dispute, right? Lobbying groups representing cable and telecom companies that deliver those services, however, are worried Biden’s hefty spending plan will leave them out of the running for government grants and subsidies that could be used to offset the cost of building new infrastructure.”

Security & Legal Issues 0
April 7, 2021

Arizona State University: Volunteers help SolarSPELL get back in action

Arizona State University: Volunteers help SolarSPELL get back in action. “Volunteers from the Phoenix Peace Corps Association and the Arizona State University community came together April 3 to build dozens of portable, digital SolarSPELL libraries. The small devices are powered by a solar panel connected to a rechargeable battery and a tiny computer built by Raspberry Pi. The small containers cast a Wi-Fi signal that allows any user to connect a smartphone, tablet or computer in areas with no telecommunciation infrastructure, and the libraries are loaded with relevant, localized educational information.”

COVID-19 0
March 26, 2021

Governing: Judges Are Banning Capitol Rioters from the Internet

Governing: Judges Are Banning Capitol Rioters from the Internet. “Judges have long been reluctant to ban anyone from the internet, a restriction that essentially cuts a person off from much of modern society and has been reserved mostly for accused and convicted pedophiles. But as toxic disinformation becomes an increasingly dangerous threat, driving domestic terrorism and violence, the courts are facing vexing new questions around how often and under what circumstances those accused of taking part should be taken offline altogether.”

Security & Legal Issues 0
March 26, 2021

Route Fifty: Lawmakers Urge Internet Companies to Join New Discount Broadband Program

Route Fifty: Lawmakers Urge Internet Companies to Join New Discount Broadband Program. “The $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, approved in December, will offer a $50-a-month discount to eligible households. The Federal Communications Commission is working to get the program up and running by the end of April, and lawmakers said providers should do their part to let consumers across the country know about it.”

Security & Legal Issues 0
March 19, 2021

Internet Society: New Guide to Federal Broadband Funding Opportunities in the U.S.

Internet Society: New Guide to Federal Broadband Funding Opportunities in the U.S.. “Today, I am pleased to announce the launch of the Guide to Federal Broadband Opportunities in the U.S. By creating this consolidated resource, especially as large amounts of funding become available as a part of COVID-19 relief and Tribes begin utilizing their Educational Broadband Service spectrum, the Internet Society hopes to assist our community to access these vital funds.”

New Resources 0
March 18, 2021

Euronews: Myanmar has endured more than a month of nightly internet shutdowns

Euronews: Myanmar has endured more than a month of nightly internet shutdowns. “Myanmar has endured nightly internet shutdowns for more than a month as anti-coup demonstrations continue. Since the military seized power and detained elected leaders on February 1, at least 149 people have been killed, according to the UN. On Tuesday night, internet access in Myanmar was shut down for the 31st consecutive night, according to internet monitoring service Netblocks.”

COVID-19 0
March 14, 2021

Global Voices: Indigenous-led telecommunications organization wins historic legal battle in Mexico

Global Voices: Indigenous-led telecommunications organization wins historic legal battle in Mexico. “This decision allows TIC to offer affordable cell phone services to indigenous communities in the country. The court case also set a legal precedent for local communities to operate their own telecommunications services for free under social use concession licenses — drawing a line between commercial and community providers.”

Security & Legal Issues 0
March 13, 2021

CNET: Tim Berners-Lee: One-third of youth still don’t have internet access as web turns 32

CNET: Tim Berners-Lee: One-third of youth still don’t have internet access as web turns 32. “As the web turns 32 on Friday, its creator is using his annual letter to draw attention to the way the digital divide affects young people worldwide. While you may assume that children now grow up as digital natives, web creator Tim Berners-Lee points to a 2020 report from the International Telecommunication Union, which notes that one-third of young people around the world don’t have access to the internet.”

Research & Opinion 0
March 12, 2021

Mashable: How to help slash your community’s digital divide in education

Mashable: How to help slash your community’s digital divide in education. “Before COVID-19 hit, 30 percent of K-12 public school students lived in homes without internet connections or devices they could use for remote learning, according to an analysis of the most recent data, from 2018, from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. But the pandemic has brought this issue into stark contrast, because some students have stable home internet and others don’t, says Katrina Stevens, who worked on best practices in digital learning in the Obama administration and is president of the Tech interactive, a family-friendly science and technology center.”

COVID-19 0
March 11, 2021

Voice of America: Tunisia Cracks Down on Social Media 10 Years After Arab Spring

Voice of America: Tunisia Cracks Down on Social Media 10 Years After Arab Spring. “Tunisian police are arresting social media activists for criticizing the government online and calling for protests, according to rights groups. Ten years after Tunisia’s Arab Spring uprising for democracy, the country has been hit by a wave of riots and protests over ongoing political unrest and a poor economy.”

Around the Search & Social Media World 0
March 9, 2021

Techdirt: Crappy US Broadband Is Also Hampering Equitable Vaccine Deployment

Techdirt: Crappy US Broadband Is Also Hampering Equitable Vaccine Deployment. “s our recent Greenhouse policy forum on broadband made abundantly clear, COVID is shining a very bright light on US broadband dysfunction. The high cost of service, spotty coverage, slow speeds, and high prices are all being felt acutely in an era where having a decent broadband connection is the pathway to education, employment, healthcare, and opportunity.”

COVID-19 0
March 7, 2021

Ubergizmo: How To Create A QR Code For Your WiFi Password

Ubergizmo: How To Create A QR Code For Your WiFi Password. “We’re sure that many of us have had that experience when your friends or family members come to your home and ask for the WiFi password. Maybe you use this password for other things and you’d rather not give it outright, or maybe you’re tired of having to repeat it over and over again. Thankfully, there is a quicker way of giving your guests access to your home’s WiFi and that is by generating a QR code.”

Useful Stuff 0
March 6, 2021

CNN: Are you eligible for the FCC’s emergency internet discount program? Here’s how to find out

CNN: Are you eligible for the FCC’s emergency internet discount program? Here’s how to find out. “The program will provide discounts of up to $50 a month, or $75 on Tribal lands, for broadband service for low-income households. It also includes a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer or tablet purchased from certain providers, which are yet to be named but are likely to include major wireless network operators, among others.”

COVID-19 0
February 28, 2021

New York Times: Seniors Seeking Vaccines Have a Problem: They Can’t Use the Internet

New York Times: Seniors Seeking Vaccines Have a Problem: They Can’t Use the Internet. “Annette Carlin feels trapped. Before the pandemic, Ms. Carlin, who is 84, loved to go on walks in Novato, Calif., with her grandchildren and dance at the senior center. Since March, though, she has been stuck indoors. She has been eager to sign up for a vaccine and begin returning to normal life. But booking an appointment has been a technological nightmare. Ms. Carlin cannot afford to buy a computer, and would not know how to navigate the internet in search of a shot even if she could. While members of her family might be able to help her there, she avoids seeing them as a safety precaution.”

COVID-19 0

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