John Morris

Broadband providers--including both wired and wireless providers--complete Form 477 to report where they offer service, as well as what speeds they offer and the technologies they use, among other information. The data collected through Form 477 constitute a critical resource for the National Telecommunication & Information Administration, as well as other policymakers and researchers who are interested in understanding Internet access in the United States.

On September 30, policy staff from National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will be participating in an annual policy research conference where they will be discussing important research about Americans' computer and Internet use habits. They will be presenting two working papers at the 44th Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy (link is external) (TPRC), an annual conference on information, communications, and technology policy, which brings together researchers, policymakers, and advocates from the public, academic, and private sectors.

These papers shed light on important policy issues relying on data collected though NTIA's Computer and Internet Use Supplement to the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS Supplement). In the first working paper, Trust in Internet Privacy and Security and Online Activity (link is external), NTIA staff used data from the most recent CPS Supplement, which included questions on household privacy and security concerns, to identify certain indicators of distrust in security online. Their analysis reveals that Internet-using households with either serious concerns with Internet privacy or prior experiences with a security breach or harassment were more likely to report that they refrained from a range of online activities, after controlling for other factors.