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To vaccinate America, close the digital divide

All over the country people in the over 65-year-old age group are having issues registering to receive the vaccine. As states and municipalities launch rollouts through shiny portals on their websites, it appears that the seemingly mundane issue of basic internet use and access threatens to bring vaccine distribution to a halt in many communities. This goes beyond technical bugs, or even the ‘usability’ of the websites. It’s about access — to the hardware, to the software, to the knowledge of how to interact with technology, to a robust internet connection and to Wi-Fi.

Are you part of the digital divide?

The Trump administration did little to address the digital divide. The Biden administration and the new Congress have an opportunity to do better. A study by the New Center suggests:

Social justice groups warn President Biden against throwing out Section 230

A group of 75 activist groups and nonprofits have urged against sweeping changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, warning that it could silence marginalized communities while making online moderation harder. “Section 230 is a foundational law for free expression and human rights when it comes to digital speech,” the letter says.

Lawmakers, officials stress need to expand broadband access

Lawmakers and former federal officials said that universal broadband access is essential to boosting the American economy during and after the coronavirus pandemic. “The pandemic has conclusively proven that everyone needs internet connection to have a fair shot at success,” said Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. She added that there is an enormous amount of lost economic opportunity if the United States doesn’t figure out how to expand internet connectivity to all Americans.