1. Monthly archive
  2. November 2019

November 2019

Twitter to Restrict How Certain Advertisers Target Users

Twitter will no longer allow certain types of geographic or keyword targeting for advertisers promoting any type of cause, as part of rules aimed at blocking most political-related ads on its platform. Geotargeting isn’t allowed at the ZIP Code level nor are advertisers allowed to target users by their political leanings or affiliations, as part of efforts to limit issues-based advertising. Twitter defines issues-based ads as those related to civic engagement, economic growth, environmental stewardship or social-equity causes.

FCC Telehealth Barriers Report: Almost Half of US Counties Face “Double Burden”

Almost half of US counties face a “double burden” of chronic disease and a need for greater broadband connectivity, according to a new report filed with the Federal Communications Commission. The report comes from an advisory committee that was set up to identify barriers to telehealth and recommend solutions. The majority of “double burden” areas fall into what the report calls “clusters” of five or more counties with total populations exceeding 100,000.

Sponsor 

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Date 
Tue, 12/17/2019 - 15:00 to 21:30

We have seen an increase in white supremacists who are organizing online to target communities of color. This presents a unique problem for social media sites, policymakers, and internet users. Join the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law at an all-day convening as policy experts and community organizations explore the nuanced intersections between online hate and privacy.


NTIA Minority Broadband Initiative

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration launched the Minority Broadband Initiative (MBI), working with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to ensure all Americans can participate in the digital economy. NTIA will build upon its relationships with HBCUs, as community anchor institutions, to leverage minority stakeholder engagement in finding new opportunities for broadband deployment.

New Broadband Report Outlines Road Map for Addressing the Digital Divide

Broadband for America’s Future: A Vision for the 2020s is a magnum opus of broadband policy for the forthcoming decade. While there are dozens of important insights offered by the paper, perhaps the most important, are those focused on solutions to connect students who lack broadband access at home. According to estimates, 70% of teachers reportedly assign homework that requires internet access. Yet, according to the FCC’s 2019 Broadband Deployment Report, 39.8% of homes do not subscribe to high-speed broadband.

How Google Interferes With Its Search Algorithms and Changes Your Results

Google has increasingly re-engineered and interfered with search results to a far greater degree than the company and its executives have acknowledged. Those actions often come in response to pressure from businesses, outside interest groups and governments around the world. They have increased sharply since the 2016 election and the rise of online misinformation. Google’s evolving approach marks a shift from its founding philosophy of “organizing the world’s information,” to one that is far more active in deciding how that information should appear.

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