Digital literacy work — which involves teaching folks to use computers so they aren’t left behind by societal digitization — often plays out through classroom instruction, library initiatives, or direct outreach at community events. COVID-19 and social distancing, however, have made all of that limited or impossible.
The pandemic has put the spotlight on the challenges facing the nation’s wireless communications infrastructure. As patients and doctors use telemedicine; children and teachers use distance learning; and parents telework from home, our spectrum resources are being stretched to the limit. If we can’t create more spectrum, we must use it more efficiently. Just as highways into a city may have heavy traffic only during the rush hours but are largely open the remaining twenty hours a day, there may be opportunities for commercial and government organizations to share the mid-range spectrum.
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of broadband connectivity. Broadband is critical to ensuring that Americans can telework, participate in remote learning, benefit from telehealth, and much more. The digital divide has closed in recent years, with millions more consumers getting broadband access and infrastructure investment setting records. But that divide persists in some places, either because internet access isn't available or because households have chosen not to subscribe.
School closures have turned homes into classrooms for most of America’s students and educators. But teaching and learning online is only possible in homes with adequate broadband connections, and at least 7 million school-age children lack the broadband internet access needed to participate in online education.
President Donald Trump’s crackdown on Twitter may have an unintended effect — hampering the marketing of some of his administration’s signature efforts, from Army recruiting to anti-vaping campaigns.
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