1. Monthly archive
  2. August 2021

August 2021

Supporting the Cuban People’s Right to the Internet

The United States stands with the Cuban people in their quest for democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms. The Cuban regime has implemented measures to curb the flow of information over the internet. While most transactions continue to be prohibited under the US's embargo on Cuba, the US government allows for certain activities to support the Cuban people’s access to information on the internet. The most relevant exemptions and authorizations pertinent to supporting the Cuban people through the provision of certain internet and related telecommunications services are:

President Biden won big on broadband, but allies say municipal broadband lost out

Some of the Senate infrastructure bill's staunchest supporters say they are frustrated by what wasn’t included in the bill: provisions to encourage municipal broadband — Internet service that is partially or fully owned by local governments. Consumer advocacy and anti-monopoly groups say helping cities build their own Internet services is crucial for expanding connectivity nationwide, and they say it could also dramatically increase competition in areas where only a few major telecommunications companies dominate the market. Locally owned networks, proponents contend, aren’t driven by profi

USDA Invests $167 Million in High-Speed Broadband in 12 States

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $167 million in 12 states to deploy broadband infrastructure in rural areas without sufficient access to high-speed internet. These investments are part of the $550 million Congress allocated to the second round of the ReConnect Program as well as other funds made available for the program since 2018.

US Government Wants a Greater Role in How Americans Access Internet

President Biden’s bid to inject government deeper into the private sector is getting its first big test in the broadband industry. The $1 trillion infrastructure bill would wire communities across the country that companies haven’t reached and subsidize bills for low-income households. Private companies would be required to publish details about their products, much like nutrition labels, and offer low-cost service plans if they take federal funds to help build networks.

Washington vs Big Tech: Lina Khan’s battle to transform US antitrust

Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan has begun a fundamental revamp of the FTC by rescinding policies designed to limit its legal powers, changing the way it makes decisions, and promising to rewrite the statements which underpin antitrust enforcement in the US.

© 1994-2026 Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. All Rights Reserved.