March 2024

As part of a growing effort to stop prison telecommunications monopolies from charging exorbitant fees for calls between prisoners and their families, in 2023 Minnesota became one of the first states to make all phone calls free for prisoners.

In today's digital world, access to technology and the Internet enables boundless opportunities.  Now more than ever, women and girls are seizing these opportunities to smash barriers and soar to new heights. For women and girls, achieving digital equity is more than gaining access to the devices and connectivity that empower them—it is also about safeguarding their journey. As we celebrate International Women's Day, here are three reasons why digital equity is a game-changer for women and girls’ empowerment.  

Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks sent letters to five online marketplaces to identify ways to stop the unlawful sale of insecure IoT devices that violate Federal Communications Commission (FCC) equipment authorization requirements. The letters raise concerns about recent reports indicating that these websites sold and continue to sell easily hacked video doorbells. “Consumers have embraced the internet of things to make their lives better to the point that a large majority of American homes now have at least one or two IoT devices.