2024 Broadband/Internet Availability Survey Report
This annual survey offers insights into how rural networks are evolving and highlights the challenges and successes of delivering broadband in less densely populated areas. Highlights include:
January 2025
A Troubled Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Program Comes Due
The Federal Communications Commission's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) kicked off with a reverse auction in October 2020 and has been shrinking ever since, both from big winners not passing more stringent FCC review and a trickle of subsequent defaults. 2024 saw more tumult. While the agency did not grant amnesty to providers looking to opt out as costs rose, it did take steps to ease financing requirements.
Apple Agrees to Pay $95 Million to Settle Lawsuit Over Recordings Tied to Siri
Apple agreed to pay $95 million in cash to resolve a class-action lawsuit that alleged the company obtained private communications and shared them with third parties without consent through Siri. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that Siri was activated unintentionally and went on to share confidential or private discussions overheard by the voice-driven virtual assistant with Apple.
Meta envisages social media filled with AI-generated users (Financial Times)
Submitted by grace@benton.org on Thu, 01/02/2025 - 13:33The biggest AI flops of 2024 (MIT Technology Review)
Submitted by grace@benton.org on Thu, 01/02/2025 - 11:47The government can’t ensure artificial intelligence is safe. Brian Anderson says he can— if Donald Trump will let him (Politico)
Submitted by grace@benton.org on Thu, 01/02/2025 - 11:47Using AI to talk to animals (Axios)
Submitted by grace@benton.org on Thu, 01/02/2025 - 11:47
Measuring Internet Adoption
We supposedly have a decent handle these days of the number of locations that can buy broadband due to the Federal Communications Commission broadband mapping and data collection effort. While some folks will argue about the accuracy of the FCC's National Broadband Map, we know a lot more than we did just a few years ago. The map is supposed to disclose where internet service providers (ISPs) are capable of serving, but not where they have customers.