Zoë Walker

New research released by Digitunity explores the key role devices play in bridging the digital divide. Since 2013, the Census Bureau has asked three questions in the American Community Survey related to computer and internet use, focused on the type of computing device used (if any), if the household is connected to the internet, and via what type of internet connection. One in seven households either have no computer at all or rely only on a smartphone for internet access. While smartphones provide convenient internet access and can be more portable and affordable than computers, they lack

Starting on September 27, 2024, Western North Carolina (WNC) was battered by wind and flooding from Hurricane Helene, the costliest natural disaster in North Carolina history.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency now requires disaster survivors to register for federal aid using an e-mail address—a change from previous policy that made an e-mail address optional. While the move is intended to modernize and streamline the process of applying for disaster aid, it risks blocking vulnerable populations from accessing critical federal assistance in the wake of disasters. How does the move put disaster victims at risk, and what can communities—and FEMA—do to ensure folks can still get the assistance they need? 

This week, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society released "Achieving Affordability: State Strategies for Getting Everyone Online," an examination of how states are working to make high-speed internet more affordable for their residents. With the release, Benton Research Director Dr. Caroline Stratton hosted a discussion on how broadband affordability, availability, and adoption relate to each other and present current and future opportunities to improve universal access.

A last-minute decision to withhold critical education funding has left states and districts scrambling just weeks before students return to school. On Monday, June 30, the U.S. Department of Education notified states that it was withholding over $6 billion in previously approved federal education grants.

“The result of today’s announcement is simple: the Trump administration is delaying once-in-a-generation investments, blocking states from closing the digital divide and getting Americans online,” said Rep Doris Matsui (D-CA). “Congress was thoughtful and bipartisan when hammering out the details for BEAD, because we realize the stakes for getting connectivity right are sky high. We empowered our states and local communities to use their on-the-ground knowledge to ensure BEAD dollars go where they’re most needed.

Senator Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) said, “On the same day Senate Republicans voted to strip internet access from students and educators, President Trump is illegally attempting to end a program that connects millions of people to the online world. In New Mexico, we know the difference between slow internet, fast internet, and no internet and the challenges that come with it. Our students, seniors, veterans, and small businesses rely on internet access for education, health care, economic opportunity, and public safety. President Trump is leaving our communities in the dark.

On Thursday, April 10, the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Board of Directors voted on proposed guidelines for the PBDA’s Digital Skills and Community Capacity Program. The program, funded by the federal Digital Equity Act’s State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, will provide $25 million for digital inclusion programs in the Keystone State. The eleven-member board voted 9-1 to approve the guidelines, with one abstention.

On March 19, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, with support from AARP, hosted a webinar titled Understanding Internet Access and Use Among Older Adults. Revati Prasad, PhD, Vice President of Programs at the Benton Institute, previewed the new report, Older Adults Online: Measuring Internet Access and Use, and moderated a panel of experts who discussed the needs of older adult populations.

Over Valentine's Day weekend 2025, parts of Appalachia, many still recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Helene just 5 months earlier, were battered by another round of heavy rain and flooding.