benton's blog

Availability ≠ Accessibility

Increasing the availability of information does not necessarily increase its accessibility. What’s the difference?

Margaret is a mother with two kids in elementary school. She purchases Internet for her family at home, but does not know how to use the school’s web portal to help her children find their homework assignments. In this case, the school’s web portal is technically available, but is it accessible? How do Margaret and her family learn the digital skills required to use the school’s web portal? 

Whenever we spend time together – and you give me grief for asking you, yet again, for help on something social media- or technology-related – I realize how freely you interact with digital technologies to consume, to share, to connect, and to learn. You and your peers are digital natives, well adapted to our new information era.

Researchers at Purdue University maintain that the digital divide is the most critical issue of the 21st century. It is a persistent social problem that hobbles millions of Americans and one that multiple types of nonprofits work on. TechSoup donor partner Mobile Beacon has conducted some very interesting research on how nonprofits are getting digitally disadvantaged communities connected to the information economy. Here's what Mobile Beacon found.

A successful presidential candidate calls for the government to pursue specific antitrust actions against specific companies, while decrying concentrated corporate power. Last month, a United States Senator called for antitrust examination of companies that he asserts are harming democracy.

 You’re reading the Benton Foundation’s Weekly Round-up, a recap of the biggest (or most overlooked) telecommunications stories of the week. The round-up is delivered via e-mail each Friday.

Round-Up for the Week of May 14-18

May 9 marks the end of a chapter. But this book is still being written.

Today, we celebrate the many accomplishments of Mignon Clyburn, Federal Communications Commissioner.

 You’re reading the Benton Foundation’s Weekly Round-up, a recap of the biggest (or most overlooked) telecommunications stories of the week. The round-up is delivered via e-mail each Friday.

Round-Up for the Week of April 30-May 4

The BDAC, 5G and Cities: The Power and Perils of Asymmetry
Blair Levin
Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Project
Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC) Conference
Austin, Texas
April 30, 2018

The most significant meta-theme about governance in the United States today is that the federal government is dysfunctional and disrespected, but that local governments are responsive, pro-active, effective and respected in building communities that improve the lives of their residents.