The Class of '96: Legacy of the Fight to Close the Digital Divide

The second installment in PK's 25th anniversary event series as we discuss the stories and impact of digital inclusion champions.

Public Knowledge continues its 25th anniversary event series with a look back at the early push for digital rights and inclusion in the era of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 – and traces that legacy all the way to today.

The 1996 Act reshaped competition and consumer protection in communications. The people who wrote it, argued it, and put it into practice learned hard lessons along the way. Those lessons matter now, as we work to close the digital divide and keep technology open and fair for everyone.

This event brings together major figures who helped shape the 1996 era in a conversation with Public Knowledge President & CEO Chris Lewis. They will discuss what worked, what didn't, and what comes next. A second panel of next-generation policy experts and advocates will carry those questions into the present day.

Featured Guests

• Phil Verveer – Former Senior Counsellor to the FCC Chairman and the Justice Department's first lead counsel in United States v. AT&T, the case that led to the breakup of AT&T
• Larry Irving – Former head of the NTIA (1993–1999) and a leading voice on the digital divide

A reception will follow. Additional panelists will be announced.

This is a widely attended event.