NCTA-the Internet & Television Association President Michael Powell said that when it comes to universal broadband service, it is always hard when you get to the last portion of the population still on the other side of digital opportunity, so government needs to step up funding, including perhaps making broadband service part of the social safety net, like SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. But he points out that there was the same issue with other infrastructure, whether electricity or indoor plumbing or roads. Powell said the Federal Communications Commission does a lot in terms of funding, but Congress needs to do more. "Is broadband going to be part of the social safety net?" he asked. "If we believe broadband is an essential service, we are going to find a way to include some sort of support for those who are down on their luck or out of work or are struggling with the expenses associated with the service." Powell agreed that access to technology is a civil rights issue.

A new chapter in our ongoing COVID-response drama began this week when a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers unveiled a $908 billion emergency relief plan. For many vulnerable people in the U.S., the lack of affordable broadband connections continues to hinder online learning and remote work. Will Congress finally pass economic relief and target support to reduce the digital divide? 

Access to broadband is essential to boost telehealth, which has skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic, Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said. "Access to telemedicine and telehealth via affordable, reliable broadband is going to be extremely important to making sure that folks can safely manage their health from home," he added. "It's especially necessary, again, for our elderly members who may be on a fixed income, but also need to be able to stay safe instead of trying to get through public transportation or further risking themselves going to a physician's office." But according to Commissioner Starks, more than 77 million Americans lack adequate broadband in their home.

Colorado state lawmakers passed a bill providing $20 million in grants for districts to broaden internet access to students at a time the internet has become the main mode of learning across much of the state and country. But the dollars, part of a state stimulus package at the center of a special legislative session this week, won’t ensure every young Coloradan has a reliable internet connection. The investment is widely viewed — by lawmakers, educators and education advocates — as a short-term fix. It’s nowhere near enough money to address the root of the access problem: a lack of adequate infrastructure to sustain a quality internet connection for every Colorado family. The $20 million will be added to the Connecting Colorado Students Grant Program, which was created earlier this year to distribute $2 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act money to help school districts make sure low-income families and school staff had broadband access. Grants will be distributed through an application process administered by the Colorado Department of Education. Soper said districts with a high percentage of kids who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch — a federal indicator of poverty — and whose communities have significant gaps in internet access will get priority. One main goal of the legislation: to fund internet connections robust enough for all the members of a household to be engaged in their coursework at the same time.

Despite having many fewer followers and much less engagement on social media than President Donald Trump, Joe Biden's campaign raised record amounts of money and ultimately neutralized Trump’s vaunted “Death Star” — the name his erstwhile campaign manager, Brad Parscale, gave to the campaign’s digital operation. Figuring out whether any particular online strategy decisively moved the needle for President-elect Biden is probably impossible. Offline factors, such as Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic and the economic devastation it has caused, undoubtedly played a major role. But since successful campaigns breed imitators, it’s worth looking under the hood of the Biden digital strategy to see what future campaigns might learn from it. 1) Lean On Influencers and Validators. 2) Tune Out Twitter, and Focus on ‘Facebook Moms.’ 3) Build a Facebook Brain Trust. 4) Promote ‘Small-Batch Creators,’ Not Just Slick Commercials. 5) Fight Misinformation, but Pick Your Battles.