The Federal Communications Commission's update of the National Broadband Map has received considerable criticism. And some of that criticism has been leveled at CostQuest, the contractor that created the database of broadband serviceable locations nationwide that is a key underpinning of the map. “The Broadband Data Collection program is an iterative process,” said Cost Quest Vice President Mike Wilson. It’s a process that follows the Broadband DATA Act, he said and is designed to improve over time. CostQuest, which had previously created cost models that were used in earlier broadband funding programs, was chosen to create the locations database, known as the broadband serviceable location (BSL) fabric. “Addresses by themselves aren’t necessarily BSLs,” he said. “Rather, BSLs refer to a structure or building, which then may have an associated address. An address could be assigned to a parcel that has no building whatsoever. And addresses can be units within a structure or building.” When the providers began working with the fabric, reports emerged of missing locations and of boulders being misidentified as broadband serviceable locations. The company focused on “reducing the number of false positives — a structure or natural feature showing up as a BSL, and false negatives – we missed an actual BSL,” Wilson explained. Between the FCC’s efforts and CostQuest’s efforts, the second version of the map has 1.04 million locations that were not included in the first version, according to FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel.

The total projected collected interstate and international end-user revenue base to be used in determining the contribution factor for the Universal Service Fund support mechanisms for the second quarter of calendar year 2023 (2Q2023) is $8,761,742,607.

An oft-invoked pun in broadband policy circles is the exhortation to support a fiber-rich diet. But data indicate that actual dietary benefits may arise out of strong broadband connections. Several inquiries have explored the role of internet connectivity in resolving the adverse impacts of “food deserts,” namely, areas in which there is low availability of healthy foods. The underlying theory is that internet connectivity may enable users to identify retail sources of healthful foods more easily or to even order those foods online. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service reports that approximately 2.3 million people live in low-income, rural areas that are more than 10 miles from a supermarket. But the potential efficacy of online food purchases for rural areas remains unknown.  A potential challenge for rural areas may be identifying participating retailers who can support online ordering, especially for perishable foods. 

Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA), a member of the House Commerce Committee’s Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee released summaries of gaming company responses to a December 2022 request from lawmakers for information on actions being taken to stem the rise of harassment and extremism in online video games. The initial request was sent after an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) report found increases in hate, harassment, and extremism in the companies’ online games. According to ADL, the proliferation of white supremacy and other forms of extremism has also increased dramatically, with 15 percent of gamers under 18 years old and 20 percent of adults reporting encounters with white supremacy while online – more than double what gamers reported the year before. Additionally, 77 percent of adults and 66 percent of teens have reported experiences of harassment while playing online games, including three out of every five children. Despite these alarming trends, a majority of gaming companies failed to address some of the lawmakers’ most pressing questions:

• 9 out of 14 companies failed to mention policies or actions they deploy to specifically assess and mitigate extremist content;
• 7 out of 14 companies did not mention how they engage with marginalized and at-risk communities who are most impacted by online hate and harassment;
• 8 out of 14 companies do not have or declined to describe transparency in reporting about the proliferation of harassment and extremist content in their games.

 A summary of each company’s response to the questions lawmakers sent can be accessed HERE.