The COVID-19 pandemic brought many of society’s inequities into sharp relief, but arguably none were more exposed than a digital divide that had been growing steadily over three decades – a divide that disproportionately left low-income, minority, and rural Americans without a lifeline as a global crisis unfolded. Digital inclusion issues manifest in several different ways, including inequities tied to infrastructure, devices, affordability, and digital literacy. Aided by funding from federal legislation and other sources, philanthropists across the Southeast are learning how to leverage and even create resources to address the digital divide. For example, in Virginia, the Virginia Funders Network (VFN) has made significant strides to curtail the many facets of the digital divide that exist throughout the Commonwealth. Such strides include a $700 million commitment to broadband funding, the expansion of electric cooperatives into retail broadband, community, and county commitment through innovative programs, and the passage of legislation to encourage greater deployment. 

The Maine Connectivity Authority is launching a new program to provide targeted support to Broadband Utility Districts (BUDs) in Maine. Broadband Utility Districts are community-based organizations formed to build and operate broadband networks to increase access to high-speed internet. The utility district ownership model is a critical part of helping enable regional scale impact resulting in improved connectivity and digital equity in Maine. The districts often partner with service providers to operate the network, while the communities in the districts own the internet infrastructure. As BUD members come together to create a new publicly owned internet service provider, they face numerous challenges, including access to capital, legal guidance, technical design, and overall organizational capacity. In partnership with the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), the Maine Municipal Bond Bank, and other partners, MCA is developing a collaborative strategy to engage critical stakeholders, deploy targeted technical assistance, and craft appropriate funding programs to help BUDs fulfill their potential.

A vision of an internet free from harassment, hate, and misogyny might seem far-fetched, particularly if you’re a woman. But a small, growing group of activists believe the time has come to reimagine online spaces in a way that centers women’s needs rather than treating them as an afterthought. They aim to force tech companies to detoxify their platforms, once and for all and are spinning up brand-new spaces built on women-friendly principles from the start. This is the dream of a “feminist internet.” The movement might seem naïve in a world where many have given up on the idea of technology as a force for good. But aspects of the feminist internet are already taking shape. Achieving this vision would require us to radically overhaul the way the web works. But if we build it, it won’t just be a better place for women; it will be better for everyone. Ultimately, a feminist internet would be less hierarchical. More cooperative. More democratic. More consensual. More customizable and suited to individual needs, rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all model.