Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said his office has settled an investigation into possible deceptive practices in Frontier Communications' billing and sale of internet services. Under the settlement, Frontier agreed to fully disclose its prices for internet service to new customers before they take service. Many current customers will be allowed to cancel their service without penalty. Frontier also agreed to invest at least $10 million over four years to improve its broadband network and to pay $750,000 in restitution that AG Ellison's office can distribute to Frontier's customers. Frontier provides telephone and internet service to about 90,000 customers in Minnesota, many of whom live outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and have limited options for high-speed internet service. Ellison's office began its investigation in 2018 after receiving numerous complaints from Frontier's customers. Based on its investigation, Ellison's office alleged that Frontier used deceptive and misleading practices to overcharge its customers.

On June 29, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced new investments to support research on the rules, norms and governance of the internet and digital platforms. The $1.7 million in 20 new grants will focus on research to inform the national conversation on technology policy issues, including free expression online and the scale and power of digital platforms. These grants, to researchers representing a range of backgrounds and perspectives come amid growing debate over technology’s role in our democracy. [The new research investments are listed at the link below]

National Advertising Division (NAD), an advertising self-regulatory monitor, claims that Verizon has agreed to discontinue claims in two TV ads about the speed and availability of its 5G wireless network. NAD concluded that several implied claims “potentially communicate a misleading message to consumers.” According to NAD, Verizon will no longer make claims “that its 5G service is widely available in cities across the country, and that its service is broadly and readily accessible in cities where it has been launched.“ It will also not imply that the speeds referenced in the TV commercials are typical of consumers. AT&T had challenged the claims, including the express claim that “people from midtown Manhattan to downtown Denver can experience what your 5G can deliver.” Verizon said that it would comply with NAD’s recommendations though “it does not agree with all aspects of NAD’s decision.”

By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission announces the anticipated renewal of its Disability Advisory Committee and solicits applications for membership on the Committee, subject to renewal of the Committee’s charter. Applications for membership are due by 11:59 P.M. EST on August 13, 2020. The mission of the Committee is to make recommendations to the FCC regarding disability issues specified by the FCC. Some of the issues the Committee has addressed in the past include telecommunications relay services, closed captioning, video description, access to emergency information on television, telephone emergency notifications, device accessibility, technology transitions, and the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program. For additional background about the Committee, please visit its website: www.fcc.gov/disability-advisory-committee.

The reduction of the digital divide due to the availability of the Internet and the improvement of skills is accompanied by reverse and resistance trends associated with the influence of socio-demographic and economic characteristics of users. In this paper, we estimate the volume and dynamics of the digital divide in access and use of the Internet in Russia by key social groups according to a longitudinal survey for 2008–2018. We found that along with the reducing of the digital divide, its gaps still remain. The greatest polarization is associated with the income, age, and type of residence of the respondents. The most vulnerable social groups on access to ICTs and Internet use are the low-income, the elderly, citizens with disabilities, and those living in rural areas. The reverse shifts in the digital divide were recorded mainly in relation to the Internet usage by age between the middle-age and youth and by gender. In addition, we pointed out the most resistance social groups to reduce the digital divide in the period under review, in particular, by income and type of residence of the respondents. The findings contribute to an understanding of the dynamics and social consequences of the digital divide and can be taken into account in social policy and measures.