Attempts by governmental bodies to improve or impede communications with or between the citizenry.
Government & Communications
Public Comment Invited for Oklahoma's BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 1
The Oklahoma Broadband Office (OBO) is inviting public comments on the state's Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Initial Proposal Volume 1.
Majority Staff Memo | Connecting Every American: The Future of Rural Broadband Funding
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 8.3 million households lack access to high-speed broadband. Providing universal access to communications service—initially voice service and now broadband—has always been a challenge in the United States. Although connecting urban, populated areas is relatively easy, serving sparsely populated rural areas is difficult due to differences in terrain and population density.
Utah Broadband Center seeks public input on proposed locations for broadband deployment
The Utah Broadband Center (UBC), part of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, asks for public feedback on Utah’s draft of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal Volume 1. The total funding allocation for Utah is $317.4 million, which will be distributed to various broadband projects through a competitive grant process. To ensure the greatest impact for Utahns, community members and stakeholders are encouraged to provide input to the state’s proposed process to identify areas needing broadband service.
Google has a new tool to outsmart authoritarian internet censorship
Google is launching new anti-censorship technology, Outline VPN, to increase access for internet users living under authoritarian regimes.
What to know about Congress’s inaugural AI meeting
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is convening the first AI Insight Forum on Sept 13, bringing together some of
Meet NTIA Digital Equity Director Angela Thi Bennett
As the US sets out to get everyone connected to broadband, it’s about more than just making sure broadband is available everywhere.
New Hampshire Launches Statewide Efforts to Inform Five-Year Digital Equity Plan
The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension (UNHCE) was awarded $511,216 by the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) to lead the development of a five-year plan to connect residents state-wide with access to high-speed internet, digital devices, training, and a host of services and resources made possible through digital technology (e.g., telehealth, on-line educational resources, mobile banking, assistive
States’ attempts to age-gate the Internet blocked by constitutional hurdles
Courts have started blocking some US states' earliest attempts to age-gate the Internet. Courts ordered preliminary injunctions blocking a Texas law requiring ID to access websites featuring adult entertainment, as well as an Arkansas law requiring ID to access some social media platforms.
FCC Transitioning to New FOIA Solution on October 1
The Federal Communications Commission currently relies simultaneously on two online case management solutions: FOIA.gov available at https://www.foia.gov and FOIAonline.gov, available at https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/home. With the planned retirement of FOIAonline.gov by its host agency, the FCC will transition from FOIAonline to a new online case management solution beginning October 1, 2023.