We Can Close the Broadband Gap
Broadband is essential—for work, school, healthcare, and connecting with others. But more than 42 million Americans cannot connect because broadband isn't available or it's too expensive.
Government policy, combined with private sector investment, can close America's broadband gap. By participating in Voices for Innovation, you can help urge Congress and the Administration to move forward with policies that enable every American to get online.
Executive Briefings
Voices for Innovation’s Executive Briefings provide weekly updates on technology policy and news, including highlights from Capitol Hill, breaking tech news, clips of relevant articles from traditional and new media, and a roundup of thought leader quotes and tweets.
Read the LatestLatest News
The Urgent Need to Create Inclusive Access for Women to Join the Technology Industry
The tech industry remains a bright spot in a global economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital transformation projects accelerated in response to the global crisis—and tech businesses large and small grew ...
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New data suggests that more than a thousand US communities built their own #broadband networks as a result of the pandemic. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Eo5qgP
Learn how Ohio is working to bring high-speed #broadband to underserved areas of the state: https://bit.ly/2Xxx9Lb
In this webinar, learn how Career Connector can help your company source talent with concierge recruitment services, skills-based hiring practices, and affordable placement rates. Register now: https://msft.it/6010XRsVI
#ICYMI: President Biden nominated privacy advocate Alvaro Bedoya for a seat on the Federal Trade Commission. Read more about Bedoya's background: https://politi.co/3987PxN
REMINDER: @TheWITNetwork is offering scholarships for women in tech who want to become a Microsoft Certified Professional in Azure Cloud and #AI. Apply for September's training cohorts today! https://bit.ly/3k5qy26
In response to @POTUS' executive order on competition, the @FCC will study how deals between landlords and internet service providers impact apartment residents. https://bit.ly/3Egt6U4
Check out this @nytimes article highlighting the range of #DataPrivacy laws in the US: https://nyti.ms/391rb7y
A bill introduced in both the House and Senate would give the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency authority to require companies to report a security breach within 72 hours. Read more: https://bit.ly/2VESUYL
If you’ve ever rented an apt, good chance you had only choice of for an internet provider.
@FCC will now study whether certain landlord agreements push out competition and harm consumers
Just one of many actions being taken out of @POTUS’s Competition EO
https://www.axios.com/fcc-study-landlords-broadband-deals-c0d8f9ca-6d93-44fe-90b5-70e3f144e1cb.html
ICYMI: Great news about the future of local news.
Two years ago, VFI leader @STILLTITU reviewed #ToolsAndWeapons on our blog - check out his thoughts: https://www.voicesforinnovation.org/book-review-tools-weapons-thinks-big/
Microsoft president Brad Smith writes that he first learned of the SolarWinds hack through an instant message in November 2020, asking if he had "five minutes for something kind of urgent." http://f-st.co/gySyzyc
The expanded paperback edition of #ToolsAndWeapons is out today!
In a recent study, 90% of the people surveyed said they are concerned about sharing their information.
@JulieSBrill, Microsoft's Chief Privacy Officer, details the need for #DataPrivacy: https://bit.ly/3Dt11sr
A Senate push as part of its infrastructure bill would hand control of #broadband funds to the Commerce Department and the states, rather than the FCC. Read more: https://bit.ly/3sIbLhH
#ICYMI: China passed a sweeping #DataPrivacy law. Learn more about the Personal Information Protection Law: https://on.wsj.com/3sJJ83u
The Senate's bipartisan infrastructure bill would allocate $65 billion aimed at closing the #DigitalDivide between Americans with high-speed internet access and those without. Learn more: https://bit.ly/2W098M7
Last week was World Humanitarian Day. Check out this blog to learn how @Microsoft partners, including two VFI leaders, are enabling nonprofits to achieve their mission impact: https://bit.ly/3guqXtP #BuildFor2030
Laura Peters and VFI Team Up for Device Donation Drive
VFI's David Pryor spoke with Laura Peters, MBA, Founder and President of International Software Systems, about her work to get families connected.
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Our Issues
Affordable, Accessible High-Speed Internet for Every American In May 2021, BroadbandNow confirmed that 42 million Americans lack access to broadband. Microsoft’s own research finds that more than 120 million people in the U.S.—representing more than one-third of our nation’s population—do not use the (...)
Rights and Responsibilities When It Comes to Data Privacy Privacy is recognized as a fundamental human right by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and many other treaties. Data-driven innovations and services should (...)
About
Voices for Innovation (VFI) is a Microsoft-supported community of technology professionals and everyday Americans committed to advancing discussions about the most important technology policies. As citizen advocates, we champion public policies that foster innovation, support business growth, and enable technology to address societal challenges.