It's Time To Connect the Rest of America
High-speed broadband is a vital part of our nation’s infrastructure, but more than 17 million rural Americans don’t have access, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Microsoft’s own data shows that about 157.3 million Americans don’t access the internet at broadband speeds. You can help close the digital divide and connect more Americans to educational, employment, and business opportunities to keep our economy growing.
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.
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VFI Leader Spotlight: RJ Naugle Helps Connect Veterans with Microsoft and Tech
Earlier this year, Voices for Innovation welcomed aboard RJ Naugle as one of our new Advisory Task Force leaders. While RJ is new to VFI leadership, he is an experienced advocate who ...
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The latest nation state attack is not espionage as usual, even in the digital age. Instead, it’s an act of recklessness that has created a serious and eye-opening vulnerability for the US and the world. Governments and industry must do more. https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2020/12/17/cyberattacks-cybersecurity-solarwinds-fireeye/
To protect gamers' privacy and moderate their online gaming platforms, @Microsoft, @Sony and @NintendoAmerica have introduced a new set of safety guidelines: http://bit.ly/3nrPjG6
SpaceX is helping to connect rural Americans to broadband with Starlink. https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/08/tech/spacex-starlink-subsidies-fcc-scn/index.html
We linked @ITIFdc's most recent podcast about #ComputerScienceEducation and #STEM in last week's Executive Briefing. Catch up here: https://itif.org/publications/2020/12/07/podcast-case-improving-us-computer-science-education-pat-yongpradit
FCC Commissioner @GeoffreyStarks recently highlighted how essential broadband access is for #telehealth http://www.axios.com/telehealth-demand-access-broadband-internet-e7b05094-a78b-4099-a81f-5a5fb104e854.html
This year, @Microsoft added Rick Wagner to their team. In a new blog post, he highlights U.S. government agencies that have demonstrated resilience and leadership for 2020's most urgent issues: https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/11/18/federal-agencies-advancing-government-and-our-nation/
Expanded access to broadband will provide new opportunities for Americans across the country
What does inclusive multilateralism mean to you?
ICYMI: Two VFI leaders @RyanRisley and @vincemenzione in conversation for episode 77 (congrats, Vince!) of the Ultimate Guide to Partnering podcast.
Weekend read: The Education Open Data Challenge opens December 10. How will you help close the digital divide in K-12 education?
Cyberattacks on healthcare institutions responding to the COVID-19 pandemic are unconscionable. We need world leaders to come together & condemn this behavior by affirming and enforcing international laws to protect frontline workers & critical research.
https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2020/11/13/health-care-cyberattacks-covid-19-paris-peace-forum/
Here is a message from @BradSmi and @microsoft about #2020Election
https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2020/11/07/us-election-biden-trump-technology-covid-19/
One week from today - are you registered?
VFI will continue to advocate for broadband access, data privacy, and other #technology issues into the next decade
More than 12M Americans are unemployed. @LinkedIn is building on our joint skills initiative to help – with new products and resources to help those impacted by COVID-19 get back to work: https://blog.linkedin.com/2020/october/29/how-linkedin-is-helping-millions-of-people-get-back-to-work
The digital divide holds back too many of the students, seniors, farmers, small businesses, and tribes in North Dakota.
Allowing greater use of TV white spaces creates opportunities to bridge that divide.
Thanks to @AjitPaiFCC and the @FCC for taking this step. https://twitter.com/AjitPai/status/1321121841331740672
Have you read our VFI Leader Spotlight featuring @erabino? https://www.voicesforinnovation.org/vfi-leader-spotlight-eric-rabinowitz-nurturing-relationships/
A great example of #TVWS technology in action!
Voices for Innovation on Capitol Hill
Voices for Innovation members came to Washington, DC to meet with their members of Congress and the House Small Business Committee and advocate for 21st century technology policies.
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Our Issues
Technology Brings Internet to Underserved Communities Though the United States is a global technology leader, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 2019 broadband report indicates that more than 21 million Americans lack access to high-speed internet, including nearly 17 million people in rural communities. (...)
The United States leads the world in technology innovation, but this leadership is jeopardized by insufficient support for computer science education in our nation’s K-12 schools. We cannot maintain an innovation-driven economy and prepare students for future success in the digital economy if (...)
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.