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.
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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President Biden signed an executive order which gives the FCC multiple directives, including to restore #NetNeutrality and revive the “#Broadband Nutrition Label”. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Bu1UA7
#ICYMI: The Senate confirmed Jen Easterly as director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (@CISAgov). https://bit.ly/3y3JPX6
Ransomware has emerged in 2021 as a major national security issue. Read how #cybersecurity professionals are navigating the attacks: https://nbcnews.to/3wCg1j3
Check out the new #cyberattack defense center that New York City opened to share intelligence and respond to digital threats: https://on.wsj.com/3i85Ptq
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) released his own strategy for regulating Big Tech companies. Learn more about the document: https://bit.ly/3xF6DML
The full Appropriations Committee will discuss a bill that would increase the budget for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to $2.42 billion. Read more: https://bit.ly/2UJGn5k
VFI's issue priorities include protecting #DataPrivacy and TV white spaces #broadband. Learn more about each of these issues: https://bit.ly/3yyIFCS
A cybersecurity firm found that more #cyberattacks are using a legitimate tool called Cobalt Stike that professionals use to test system security. Read more about Cobalt Stike: https://bit.ly/3hkVT0s
.@pewtrusts released new data that shows an increase in states' efforts to expand high-speed #broadband to all residents. Read about the findings: https://bit.ly/3jYiOR3
The Ohio state legislature axed a proposal to limit local governments from offering #broadband services to residents. Learn more about the municipal broadband legislation: https://bit.ly/3yyOTms
How will the Biden administration address growing #cybersecurity concerns around #ransomware attacks? https://bit.ly/3xpc9Df
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency created a web page for cataloging bad #cybersecurity practices and plans to update it based on feedback from cybersecurity professionals. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3hNj7v2
What is systemically important critical infrastructure (SICI)? Learn about the #cybersecurity proposal some lawmakers want Congress to introduce: https://bit.ly/3y4khZx
"Some of the longest-standing challenges are around disconnectedness of data, disconnectedness of care teams, and frankly disconnectedness of patients to their own care."
See how @Microsoft is incorporating #healthcare into its work: https://zd.net/3dnQRhb
#ICYMI: @POTUS and a group of bipartisan senators reached a compromise for the $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan. https://bit.ly/3x3JhA7
Microsoft is joining the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) to to further space #cybersecurity intelligence. Read more from Tom Keane, corporate vice president for Azure Global: https://bit.ly/3A93WVg
California's Departments of Public Health and Technology launched a website that lets users who verify their identities get digital copies of their COVID-19 vaccination record. Read about the state's equivalent of a vaccine passport: https://nbcnews.to/3x1CdE5
A new part of the Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) program was developed to find ways to reduce the cost of rural #broadband. Learn more about the effort: https://bit.ly/3jpsVxM
"Our industry and customers together will be best served by a balanced, unified policy approach that protects #DataPrivacy without overburdening businesses or undermining innovation."
VFI leader Jeffrey Goldstein shares the value of investing in privacy: https://bit.ly/3xraIVm
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
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 (...)
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. (...)
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.