Since 2017, Voices for Innovation has supported policies to close our nation’s broadband divide. Passage of the 2021 bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) represented a major milestone in addressing this challenge, which included a $65 billion investment in broadband. Since that time, our nation has made measurable progress to bring connectivity, broadband, and digital devices to households around the country.
Last week, Microsoft launched a refresh of its Digital Equity Dashboard, which includes data from the FCC, the U.S. Census Bureau, Code.org, Broadband Now, and Microsoft. This tool helps policymakers and tech advocates better understand the digital divide—and respond. You can link to the Dashboard and read highlights about broadband progress in this Microsoft on the Issues blog.
Have a Happy Halloween! Additional tech policy news and a featured podcast can be found below. Thank you.
This Week in Washington
- Broadband Breakfast: Tribal governments are urging the FCC to require their consent before subsidizing 5G infrastructure on Tribal lands. A Tribal consent requirement would allow Tribes to have more meaningful engagement with technology companies to ensure that cultural sites remain protected, environmental concerns are addressed, and economic benefits can be equitably shared.
- CyberScoop: The Justice Department formally proposed new regulations that would prevent or restrict Americans’ sensitive data from being sold or transferred to adversarial countries. The proposed rule would impose a series of restrictions on how U.S. entities can sell “bulk” sensitive data across six categories including Social Security numbers, geolocation data, and health information, and it would impose an overall prohibition on selling data to six countries that are deemed “countries of concern.”
- FedScoop: The Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) announced four new investments to meet user needs for enhanced Social Security Administration (SSA) and housing operations. These investments will allow the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to modernize digital infrastructure, maintain cybersecurity needs, and enable the SSA to use AI to support disability claims processing.
- Roll Call: This week the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to require all calls to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline be routed by wireless carriers to local call centers to streamline connections to local resources and broaden services.
Article Summary
- Nextgov: Microsoft and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are leaning on the potential of AI and high-performance computing to advance research breakthroughs in chemistry and materials science. Together, they unveiled an updated software suite for widespread access across scientific communities.
- The Hill: Massachusetts is one of dozens of states to file a suit against Meta over accusations that the company knowingly designed and implemented features that were detrimental to young users and their mental health.
- CyberScoop: According to a Microsoft report, ransomware attacks on the healthcare sector are rising and putting lives at risk. Healthcare is amongst the top 10 most targeted sectors, and has had a 300% increase in ransomware attacks since 2015.
- Phys.org: Researchers at the University of Copenhagen found analyzing wildlife sounds with AI can revolutionize biodiversity monitoring on land and in aquatic settings. AI can identify species with more accuracy and efficiency and provide unique insights into animal behaviors and habitats without disruption.
Featured Podcast
- TED Tech
AI can be used in a lot of ways, but have you ever thought about using AI to keep memories alive? Amy Kurzweil, cartoonist and writer, trained an AI chatbot on her late grandfather’s archives, allowing her to connect and learn more about family members she had never even met. Tune in to hear how AI can help capture the essence of people and moments in dynamic new ways. (“Time traveling with AI to connect with lost loved ones Amy Kurzweil” – October 18, 2024)