Mark Zuckerbeg announced that he"s ready to spend however many billions of dollars it takes to make Internet access universal.
The FCC currently defines broadband as 4 Mbps download speed and 1 Mbps upload speed. The FCC recently announced considering a stricter definition of broadband, given modern uses of the Internet. This would mean redefining broadband as 10 Mbps download speed and 2.9 Mbps upload speed. Not all are in favor of this change, though. AT&T and Verizon recently filed public comments stating that they think the current definition suits customers" needs.
Writing for the Atlantic, Nichole Dobo provides an in-depth look at the problems rural schools face in getting adequate broadband connections for their students.
Net Neutrality was huge in the news this week: You may have noticed signs of the Internet Slowdown on September 10 (like the loading symbol featured above). Websites like WordPress, Netflix, tumblr, ACLU used the day to take a stand in the net neutrality debate. The debate has gotten so huge that it has officially received the most public comments of any FCC filing (more than Janet Jackson"s Superbowl slip-up, the previous record-holder). If you want to follow along, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the subject on September 17.
And finally, this past week we celebrated International Literacy Day. It"s important to remember that digital literacy is growing in importance, and needs to be supported as well. Learn about digital literacy efforts in your area by entering your ZIP code on our website.