The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is looking for comments on how to best combat the digital inequalities that some in the U.S. face when getting access to broadband, according to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking released by the agency on Dec. 21.
The notice seeks comments on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s statutory language to better understand how to help reduce broadband inequalities.
“The Federal Communications Commission today seeks comment on next steps to promote and facilitate equal access to broadband internet service for everyone, with the goal of creating a framework for combatting digital discrimination that has caused harm to historically excluded and marginalized communities,” the agency said in a the press release.
The notice specifically looks for comments on the following areas in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
- A proposed definition of “digital discrimination of access” as used in the Infrastructure Act;
- Proposed revisions to the FCC’s informal consumer complaint process to accept complaints of digital discrimination;
- Proposed adoption of model policies and best practices for states and localities to combat digital discrimination based on recommendations from the Communications Equity and Diversity Council;
- Further details of the rules the commission should adopt to facilitate equal access to broadband internet service and prevent “digital discrimination of access,” as well as identify steps to eliminate discrimination.
