Bridging the Digital Divide
June 16, 2021
In a bipartisan effort, three US senators introduced legislation aimed at bringing broadband internet access to rural and tribal areas that lack the needed infrastructure. The $40 billion BRIDGE Act would also help low-income urban residents get online. Teenagers might especially benefit. In Issues, Camille Crittenden writes that teens who regularly gather information and communicate online see gains in mental and reproductive health, career development and economic security, and civic engagement. Indeed, she argues, the lack of broadband access is a greater threat to their well-being than the familiar worry of too much access.