Bridging the Digital Divide
In an increasingly digital world, internet access can become a class issue.
Internet access is a struggle for millions. And now that COVID-19 has pushed even more everyday activities into online spaces, limited or no internet can mean no work, no school, and a widening digital divide.
A new community-owned internet cooperative is helping to bridge the digital divide for New Yorkers by providing low cost Wi-Fi systems. ‘The internet is very expensive and it’s not very affordable for us’, says Michael, who has been doing classes online during the pandemic. ‘For the people that we serve, saving those dollars every month can mean whether or not you have enough food on the table for your children’, says Brenda Rosen, CEO of an affordable housing organisation. ‘People having a problem with the internet often have other problems with food insecurity, housing, income inequality’, says Troy Walcott, who launched People’s Choice Communications to protest digital inequality.
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