The pandemic has pushed the internet into the forefront of importance for all Americans. It is the topic of daily conversation and considered as essential as electricity by some. The lack of connectivity not only impacts those that work from home, but it impacts the students of America, which is our future.
When looking at how the conversation has changed over the years, we see the internet go from being described as a luxury to a necessity of dire importance. We also see an urgency to correct connectivity issues to prevent further harm to those who do not have proper internet connectivity.
Internet for Working At Home- Before COVID-19
The discussion surrounding internet and working at home was barely mentioned before COVID-19. The conversations revolved around whether the internet should be a utility, net neutrality, and that it was a modern necessity. The digital divide was also a topic that received a high-level of discussion. One professor in 2019 states that it is a "moral human right".
- In 2013, professors at Yale argued that the internet was the most essential communication utility in the country and was as important as electricity was 100 years ago. “Truly high-speed wired Internet access is as basic to innovation, economic growth, social communication, and the country’s competitiveness as electricity was a century ago.” In this piece, they start talking about the digital divide (millions of Americans who are in rural and underserved areas are without adequate internet).
- In 2014, 70% of schools nationwide did not have high-speed internet connections, with a large number of them in poor urban and rural communities according to estimates from the FCC. When talking about increasing spending by $1.5 billion per year, they talked about how access to technology could close critical information gaps and expand opportunities for those who did not have internet access. It would "empower students to take charge of their education.
- In 2016, the internet was referred to as a modern necessity in an opinion piece by Network World and not a luxury when talking about the FCC's net neutrality rules and classifying the internet as a utility.
- In 2018, The Conversation framed the internet dialogue by stating, "All across the U.S., rural communities’ residents are being left out of modern society and the 21st century economy," in a discussion surrounding rural Americans and their need for faster internet. At this point 39% of Americans living in rural areas lacked internet that met the FCC's minimum standard of broadband.
- In 2019, the dialogue has progressed. Phys.org states that the internet should be a basic human right. Dr. Merten Reglitz, Lecturer in Global Ethics at the University of Birmingham, published findings in a first of its kind study in the Journal of Applied Philosophy that discussed how the majority of political engagement now takes place on line. The research indicates that the internet could be a key way of protecting basic human rights. It could be a means of "enabling billions of people to lead minimally decent lives." "Internet access is no luxury, but instead a moral human right and everyone should have unmonitored and uncensored access to this global medium—provided free of charge for those unable to afford it," commented Dr. Reglitz. He cited the #MeToo movement as an example.
- In 2019, in an article discussing how several large cities are building their own broadband networks to combat net neutrality and corporate greed, many leaders believe that the internet should be a utility so that everyone can enjoy reliable, affordable internet. The Ford Foundation published an opinion piece that agreed.
- In 2019, the National Conference of Legislatures referred to the internet as a "necessity of modern life". Reuters' argued that the internet should never be a public utility and the only thing that would be accomplished was a higher internet bill.
Internet for Working At Home- After COVID-19
The conversations and tone have shifted considerably since COVID-19. There is an urgency in the tone of many articles. The internet is now viewed as a life-line to the many needs of Americans.
- The Brookings Institute stated, the internet is no longer “nice to have,” it is critical. "The crisis has sped us forward to a paradigm shift in which we rely on the internet to bring economic and social activity to us—rather than us going to them." They go on to state, "Perhaps the silver lining of COVID-19’s dark cloud is the increased awareness that the current system for supporting access to high-speed broadband has failed. We often hear about the “digital divide” in America. The challenge is greater than that, however. It is what Jon Sallet calls the “digital chasm”—a cluster of digital divides that are larger, longer lasting, multi-faceted, and harder to close. Once and for all, it is time to attack the digital chasm. Any such effort begins with fixing America’s connectivity problem, both in terms of access and affordability".
- Pew Research states that 93% of Americans believe that a major interruption in their internet service would be a problem in their daily life. 46% of college graduates have participated in a work meeting through some sort of online video calling. One theme still remains. Rural Americans, and minority populations are less likely to be using tools on the internet.
- In major cities, internet usage has increased by 20%-50% across the world indicating how important the internet has become in our lives.
- 53% of Americans stated that the internet was essential during the pandemic, according to Pew Research. They go on to state that Americans have turned to the internet for "critical purposes".
- US Representative Cindy Axne stated, “As I’ve said since my first days in office, it is unacceptable that two decades into the 21st century — the digital century — that many in our rural communities lack the internet connectivity to participate in the modern economy, educational instruction, or community affairs. The COVID-19 crisis has really illustrated how important this bill is — it’s impossible to take classes or work from home if your internet connection is slow or unreliable, which risks leaving kids and families behind as we attempt to recover.”
- U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto stated, "As the coronavirus pandemic has made more apparent than ever, in the 21st century, every family in the country needs reliable access to broadband. The worlds of information that the internet opens are key to education, health, small business, and other essential parts of our communities across Nevada".
- The FCC Chairman calls on broadband and telephone service providers to keep Americans connected and take the "Keep Americans Connected" pledge. "I don’t want any American consumers experiencing hardships because of the pandemic to lose connectivity".
- Nearly 16% of those newly working from home have had connectivity issues according to a survey from Waveform. This was in addition to those facing weekly (22.2%), and monthly (15.2%) connectivity issues. 10 million U.S. employees working from home are suffering from poor cell signal coverage and daily internet connectivity issues.
Internet for Education- Before COVID-19
In the last several years the conversations surrounding education and the internet have evolved considerably. In earlier pieces the internet is described as a way to change information and as very important. One study used the Lifeline Program by the FCC as a possible way to bridge the divide. As the years pass, the internet is described as a game changer, very important, and a way to elevate the classroom experience. The articles all agree that internet is an important facet of education, but in none of the articles do you feel the urgency that the nation feels currently in regard to providing all students with internet.
- In a 2014 opinion piece by Open Mind, the internet was referred to as an "educational tool". They go on to state, "many people would argue that the main characteristics of the Internet align closely with the core concerns of education. For instance, both the Internet and education are concerned with information exchange, communication, and the creation of knowledge."
- The National Center for Education Statistics stated in 2015 that the main reason children did not have internet at home was that it was too expensive and their family did not need or want it.
- In 2015, the internet gap is discussed by the nonprofit EducationSuperHighway. They found that 21 million students were not meeting the minimum 100 kbps per student goal that was set by the FCC. Pew Research found that low-income homes with kids were four times more likely to be without broadband than those who made more. One of the answers mentioned was the FCC expanding their Lifeline telephone subsidy program. The article stated that the government had the "broad coalitions needed to bridge the broadband gap." The issues that were faced by those without internet were not presented as dire, or urgent, but rather as a process that everyone was working on together to correct.
- In a 2017 opinion piece, the internet is referred to a tool that has changed the way children are being taught in schools and that it was "very important" to provide internet education for young generations. In another piece by GovTech, it is referred to as a "game-changer". They go on to discuss the need for low cost internet for families without reliable and affordable service.
- The Miliken Institute released research in 2017 that provided evidence of the positive relationship between the hours spent on the internet each week and education achievement. They go on to say the internet can be a "tool" to improve educational outcomes.
- In the 2018, EducationSuperHighway State of the States report, they discussed that 2.3 million students still were not meeting minimum connectivity standards. They infer that the internet "elevates" the classroom experience.
- In 2019, the National Conference of Legislatures referred to the internet as a "necessity of modern life". They shared a what each state was doing to address broadband issues for educational institutions and underserved communities. Each state and the corresponding legislation may be viewed here.
- Forbes stated, "for many Americans, going without broadband Internet would be like giving up water or electricity because it’s a means to their livelihood".
Internet for Education- After COVID-19
The conversation evolved quickly once the majority of American students switch to remote learning. It is described as an "urgent national priority". Where the internet once seemed as a complement to education, it is now essential. The implications on those who do not have adequate connectivity could be seen for years or generations to come.
- New America stated that 12 million children did not have adequate internet access and how disappointed they were that the economic rescue bill did not address this problem. The article goes on to discuss the digital divide ans uses the words detrimental and crisis to describe the effects of not having adequate internet connectivity for students.
- In an article from Duke University, they discuss how not having proper internet to participate in class can be an "overwhelming challenge".
- CNet describes the connectivity issues as a "huge problem" and that "huge inequities" are being created in regard to access to an education. The FCC is criticized for not doing more to alleviate the "homework gap". Experts on the FCC suggest that they should use E-rate money to provide hotspot lending programs. "As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, and schools and libraries close across the country, the need to ensure everyone has affordable broadband at home becomes an urgent national priority," said John Windhausen Jr., executive director the SHLB Coalition.
- In a piece by The Guardian, stories are told of parents that are parking their cars outside schools and cafes "desperate" for a connection good enough to learn and work from home. The internet is referred to as a "lifeline". They go on to say, "Otherwise billions will be left behind in the dust. As Covid-19 forces huge change to our lives, we have an opportunity for big, bold action that recognizes that, as with electricity in the last century and postal services before that, the web is an essential utility that governments and business should combine to deliver as a basic right. The web can and must be for everyone — now is our moment to make this happen. We have the technical means to connect the entire world in meaningful and affordable ways: we now need the will and the investment. Governments must lead the way. They must invest in network infrastructure, not only in urban centers, but in rural settings where market forces alone fail to connect residents".
- Pew Research stated that many parents felt their children would "struggle" due to technology limitations.
- A teacher in New Jersey stated, “I have 30 students in my homeroom class and only 11 have a cellphone. We have many students who are new to the country. They don’t have access to a computer outside of school or the public library.”
- Every Student Connected shared their thoughts on students. "This is a basic need for students to continue their studies this school year and into the summer. At a time in our country where there is an abundance of high quality, free learning materials that can be accessed anytime and anywhere, it feels particularly egregious that the students who need these tools the most do not benefit."
- A superintendent was quoted as saying, " "It's crucial," Nawrocki says. "Any student who doesn't have that access is losing out." US News goes on to state that "the digital divide disproportionately impacts students of color, according to an analysis from USAFacts, which shows that 37% of American Indian and Alaska Native children lack access to the internet, 19% of black children and 17% of Hispanic children compared to 12% of white children and Asian children".
- Forbes shared the 8th grade students without access to computers or the internet were already more than two years behind their classmates, according to the Urban Institute. Bloomberg went on to state, "The children who lack internet and computers now also lack access to education".
- Fast Company stated in an article on inadequate broadband, " If education is a human right, we need to provide the technology that enables it to everyone—and 5G has the potential to deliver on that promise".
- The Benton Institute for Broadband and Society published research that shared multiple statistics on the seriousness of this problem. "Poor Internet connectivity has repercussions that go far beyond the ability to complete homework assignments. In many cases, students will possibly be disadvantaged for life". They did a thorough job of explaining exactly how the lack of internet affects a student while trying to learn and showed how it affected their future career paths.
- A recently published study from Carnegie Mellon University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, backed up the research from the Benton Institute.
- Examples of philanthropic support may be viewed here.
