Digital divide is real and in need of policy attention, consumer ...

issued report, Does the Digital Divide Still Exist? Bush Administration Shrugs, But Evidence Says ‘Yes.’ Groups’ evidence of Bush Administration’s dismissal of digital divide was based on Commerce Dept. report earlier this year that suggested divide was closing (CD Feb 6 p4) and President’s FY 2003 budget, which slated for elimination 2 programs addressing digital divide, Commerce Dept.’s Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) and Education Dept.’s Community Technology Center, which coincided with Commerce’s report (CD Feb 6 p1). “The Administration’s claims that we no longer need policies to close the gap is simply wrong,” CU Legislative Counsel Chris Murray said: “Rather than misdefine the problem of the digital divide, the Bush Administration would like to misinterpret it out of existence.” Report said digital divide still existed, in part because: (1) 45% of Americans don’t use Internet. (2) More households with annual incomes above $75,000 have broadband than those below $25,000 have dial-up Internet access. Although Administration hasn’t yet decided whether to adopt broadband policy (CD May 23 p1) and has remained neutral on broadband legislation such as the Bell deregulation bill sponsored by House Commerce Committee Chmn. Tauzin (R-La.) and ranking Democrat Dingell (Mich.), CFA Dir.-Research Mark Cooper said “the Administration’s current policies aimed at enhancing the price-setting power of cable and phone monopolies will only worsen the problem.” Groups linked FCC with Administration on that issue, including suggestion that FCC Chmn. Powell had failed to recognize, as CRFCP Exec. Dir. Mark Lloyd put it, that “access to the Internet today is as important as access to the street or sewers or electricity was 50 years ago.” -- www.consumerfed.org/DigitalDivideReport20020530.pdf.