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@politics on kbin.social is a magazine to share and discuss current events news, opinion/analysis, videos, or other informative content related to politicians, politics, or policy-making at all levels of governance (federal, state, local), both domestic and international. Members of all political perspectives are welcome here, though we run a tight ship. Community guidelines and submission rules were co-created between the Mod Team and early members of @politics. Please read all community guidelines and submission rules carefully before engaging our magazine.

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Biden announces $930 million going into ISP pockets in effort to expand internet access to out-of-touch Americans who can't read this headline (apnews.com)

submitted 1 year ago by riskable@kbin.social to c/politics@kbin.social

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The federal effort to expand internet access to every U.S. home has taken a major step forward with the announcement of $930 million in grants to shore up connections in dozens of places where significant connectivity gaps persist. Those places include remote parts of Alaska and rural Texas. The so-called middle mile grants are intended to trigger the laying of 12,000 miles of fiber through 35 states and Puerto Rico. The middle mile is the midsection of the infrastructure necessary to enable internet access, composed of high-capacity lines carrying lots of data quickly. The expansion is among several initiatives pushed through Congress by President Joe Biden's administration to expand high-speed internet connectivity.

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[–] wrath-sedan@kbin.social 14 points 1 year ago

I applaud linking an AP News article as it always drives me batty when major news threads would link an article that is either paywalled or a generally unreliable source. While I agree with the sentiment of your headline (sick and tired of subsidizing private companies for our internet infrastructure) I think its worth noting that the article itself says a lot of the money is going to local and tribal governments as well.

"The grants were awarded to a cross-section of state government agencies, tribal governments and telephone and electric cooperatives. They are intended to trigger the laying of 12,000 miles (19,300 kilometers) of new fiber through 35 states and Puerto Rico."

Also saying "out-of-touch Americans that can't read this headline" makes it sound like you are criticizing rural people for being illiterate and backwards rather than not having internet, which I think comes across as mean-spirited. This program may very well end up enriching ISPs, but connecting people with necessary digital infrastructure is a worthwhile goal regardless of where they live, and while it will likely take compromises with private entities in the short-term, I hope we can move towards treating the internet as the right and public utility that it is.