Digital Divide

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many aspects of life have transitioned to online formats, and internet access has become even more important. This has exacerbated the effects of the digital divide, as of 2024, 24 million Americans did not have access to high-speed internet. This can affect quality-of-life factors from education to health care. Increased awareness of the impacts of the digital divide led to a $65 billion funding allocation in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support digital equity and inclusion, and the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program is providing $42 billion to expand high-speed internet throughout the U.S. Though the fate of this program is uncertain under the Trump administration, the expansion of broadband internet should remain a top priority for governments.

Local progress in closing the digital divide is ongoing and has seen several recent successes. In 2024, Los Angeles became the first city in the U.S. to ban "digital discrimination," the differential deployment of high-speed internet access by internet service providers based on neighborhood. Other states and municipalities have expanded their broadband initiatives after the end of the pandemic-era Affordable Connectivity Program, which provided discounted internet rates to low-income households. And in Chicago, a growing number of parks provide free public wifi, particularly in marginalized areas. Outside of the U.S., community hubs are being used to help provide free internet access and literacy to those who currently don't have access. Strategies such as these can help to maximize the number of people who have internet access, which can help to increase community engagement and education. PAS Report 569, Planning and Broadband: Infrastructure, Policy, and Sustainability, explains how planners can address this challenge in their communities. This dynamic is further explored in the APA podcast, "How COVID-19 Has Underscored the Digital Divide."