Effort to Bridge Digital Gap Met with Trump's Allegation of Racism, Aims to Cancel Progress
President Donald Trump's recent decision to end the Digital Equity Act, a federal grant program aimed at bridging the digital divide, has sparked concerns among those working to provide technology and digital literacy resources to underserved communities.
The Digital Equity Act, established as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill of 2021, was designed to address longstanding barriers to broadband access and digital literacy in the United States. It offers funding to help Americans, particularly those in disadvantaged or underserved communities, acquire the necessary skills and devices to fully utilize the internet for educational, work, health, and civic purposes.
One program distributes laptops in rural Iowa, while others aided individuals in recovering from natural disasters like Hurricane Helene, which destroyed computers and phones in western North Carolina. In Oregon and rural Alabama, programs offer instruction to older adults, many of whom have never used a computer, to navigate the digital world.
Trump announced his intention to terminate the program on Truth Social, branding it as "racist and illegal." He asserted that it was a $2.5 billion "illegal giveaway" despite the program receiving $2.75 billion in funding.
Critics question the legality of Trump's decision, as the Digital Equity Act was created with bipartisan support. The law's text makes no specific references to race or racial demographics; instead, it prohibits the exclusion of groups based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability.
Angela Siefer, executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, expressed her disappointment at the potential inaction, stating, “The digital divide is not just physical access to the internet, but the ability to use that technology to do what you need to do.”
In Portland, Oregon, Brandon Dorn, a 63-year-old resident, is among those benefiting from keyboard basics classes offered by Free Geek, a nonprofit dedicated to providing technology education. These classes help individuals, like Dorn, feel more confident in the digital world, allowing them to accomplish tasks such as making appointments online without relying on family members.
Juan Muro, Free Geek’s executive director, expressed concern about the impact of potential funding cuts, stating, “These organizations are being put in a precarious position, as they are forced to fundraise and seek alternate sources of revenue to continue providing essential resources.”
Groups such as the Land of Sky Regional Council in western North Carolina were awarded grants, but have yet to receive funding. Sara Nichols, who works for the council, expressed her dismay, stating, “Between this and the state losing their letters of termination, we feel just like stuck. What are we going to do? How are we going to move forward?”
The potential elimination of the Digital Equity Act has faced opposition from policymakers, state broadband offices, and advocates who believe its termination could undermine progress in bridging the digital divide and harm communities already facing barriers to digital inclusion.
- The Digital Equity Act, a federal grant program established in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill of 2021, aims to address longstanding barriers to broadband access and digital literacy in underserved communities for educational, work, health, and civic purposes.
- In response to President Trump's decision to end the Digital Equity Act, Angela Siefer, executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, expressed her disappointment, stating that the digital divide encompasses not just physical access to the internet, but the ability to use technology effectively.
- Programs in Portland, Oregon, Seattle, rural Iowa, Oregon and rural Alabama, and western North Carolina have received funding from the Digital Equity Act to provide technology resources like laptops and instruction for digital literacy.
- defenders of the Digital Equity Act question the legality of President Trump's decision to end the program, as its text prohibits the exclusion of groups based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability.
- Critics of the potential funding cuts to programs working to bridge the digital divide cite the precarious position they would be put in, as they would be forced to fundraise and seek alternative sources of revenue to continue providing resources essential for education, jobs, housing, and lifestyle in underserved communities.
