City Council Testimony: Broadband and the Digital Divide
Published
October, 2020
On October 15, Citizen’s Committee for Children of New York submitted testimony to the New York City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and the Committee on Technology regarding the digital divide.
CCC’s testimony described the digital inequities in internet connectivity that existed long before the COVID-19 pandemic. These inequities have prevented the city’s most vulnerable populations from accessing critical supports across food and financial stability, education, and health. Confronting the digital divide must accompany efforts to respond to the pandemic, beginning with identifying every opportunity to ensure that New Yorkers who lack services have free and affordable internet and data access. The testimony highlighted the challenges that the inequities pose for remote learning and behavioral health services and issued recommendations to assist children and families hindered by disconnect.
