Inequality in America is an oft-repeated talking point during campaign season. What we hear less of is how the inequality of broadband access affects underserved communities across the country, specifically communities of color.
The White House recently reported that the male labor force participation is declining and no population has had a steeper drop in employment rates than African-American males. One way to help combat this could be the tools and education found online. However, only about half of all African-American adults have access to broadband at home, while more than 70 percent of white Americans do so. This disparity epitomizes the digital divide, a rift oft characterized by social and economic inequalities.
The digital divide is the difference between those doing homework or job searches from home, and those standing outside fast-food restaurants poaching WiFi. In an age where 70 percent of teachers now assign homework requiring web access, 78 percent of today’s “middle-skill” jobs require some level of digital literacy and 79 percent of adults use online resources in job searches, broadband internet access is imperative.
The digital divide doesn’t just end with access; it is across the technology stack from ideation to implementation. That is why a few years ago, two friends and I decided to combat an online dating world fraught with asymmetries and launched Bae, the first dating app that caters to young black users. We were driven by marked discrepancies between online dating opportunities for white and black consumers.
For us, Bae was a chance to take part in an online economy creating revolutionary companies that are helping people live healthier and more prosperous lives. We are just one of a number of companies that see this lack of products and services for diverse communities.
Throughout our journey we have come to realize we have a responsibility to shed a light on the dearth of opportunities for many people of color in our digital ecosystem. Companies like Facebook, WebMD, and eBay present infinite possibilities to connect, learn and earn, but even in an era when internet access is almost ubiquitous in the United States there are still too many black and brown people without a chance to experience it.
Make no mistake, efforts are underway to close the divide. But such initiatives are just the beginning. Companies such as AT&T and Google, and even municipalities such as New York City offer deeply discounted broadband rates. And the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development just announced a partnership with Comcast where the company will provide broadband access to approximately 2 million HUD homes around the country.
But it’s time to cast a wider net and make a concerted effort to ensure every American has broadband internet access. The federal government should focus on encouraging companies to deploy affordable broadband. Just recently, the Federal Communications Commission voted to begin a plan for 5G wireless buildout, with great support from industry and consumers alike. 5G will bring significantly increased speeds and coverage across the country, allowing for mobile to power the same possibilities that today’s home broadband can. In communities of color, users have historically depended on mobile technologies at high rates, so faster and cheaper broadband could help to spur unprecedented economic growth.
The digital divide is making the ability to seek and apply for jobs, price shop across websites, and continue online education out of reach for too many black and brown people. With smart investments in new technologies like 5G from public and private entities, a new digital landscape would bring new customers and entrepreneurs into the marketplace, enabling scores of people to take part in an economy that’s provided so much to me and my Bae cofounders.
