The FCC’s Net Neutrality and Lifeline Policies Will Harm Latinos and Other Communities of Color
On April 18, 2018, Carmen Scurato, Vice President of Policy and General Counsel for the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) presented at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s annual event. Net Inclusion 2018 was held in Cleveland, Ohio this year. This conference brings together “practitioners, advocates, academics, Internet service providers, and policymakers to discuss: local, state and federal policies and policy innovations impacting digital equity; sources of financial and programmatic support of digital inclusion programs; and digital inclusion best practices from across the country.”
Carmen was on a panel discussing the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) policies regarding the current status of Net Neutrality as well as the FCC’s proposals to fundamentally alter the scope and purpose of the Lifeline program. She highlighted how NHMC laid the groundwork to challenge the FCC’s December 2017 decision to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order in court. Additionally, Carmen discussed how the FCC’s current proposals for the Lifeline program will harm Latinos and disconnect hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans still trying to rebuild after the devastation inflicted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Other panelists included Dana Floberg (Free Press), Chris Lewis (Public Knowledge), and Olivia Wein (National Consumer Law Center). The discussion was moderated by Mozilla Fellow, Amina Fazlullah.
