President announces initiatives to close digital divide
Speaking in the White House Rose Garden before the Department of Commerce's Digital Divide Summit, President Clinton announced four new steps in the effort to close the technology gap in American society. The announcements range from specific government action to partnerships in the nonprofit world.
The President's next New Markets tour will focus on the digital divide and include top executives from the technology industry. The series of tours is designed to show business leaders opportunities in economically-deprived areas.
The President has signed an executive memorandum to make closing the digital divide a goal for every part of the federal government. In one of the first steps, the Department of Commerce will work with the private sector on a national strategy to connect everyone in this country to the Internet. Other agencies have been instructed to expand the program of community technology centers.
The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights is expanding an online portal at civilrights.org. The organization, in partnership with related groups, plans to hold leadership forums and give technology training to nonprofits through what Clinton referred to as "modern-day freedom riders."
The Digital Divide Network -- an initiative of the Benton Foundation, the National Urban League, and several other foundations and corporations -- will serve as a clearinghouse for information on public and private efforts to close the gap in underserved communities.
Clinton ended his remarks with a call on all of those who were not able to be at the summit to join in a national commitment to close the digital divide.
In related news, the summit began with several companies and foundations announcing efforts to bring technology access to everyone, the New York Times reports:
America Online announced it will help the Leadership Conference provide technical training to civil rights organizations;
The Markle Foundation, which has made a $100 million commitment to the Internet, plans to focus on content-related projects to ensure the Internet has useful information for those towards whom efforts to close the divide are being directed;
PowerUP, a coalition of companies and nonprofits, has made its first grants to community centers.
Full text of President Clinton's remarks is currently available at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/New/html/19991209.html
Full text of the New York Times article is currently available at:
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/12/
cyber/articles/10divide.html
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