NTCA Smart Rural Communities, International Telecommunications Union Conference, Carr on TikTok
‘How do we make sure that you can keep that home grown talent?’
Sudha Reynolds
September 26, 2022 –Rural Broadband Association CEO Shirley Bloomfield on Monday announced a partnership with the National Rural Education Association to promote educational opportunities for rural children.
Speaking at the launch of the NTCA trade show in San Francisco on Monday, Bloomfield said that the program will help educate kids about the value of rural broadband services.
Bloomfield said it will help address a common lament in rural areas: “How do we make sure that you can keep that home grown talent?”
The pilot program with the rural education group will help promote the importance of broadband jobs in rural areas.
Telecom officials to be in Hungary for ITU election
Key telecom agency officials are expected this week to attend the International Telecommunications Union conference, where the election of the new head of the United Nation’s telecom regulator will be selected.
Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Alan Davidson, and deputy secretary of the Commerce Don Graves are expected in Bucharest, Romania, where American Doreen Bogdan-Martin is in the running against Russian challenger Rashid Ismailov.
Last week, President Joe Biden said he strongly supports the candidacy of Bogdan-Martin.
The ITU develops international connectivity standards in communications networks and improving access to information and communication technologies for underserved communities worldwide.
The conference is being held from September 25 – 29.
The FCC expressed concerns over TikTok security and big tech contributions
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said in a statement Monday that he spoke with European Union officials in Brussels about the need for Big Tech to contribute to the development of broadband networks and about the alleged security risks of the Chinese video-sharing app TikTok.
Carr has previously said that big technology companies should contribute to the Universal Service Fund, a roughly $10-billion pot of money that goes to support basic telecommunications builds across the nation. Money for the fund comes from voice service providers, but critics have said that the fund’s base of contributors needs to be broadened for its sustainability.
Carr also reiterated his position that TikTok poses a security and privacy threat to Americans.
“TikTok functions as a sophisticated surveillance tool that harvests extensive amounts of personal and sensitive data,” he said in the statement. “And recent reporting indicates that there is no check on this sensitive data being accessed from inside China.”
The security of TikTok has been an ongoing issue, with American Senators saying that TikTok may be collecting biometric data and storing it in an unknown database.
