The Week in Internet News: Looking for a Broadband Miracle in Rural Canada

[Internet Society]

Creating a miracle: Residents of rural British Columbia, Canada, are pushing for better Internet access, with one resident saying getting access to good connectivity is like "hoping for a miracle," the CBC reports. Local government leaders are working with community leaders and businesses to improve Internet services. Local leaders are researching options to establish a broadband Internet service in Clearwater, British Columbia, including the possibility of building new mobile towers.

Building their own: Meanwhile, a few hundred miles south in Klamath, California, Yurok tribal officials have announced a new project that they hope will significantly boost Internet speeds and expand coverage on their reservation, KRCR News reports. The$2.1 million project is funded by the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. One of the goals is to better allow students to participate in distance learning.

No distance learning for you: In a related story, a study from Future Ready Schools finds that 16.9 million U.S. students lack home Internet access, Education Dive says. In addition, 3.6 million U.S. households lack a computer, impacting 7.3 million students, according to the study. About a third of Native American, Latino, and African-American students in the U.S. lack home Internet access.

Money for creators: Chinese video app TikTok has announced a $200 million fund to support creators in the U.S. as it faces scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers, the South China Morning Post reports. A U.S. Senate committee has proposed banning TikTok on devices used by government employees, due to security concerns. India, Pakistan, and Australia have also moved to limit TikTok access.

Pandemic exposures: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light security and privacy concerns related to technology tools and the Internet, writes Dr. Moonyati Mohd Yatid, senior analyst at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia in the New Straits Times. "With most people working from home during the lockdown, the lack of cybersecurity measures resulted in an all-time high of online attacks," Yatid writes. "Many gullible Malaysians fell into the trap of phishing emails and scams, showing their lack of awareness of cyberattacks."

Tribal communities in the United States have until August 3 to apply for a license that will help bring Internet access to where they live. Learn how to apply.

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[Internet Society]