FREE PRESS ACTION FUND

FUTURE OF THE INTERNET AND MEDIA: CONTINUED WORK ON AVAILABILITY, ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY OF BROADBAND INTERNET NATIONWIDE. CONTINUED TO WORK IN CONGRESS AND AT THE FCC TO CREATE A PERMANENT LOW-INCOME BROADBAND SUBSIDY TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE CAN ACCESS HIGH-SPEED INTERNET. PROMOTED THE IDEA THAT DIGITAL INCLUSION IS A PUBLIC GOOD. PROVIDED TRAINING TO PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR WORK IN DIGITAL EQUITY AND THEN SUPPORTED THEIR EFFORTS TO LOBBY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO DEMAND THAT THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT RELEASE THE $2.75 BILLION IN FUNDING THEIR STATES HAD BEEN PROMISED THROUGH THE BIPARTISAN DIGITAL EQUITY ACT, A COMPONENT OF THE 2021 INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT. SUPPORTED THE BROADCAST FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE ACT OF 2025, A BILL THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE FCC FROM PUNISHING BROADCASTERS ON THE BASIS OF VIEWPOINTS AIRED AND PROHIBIT THE FCC FROM REVOKING A LICENSE OR OTHERWISE TAKING ACTION AGAINST ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY. OPPOSED CONGRESS' RESCISSION OF $1.1 BILLION IT HAD PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED FOR THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING, FUNDING THAT INCLUDED ESSENTIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, INVALUABLE JOURNALISM AND LIFESAVING EMERGENCY ALERTS. EDUCATED POLICYMAKERS AND LOCAL ALLIES IN STATES AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CREATE NEW FORMS OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR LOCAL MEDIA AND CIVIC INFORMATION. PUBLISHED A POLICY AGENDA WITH FOUR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS: FULLY FUND PUBLIC MEDIA AND INDEPENDENT LOCAL JOURNALISM; RESTORE AND STRENGTHEN MEDIA-OWNERSHIP LIMITS; EMBOLDEN THE FCC'S AND FTC'S ROLE IN STOPPING MEDIA MERGERS THAT HARM THE PUBLIC INTEREST; AND RE-ESTABLISH FEDERAL AGENCIES' INDEPENDENCE FROM THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

DEMOCRACY AND DIGITAL CIVIL RIGHTS: CONTINUED HIGHLIGHTING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES IN THE PERPETUATION OF HOAXES, DISINFORMATION, AND HATE SPEECH AND THE IMPACT TO SOCIETY AND ESPECIALLY TO MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, WOMEN, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. CONTINUED TO ASSERT THAT LAWMAKERS SHOULD PASS A COMPREHENSIVE FEDERAL PRIVACY LAW THAT LIMITS HOW TECH COMPANIES COLLECT, STORE, ANALYZE AND SELL OUR PERSONAL DATA. HELPED DEFEAT A PROVISION IN FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE ENACTED A 10-YEAR MORATORIUM BLOCKING STATE GOVERNMENTS FROM REGULATING AI. SUPPORTED THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, WHICH WOULD HELP ELIMINATE BIASES FROM AI TOOLS.