FCC commissioner pushes for Big Tech to pay to close digital divide

The senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Brendan Carr unveiled a new proposal to fund the FCC’s Universal Fund, which is a federal subsidy program that supports broadband in rural areas, phone and broadband service for low-income Americans, and internet access for schools and libraries. The proposal provides that big companies – like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google – pay a share to the program to help get more Americans online. ‘It’s time for Big Tech to pay its fair share,’ said Carr in an interview where he further explained that these companies are using the internet infrastructure for free when millions of Americans are paying an additional tax on their telephone bills for broadband service.