Promoting Nondiscriminatory Adoption and Usage of Broadband Internet & Information Technologies

WHEREAS, the NAACP seeks to ensure that African Americans and disadvantaged communities are full and equal participants and beneficiaries of the digital economy and democracy; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP recognizes that dramatic changes in technology have fundamentally altered how and whether people are employed and perform their jobs, how people are educated and the quality of the education, how and whether people receive health care, how and whether people effectively communicate with each other and how people participate in our democracy; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP recognizes that advanced communication services and information technology are the economic forces that ensure economic empowerment in African American communities; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP recognizes that broadband Internet and related information technologies can no longer be viewed as a comparative advantage or luxury, but rather a necessity for full civic, economic and educational participation; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP supports innovative approaches to delivering broadband and information technology to African Americans and the economically disadvantaged; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP recognizes that an important element of ensuring African American use of broadband technologies is providing high quality content that is relevant and meaningful to our daily lives and ensuring that we are trained and have the tools necessary to use the technologies;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP objects to any corporate or government policies that increase costs, impede deployment, discourage adoption and usage, limit consumer access, reduce local commentary, or state oversight, or that of the public utilities commissions, public hearings, or other forums for citizen input and reduce affordability of broadband technologies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports and recognizes the importance of ensuring nondiscriminatory adoption and usage of broadband Internet and information technology products and services, particularly by African Americans and the economically disadvantaged; and/or class bias; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP educate its members to avail themselves of opportunities to educate others on the importance of adoption and usage of broadband technologies in African American communities as well as among the economically disadvantaged; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports a national Call to Action that will bring together government, business and the nonprofit sector to expand accessibility to technology adoption and education; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports government aided economic development and investment in minority communities coupled with public/private partnerships to encourage usage of culturally relevant content as well as ensure that training and service delivery is provided in a manner that empowers African American communities in the digital economy; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP send a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, members of Congress, members of the Federal Communications Commission, State Legislatures and Regulatory agencies.