On the Media: The Digital Divide

WNYC Studios | Released October 27, 2022

In the episode titled "The Digital Divide," hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger delve into the pervasive issue of digital redlining, exploring how internet accessibility and affordability disproportionately affect marginalized communities across the United States. The discussion is anchored by an interview with Leon Yin, an investigative data journalist at The Markup, who co-authored a revealing investigation uncovering stark disparities in internet service costs and quality.

Uncovering Digital Redlining

(00:19 - 02:14)

Michael Oinger introduces the core investigation, highlighting that some households pay up to 400 times more than their neighbors for identical internet services. Leon Yin explains the inspiration behind the study, noting, "We mimicked exactly what you would do in your home to check if you had service" (00:57). By analyzing over 800,000 internet service plans across 38 major cities from providers like AT&T, EarthLink, Verizon, and CenturyLink, Yin and his team identified that neighborhood demographics significantly influence both the cost and quality of internet access.

Yin emphasizes, "In 92% of the cities that we looked at, lower income areas were disproportionately given the worst deals" (01:30). Additionally, two-thirds of the cities exhibited disparities between areas with high concentrations of people of color and predominantly white neighborhoods. In all 22 cities with historical redlining maps, these inequities persisted, underscoring the long-lasting effects of discriminatory housing policies on present-day digital access.

Impact on Daily Life and Professional Work

(02:14 - 05:10)

The conversation shifts to the tangible effects of these disparities. Yin illustrates the user experience gap with an example from Kansas City, Missouri, where two households merely a few blocks apart received vastly different internet speeds despite paying the same price. He describes the difference as between "that and getting fast fiber speeds where I could be essentially streaming an awesome video game with a chat and a video" (03:26), highlighting how such discrepancies hinder both recreational and professional online activities.

Oinger underscores the necessity of reliable internet by performing a speed test, revealing his download speed of 327Mbps (03:58). Yin concurs, labeling this speed as "blazing fast" (04:06), and connects this to the functionality required for modern work-from-home arrangements.

The discussion addresses why the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hasn't classified internet access as essential despite its critical role. Yin challenges the notion that public spaces like libraries could bridge the gap, stating, "That's treating Internet a bit like a privilege" (04:35). He cites the pandemic as a revealing moment, where lack of reliable internet forced some districts to distribute mobile hotspots to students—a solution fraught with its own limitations.

Regulatory Solutions and Industry Responses

(05:10 - 08:59)

When questioned about potential regulatory measures, Yin advocates for price regulation, suggesting that slower internet offerings should cost significantly less. He critiques the FCC's outdated 2015 broadband definition of 25 Mbps for download, proposing an increase to 100Mbps (05:25) to better reflect current needs. Adjusting this definition, according to Yin, would influence how subsidies for infrastructure development are allocated, potentially fostering a more equitable distribution of high-speed internet.

Yin shares the reactions from major internet service providers (ISPs) following the publication of the study. Companies like CenturyLink and AT&T dismissed the findings, labeling the study "deeply flawed" (06:31). AT&T attempted to justify their practices by referencing participation in the American Connectivity Program, which offers subsidized internet to eligible low-income households. However, Yin points out that only about one-third of those eligible have enrolled, and most prefer using the subsidy for cell phone bills instead (06:31). This reveals that while affordability initiatives exist, they often fail to address the underlying issue of inadequate service quality.

An industry representative from US Telecom, speaking on behalf of Verizon, attributes higher costs in lower-income neighborhoods to worse infrastructure, stating, "it's harder to maintain this infrastructure than for fiber" (07:54). Yin counters by explaining that these pricing strategies and infrastructure deployment choices inherently lead to disparities, a point he supports with statistical analysis showing that accounting for various factors doesn't eliminate the observed inequities (08:15).

Methodology and Transparency

(08:59 - 11:56)

Yin elaborates on the methodology behind the investigation, emphasizing that all data used was publicly accessible. He explains the technical challenges faced, such as ISPs blocking repeated address lookups, which they circumvented by utilizing a network of hundreds of computers routed through different IP addresses to distribute the requests (09:12).

Moreover, Yin and his team published a detailed methodology alongside their findings, promoting transparency and enabling other journalists to replicate or build upon their work. This "story recipe" includes summaries of findings and quick data access links for local journalists to examine their own communities' internet accessibility (10:34).

Yin highlights the importance of local journalism in contextualizing these data-driven insights. He remarks, "This is when data becomes concrete, when it's a story, when it's an experience" (11:23), emphasizing that localized reporting makes the abstract numbers relatable and underscores the real-world implications of digital redlining.

Conclusion and Call to Action

(11:56 - 12:28)

In wrapping up, Michael Oinger acknowledges the depth of the investigation and its implications for communities nationwide. The episode underscores the critical need for updated regulatory standards and more equitable infrastructure development to bridge the digital divide. Listeners are encouraged to recognize the profound impact that internet accessibility has on daily life, education, and economic opportunities, highlighting the urgency of addressing digital redlining in pursuit of true government transparency and free speech in the digital age.

Notable Quotes:

• "We mimicked exactly what you would do in your home to check if you had service." — Leon Yin (00:57)
• "In 92% of the cities that we looked at, lower income areas were disproportionately given the worst deals." — Leon Yin (01:30)
• "That's treating Internet a bit like a privilege." — Leon Yin (04:35)
• "they practice tear flattening", referring to discriminatory practices by ISPs — Leon Yin (06:31)
• "This is when data becomes concrete, when it's a story, when it's an experience." — Leon Yin (11:23)

Final Thoughts

"The Digital Divide" episode of On the Media provides a comprehensive examination of how historical and modern practices of digital redlining perpetuate inequality. By leveraging data journalism, Leon Yin exposes the structural barriers that prevent equitable internet access, urging both policymakers and industry leaders to take meaningful action. The detailed methodology and call for local journalism involvement further democratize the investigative process, inviting broader community engagement in addressing this critical issue.