Aspen Digital

As we close out Digital Inclusion Week, we're showcasing another organization that's providing a local solution to a global problem: the digital divide. Common Sense Media piloted a media campaign in Phoenix, AZ, to inform eligible families of the Affordable Connectivity Program. The campaign included bilingual public service announcements, digital and outdoor ads, grassroots outreach, and a hotline to support enrollment. With a $250,000 advertising budget and $100,000 in operational costs, the program reached more than 8,500 individuals. “To bring Phoenix’s unserved and underserved families online and equip them with the skills needed to thrive in a world of media and tech was an exciting and rewarding opportunity,” says Chief Advocacy Officer Daniel (Danny) Weiss. Read their story and more like it to learn from and adapt to your own community: https://ow.ly/G39O50TI0vq #DIW2024 #DigitalDivide #AffordableConnectivityProgram

For Digital Inclusion Week, we're offering stories of digital access, equity, and inclusion in action for governments, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and schools to learn from. Today's inspiration is PCs for People, which is tackling hardware access and e-Waste recycling at the same time. By recycling useable computers before they reach landfills and then refurbishing them, this nonprofit is able to provide access to high-quality devices at no- or low-cost to families. Hundreds of thousands of people across all 50 US states and Puerto Rico have benefited from the program, with 10s of millions of tons of e-waste diverted from landfill. “Instead of these computers ending up scrapped, they will be wiped, refurbished, and given a second life in the homes of families who need them,” says Joseph Benson, VP of Business Development. Read their story and get inspired by more amazing organizations: https://ow.ly/ABRC50TI0uC #DIW2024 #HardwareAccess #eWaste

Wireless technologies connect our nation, power the economy, and reshape critical public services. Radio waves, otherwise known as “spectrum,” make this technology possible. For decades, the US has led the world in developing new, bi-partisan spectrum policies to meet increasing commercial demand. Now, despite tremendous progress, the country finds itself needing to answer the call of new innovative technologies and services. Our 2022 report helped to frame the discussion for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Spectrum Strategy, issued last year. Today, we share new insights building on the achievements of that work. "Implementing the National Spectrum Strategy" captures cross-sector collaboration to make recommendations for a principled and science-based US spectrum policy. We hope these action steps will prove valuable to bipartisan policy- and lawmakers who are supporting commercial and governmental spectrum needs, now and in the future. Read our recommendations: https://ow.ly/qNHP50TGW9x #Broadband #Telecom #SpectrumPolicy

It's Digital Inclusion Week, and we're highlighting real-life examples of organizations connecting young people to their digital lives. Keep an eye on our profile all week to get inspired! CanCode Communities is creating workforce pathways and promoting STEM skills by empowering elementary and middle school teachers to incorporate coding activities into the school day. Providing lesson plans, in-classroom support, and more, this New York-based nonprofit has helped educators teach thousands of 2nd-12th grade public school students coding skills. It's all in the pursuit of removing cultural and economic barriers to accessing tech careers. “We’re convinced that aptitude is distributed evenly, while opportunity is not – and our programs can change that equation,” says founder Annmarie Lanesey. Read this and other success stories at https://ow.ly/mhFT50TExtW #DIW2024 #WorkforcePathways #STEMSkills

Exciting to see the smart work of our Tech Accountability Coalition's Product Equity Working Group be brought to life by co-chair and LinkedIn Head of Equity Imani Dunbar. The LinkedIn Learning Course is free to watch, so make sure to check it out below. ⬇️

On Manufacturing Day, we remind US-based manufacturers that any endeavors to automate their systems must be paired with improvements to job quality. Our AI experts have offered actionable guidance for how executives in the industry can keep worker well-being front and center while integrating emerging technologies into their operations. Want to make the most out of your investments in innovation, attract and retain talent, and protect your bottom line? Read “Frontline AI: A Guide for Manufacturers” now: https://ow.ly/vECW50TAEqZ #MFGDay24 #Automation #FrontlineAI

At the 2024 Aspen Cyber Summit, Craig Newmark Philanthropies launched a large-scale public service campaign aimed at helping Americans protect themselves against growing cyber threats. The campaign will engage individuals to become cyber civil defenders by demonstrating easy ways they can ensure their safety online. Simply, pause for 9 seconds. Why 9? Science says that a 10-second pause is all it takes for individuals to make better decisions in stressful moments. Meanwhile, marketing says that humans are wired to believe that 9 seconds is just enough time to engage in an action. In 9 seconds, a person can slow down and approach something out of place with a critical eye, preventing cyber threats that prey on a sense of urgency. Learn more and join the community: https://ow.ly/Rlon50TACKF #Take9 #CyberCivilDefense #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth

Digital threats continue to evolve. How prepared are consumers to protect themselves? Along with Consumer Reports and Global Cyber Alliance, we recently revealed key insights on consumer cyber readiness. Surveying over 2,000 US adults, the latest of three annual reports found: 📋 Nearly half have encountered a cyberattack or digital scam attempt 📋 1 in 10 have lost money to a cyberattack or digital scam 📋 Black and Hispanic Americans who experienced an attack are twice as likely to lose money compared to white Americans Dive into these and other findings: https://ow.ly/xXHC50TABzb #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth #ConsumerPrivacy #CyberCivilDefense

This National News Engagement Day, you might be wondering, "How can AI technologies lead to the long-term success of the news media, now and in the future?" We have a few recommendations. After consulting with experts across tech and information organizations, we argue that AI tools can support data journalism, enhance reader experience, and more. The keys to success are ethical integration, full transparency, and human involvement. Get these and other insights in “Here Come the Robots”: https://ow.ly/J9qu50TzlUb #NewsEngagementDay #ArtificialIntelligence #journalism

Nearly 35 days until polls close in the 2024 US elections, our systems and institutions must stay resilient, especially in the era of generative AI. That's why our experts published resources on risks facing this high-stakes election year. Our AI Elections Advisory Council — co-chaired by Klon Kitchen, Alondra Nelson, and Kim Wyman — has made recommendations for election administrators, social media and messaging platforms, AI labs and companies, as well as news media, advocates, and civil society to recognize and tackle key risks to the elections. From how to mitigate hyperlocal voter suppression to what to do about deepfaked public figures, these recommendations aim to support informed civic participation and renew social trust. Dive into the details and download the risk resources here: https://lnkd.in/esGQ2fmv #2024Elections #GenerativeAI #Democracy #ElectionSecurity