Scenario $2$: The Digital Divide and Access to the Internet for All. There is a well$-$documented "digital divide" between rural and urban areas when it comes to broadband access. While significant progress has been made in recent years, the FCC estimates that at least $19$ million $($~$6\%)$ Americans still lack household access to high$-$speed Internet access. Some estimates run higher. The lack of broadband access in rural or low$-$income urban areas is primarily a function of financial disincentives for Internet Service Providers $($ISPs$)$ to serve areas with low population density or lower purchasing power. This lack of financial incentive for ISPs to invest in broadband infrastructure in those areas has remained an impediment to providing more complete availability to all U$.$S$.$ households. The current COVID$-$related school$-$from$-$home environment has put a bright spotlight on this divide.

Ethical Dilemma #$2.$ You are a newly hired IT consultant working with the FCC to determine a national policy that encourages reducing the Digital Divide. Part of your challenge is to understand both sides of the dilemma: the challenges faced by the ISPs for providing Internet access where it may not be profitable, and the challenges faced by underserved communities that struggle to access all of the information and services provided through Internet access. Some of the questions you wrestle with include:

Who should be responsible for providing broadband access to under$-$served regions? Should the commercial industry providers be compelled to provide it$?$

What role should state governments play in addressing access to broadband internet in under$-$served regions?

What are appropriate strategies for financial support of broadband in under$-$served areas? Federal subsidies to consumers? Federal subsidies to providers?

What role should rural municipal governments play in addressing broadband access in their communities?