Connecting in Crisis: Investigating Equitable Community Internet Access in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Although internet access and affordability are increasingly at the center of policy decisions around issues of the “digital divide” in the US, the complex nature of usage as it relates to structural inequality is not well-understood. We partnered with Project Waves, a community internet provider, to set up connectivity across the urban landscape of a city in the Eastern United States to study factors that impact the rollout of affordable broadband internet connectivity to low-income communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization endeavored to meet structural challenges, provide community support for adoption, and stave off attendant privacy concerns. We present three dimensions of equitable use prioritized by the community internet provider: safety from COVID-19 through social distancing enabled by remote access, trusted connectivity, and private internet access. We use employee interviews and a phone survey of internet recipients to investigate how the provider prioritized these dimensions and who uses their service.