Cheap Internet required: New York state will require large Internet services providers to offer a $15-a-month subscription to low-income families starting in June, WSKG reports. The state will also partner with philanthropic organizations to provide free high-speed Internet access to 50,000 students in low-income school districts for one year.
Not enough chips: A global semiconductor chip shortage is raising concerns in the global tech industry about other product rollouts, The Straits Times says. Car makers and PC manufacturers are anticipating some slowdowns. The chip shortage is caused by pandemic interruptions and production issues at factories. “Every aspect of human existence is going online, and every aspect of that is running on semiconductors,” said Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel. “People are begging us for more.”
Cyber cold war: The U.K.’s cyber spy chief has issued a warning about China dominating the world’s technology industry going forward, the South China Morning Post says. China is trying to take control of the world’s technology systems, GCHQ director Jeremy Fleming said in a recent speech. “Significant technology leadership is moving East,” he added. “The concern is that China’s size and technological weight means that it has the potential to control the global operating system. We are now facing a moment of reckoning.”
Bragging never pays: A U.S. man boasted to another user on the Bumble dating app that he took part in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on 6 January, and now he’s facing criminal charges, the BBC reports. The potential date responded by saying, “we are not a match” and reported the man to the police.
Half the world lacks Internet access. Learn how community networks can help bridge the connectivity gap.