15 May 2024

Benefits of Telehealth and Tele-Mental Health

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Telehealth is the use of telephones and\or videoconferencing technology to provide health care services, including mental health care. Tele-mental health is sometimes referred to as telepsychiatry or telepsychology. Research suggests that tele-mental health services can be effective for many people, including those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.

Telehealth and Tele-mental health can make a difference in the care and treatment of individuals that are unable to travel due to illness, who are unable to drive, or cannot afford to travel to see specialists or their primary care doctor. Having access to preventative healthcare as well as care during an illness can improve the health of individuals and allow them to stay in their homes instead of a long-term care facility.

Having the ability to access a reliable broadband provider is an essential component of accessing healthcare and mental health services virtually. Broadband connectivity should be affordable and reliable so all individuals can access services such as Telehealth and Tele-mental health.

Let’s explore some of the benefits and drawbacks of using telehealth and tele-mental health, as well as some tips on how to find a provider and prepare for a virtual visit.

Benefits of Telehealth and Tele-mental Health:

  • Convenience: You don’t have to travel to see your provider, which can save you time, money, and hassle. You can also schedule appointments with less notice and at more flexible hours.
  • Broader reach: You can access providers who may not be available in your area, especially if you live in a remote or rural location. You can also receive care in emergency situations or when you need immediate support.
  • Fewer barriers: You may feel more comfortable and less stigmatized seeking mental health care through a screen than in person. You may also find it easier to open up and share your feelings with a provider who is not physically present.
  • Advances in technology: As telehealth and tele-mental health services have increased, providers have become more familiar with the technology and platforms they use. Some providers have switched to entirely virtual practices, which can offer more consistency and continuity of care.

Disadvantages of Telehealth and Tele-mental Health:

  • Access to technology: You need a reliable internet connection and a device that can support audio and video. You may also need to download specific software or apps to use the service.
  • Quality issues: The quality of the audio and video may vary depending on your device, connection, and platform. Poor quality can affect how well you can communicate with your provider and how satisfied you are with the service.
  • Cost: You may need to invest in new or updated equipment, platforms, or networks to use telehealth and tele-mental health services. You may also have to pay out-of-pocket fees if your insurance does not cover the service or if you use an out-of-network provider.
  • Privacy: You need to ensure that your device, connection, and platform are secure and that no one else can access or overhear your sessions. You may also feel less comfortable sharing personal information with a provider who is not physically present.
  • Insurance coverage: The policies and regulations regarding telehealth and tele-mental health services vary from state to state and from insurer to insurer. You need to check with your provider and your insurance company before using the service to make sure it is covered and what the requirements are.

Telehealth and Tele-mental health service can provide a great advantage to you in your personal care and well-being. Being able to visit with your primary care provider, specialists, or mental health professional remotely can give you access that is more convenient for you, does not require travel to their office, and can give you a greater level of privacy by being able to receive services in your home. Using telehealth and tele-mental health does require broadband access to have full audio and video visits with your healthcare provider as well as a device capable of video conferencing. Cost and insurance coverage also need to be considered when deciding to use Telehealth and tele-mental health services.

Additional reading and information:

Why use telehealth? | Telehealth.HHS.gov

What are different types of telehealth? | Telehealth.HHS.gov

How do I pay for telehealth? | Telehealth.HHS.gov

What can be treated through telehealth? | Telehealth.HHS.gov

How do I protect my data and privacy? | Telehealth.HHS.gov

1 May 2024

Understanding Drive-By and Pop-Up Computer Infections

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I’ve just spent some time scanning a computer in my house that had a pop-up virus trying to infect it. Drive-by and pop-up infections are quite common and can lead to your computer and data being compromised.

Drive-by downloads are a form of cyberattack where malware is unintentionally downloaded and installed on a user’s computer. This can occur when a user visits a compromised website or clicks on a deceptive link. The downloaded malware can then perform various malicious activities, such as hijacking the computer, spying on network activity, or destroying data.

Pop-up computer infections, on the other hand, often masquerade as legitimate warnings or advertisements. They can be very persistent, tricking users into clicking on them, which may lead to the installation of malware. These pop-ups can appear even when not browsing the internet, indicating the presence of adware or other malicious software on the system.

To protect against these threats, follow these recommendations:

Keep Your Software Updated – Regularly update your operating system, browser, and any installed software to patch security vulnerabilities.

Install an Ad-Blocker – Ad-blockers can prevent malicious ads from appearing and reduce the risk of accidental clicks that could lead to malware infections. PC Mag has their list of top 5 add blockers.

Use Antivirus Software – A reliable antivirus program can detect and remove malicious software before it harms your system. PC Mag and CNet have their reviews of Antivirus programs for the year.

Enable “Click-to-Play Plugins” in Your Browser – This prevents multimedia content from running automatically and can stop drive-by downloads from executing.

Download Software from Trusted Sources – Be cautious of downloading free software. Ensure you obtain it from legitimate sources and providers to avoid bundled malware.

Adjust Browser Security Settings – Maintain your browser’s default security settings or enhance them to block unauthorized downloads and pop-ups.

Be Wary of Social Engineering – Educate yourself on the tactics used by cybercriminals to lure users into downloading malware, such as phishing emails and fake websites.

Regular Backups – Keep regular backups of your important data. In case of an infection, you can restore your system without losing critical information.

For those who suspect their system may be infected, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate through the process:

Disconnect from the Internet – As soon as you suspect an infection, disconnect your computer from the internet. This prevents the malware from transmitting any sensitive data and stops it from downloading additional malicious components. For pop-up infections, you can power down your machine by holding the power button in for 10 seconds. Many of these pop-up infections run in the computer memory to start and by shutting down the computer without clicking on any recommended links or trying to close the applications on your computer can reduce the chance of further infection.

Enter Safe Mode (Windows MacOS) – Reboot your computer in Safe Mode. This will start your computer with only the essential programs running, which can help prevent the malware from loading.

Check Installed Programs – Review your installed programs and remove anything that looks suspicious or that you don’t remember installing.

Run Antivirus Scans – Use a reputable antivirus program to run a thorough scan of your system. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a widely recommended tool for removing malware and unwanted programs. Malwarebytes has both a free and subscription-based service.

Use Secondary Scanners – Sometimes, a second opinion is necessary. Tools like HitmanPro can provide a secondary scan that might catch malware that slipped past your primary antivirus software. Hitman Pro.Alert is their fee-based version.

Reset Your Browsers – Malware often makes changes to your browser settings. Resetting your browsers to their default settings can undo these changes. Once at the default setting, you can change back to any customizations you made to enhance security above the default settings.

Update Your Software – Ensure that your operating system, browsers, and all plugins are up to date with the latest security patches. Outdated software can be vulnerable to exploitation by malware.

Change Passwords – After cleaning your system, change your passwords. This is a crucial step, as malware can capture keystrokes and compromise your accounts.

Backup Your Data – Regularly back up your data to an external drive or cloud storage. If you have a backup from before the infection, you may be able to restore your files if they’ve been damaged or encrypted by malware.

Stay Informed – Educate yourself on the latest threats and how to avoid them. Drive-by downloads can exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software, so keeping informed can help you stay one step ahead of potential infections.

Consult Local Computer Repair Professionals – If you’re not confident in your ability to clean your system or if the infection persists, seek the help of your local computer professional. It’s better to get expert assistance than to risk further damage to your system.

While drive-by and pop-up computer infections pose a significant risk, awareness and proactive measures can greatly reduce the chances of falling victim to these cyber threats. It’s a continuous battle against cybercriminals, but with the right tools and practices, you can safeguard your information and continue to enjoy the benefits of your digital life.

You can find additional information and resources at the following sites:

Malware Protection for Home 2023 | Malwarebytes

Download HitmanPro: Scan and Remove Malware

Best Antivirus Software for 2024 – CNET

The Best Ad Blockers for 2024 | PCMag

What are drive-by downloads + drive-by attack prevention tips | Norton

How to remove a fake virus alert – Norton

How to Enable Click-to-Play Plugins in Every Web Browser (howtogeek.com)

Start your PC in safe mode in Windows – Microsoft Support

Start up your Mac in safe mode – Apple Support

30 Apr 2024

BEAD — Let’s Not Throw Away Our Shot Part 3 – Adoption

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By: Marc McCarty and Meredith Morrison

When COVID-19 was classified as a pandemic in March 2020, much of our normal in-person activity ceased, and was replaced by a new, “online normal.” Even though millions lacked a broadband connection, without question our ability to remain connected played a critical role in maintaining our workforce, healthcare, and educational institutions in the immediate crisis. For example,

  • By May of 2020, 35% of employees worked remotely full-time through online connection.
  • Within the pandemic’s first three months, telemedicine encounters increased by 766%.
  • In 2020, 77% of public schools moved their classes to a  distance-learning format, and 84% of college students reported either some or all of their classes shifted to online-only instruction.

Since the pandemic’s onset, many things have returned to pre-pandemic normalcy, but the increased reliance on broadband remains a permanent feature of our lives.

  • Approximately 13% of employees work remotely (online) full-time, and 28% maintain a hybrid work schedule.
  • Today digital medical consultations are chosen 38 times more often than before the pandemic. In 2023, 37% of mental health visits took place virtually, followed by infectious disease, obstetrics, and transplant consultations.
  • While students and teachers continue to prefer in-person instruction at least for elementary and secondary students, online learning has clearly become a critical component for post-secondary education. Over half of degree seekers take at least some of their classes online, and over a quarter study exclusively online.

Yet full adoption of the applications that rely on broadband to better our lives continues to be a concern, even in communities with access to high-speed internet infrastructure. This blog addresses some key barriers to broadband adoption and like the two preceding blogs, suggests ways Public Organizations can help increase adoption rates in all communities, especially in those now receiving BEAD funding.

The term broadband “adoption” refers to overcoming three main barriers that prevent communities and residents from using available broadband service to their benefit.

  • Convincing skeptics that they need a fixed high-speed internet connection in their home,
  • Overcoming the privacy concerns and the fear of criminal activity on the internet, and
  • Developing the skills needed to use broadband applications effectively.

Convincing the Skeptics

Some may be surprised that in 2024, there is still a need to make the case for fixed broadband. After all, approximately 4 out of 5  households are already connected with some form of fixed broadband at home. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to conclude that just like the voice calling to Kevin Costner in the movie “Field of Dreams” – “if you build it, they will come” – or in this case if you build out the broadband network, folks will quickly subscribe for the service.  

Unfortunately, the truth is a bit more complicated. The most recent NTIA study found that in the households that still lack a fixed internet connection in the home, nearly 6 out of 10 don’t want or feel they need broadband. That percentage dwarfs those who aren’t online because they think it is too expensive (18%) or those who say they would subscribe if service was available (4%).

Overcoming Privacy and Security Concerns

Digital privacy and security concerns also deter millions of Americans from engaging in online activities. The spread of emerging technologies and practices, such as smart home devices and online activity tracking, puts these concerns at the forefront of adoption.  A 2023 public survey of 7,500 Missouri households showed that eight out of ten respondents cited security of their personal information as their top concern of internet adoption, and over half expressed concern about seeing misleading information.

Developing Digital Skills

A high speed internet connection can enable individuals to receive online treatment from their healthcare provider at home; shop for products, pay bills and bank; apply for government benefits; work from home or start an online business. However, the same technology can sow disinformation and mistrust, steal personal financial data, or create an addictive dependency on social media. Whether the internet is used for good or for evil largely depends on whether the users are equipped with the knowledge and the skills to use broadband effectively.

Adoption Is Critical to the Success of the BEAD Program

The percentage of broadband skeptics is particularly concerning because many of those currently disconnected  reside in rural locations destined to receive the bulk of Missouri’s BEAD funding. Of course, how questions are asked can impact the response, but that should not blind us to the need for a concerted effort to make the case for the use of broadband-based applications, along with the practical digital skills training necessary to navigate the internet safely and securely.

Broadband adoption also is critical from a purely economic standpoint. If those most likely to be the beneficiaries of BEAD funding don’t think they need it, or are afraid to use broadband, ISPs face the prospect of low subscription rates in areas that already have far fewer potential subscribers per mile than urban or suburban areas.

Fortunately, these concerns can be overcome. Over half of the respondents to the 2023 public survey expressed an interest in internet training assistance. “Help finding information and resources I can trust” (33%) and “assistance with setting up or using new devices” (28%) were the top two areas.

Public Organizations’ Role in Broadband Adoption

Public Organizations are uniquely situated to provide adoption programs that will address these concerns for many reasons. First, the improvement of the health, education and economic opportunity of their constituencies is the primary mission of most every Public Organization. Second, in many cases Public Organizations have already established a local connection with the community – and specifically with members of the community most at risk of being unable to use broadband-based applications to better their lives.

Finally, for local governments and related nonprofits many of the beneficial aspects of broadband-based applications lie in the ability to deliver better services more efficiently. Those who have learned to use the internet to apply for a permit, paid taxes, reported problems with utility service or otherwise interacted with local government have found the process is faster and more convenient than making an in-person visit or filling out paper forms and submitting them by mail.

In addition to being more efficient, these same technologies can also result in significant cost savings through reduced personnel and processing. However, when many of the most vulnerable lack the skills necessary to use these technologies, much of the benefit is lost, because two processing systems must be maintained, one that operates online, and a second “paper” system that accommodates those who are unable to use the new technology.

Resources for Adoption

There are literally hundreds of Public Organizations that have developed programs designed to address one or more of the three barriers to digital adoption outlined earlier in this blog. Many can be located through Mobroadband’s Missouri’s Digital Asset Map. This resource, created by the UM System at the request of OBD, is designed to allow organizations that offer digital skills to help individuals and communities quickly locate organizations that offer digital literacy programs, such as computer classes, one-on-one technical assistance centers, and bilingual resources.

Each community may have a different set of needs, and not every program will be appropriate for every community. However, each likely will face three questions.

  • What digital adoption programs does our community need most?
  • How can we integrate and coordinate our efforts with programs like BEAD that focus on internet access?
  • How do we pay for digital adoption?   

There are tools available to answer these threshold questions. One is the Digitally Connected Community Guide offered through MU Extension. The Guide leads community stakeholders to develop a shared vision of ways broadband based applications can promote better health outcomes, online learning and education opportunities and economic opportunity in their community. With that vision, stakeholders are then provided tools to approach and engage with ISPs to create a workable written plan that focuses on using new or expanded networks in ways that implement the community’s vision.

But what programs should the community use? This will vary of course depending on the community’s specific needs. Yet ideally, in every case these adoption programs should be offered by a trusted resource, and ideally they should be capable of addressing each individual’s needs through one-on-one instruction when needed.

One idea that has been successfully piloted by MU Extension in select communities is the Digital Ambassador program. This program trains a permanent cadre of local volunteers called – “Digital Ambassadors.” Trained Digital Ambassadors share specialized knowledge with individuals in their community on topics such as telehealth, cybersecurity, social media, applications like Google Docs and Office 365. Additionally, Digital Ambassadors learn practical skills necessary to help individuals set up their internet connection at home and navigate financial obstacles to broadband use, by accessing programs that subsidize internet service or provide affordable hardware. MU Extension plans to obtain funding to expand the Digital Ambassador program to all communities throughout the state.

Funding Digital Adoption Programs

Of course, Public Organizations must determine how they will pay for digital adoption programs if they are to participate with ISPs to create “digitally connected” communities. Thankfully, one new source of funding are federal grants authorized by the Digital Equity Act. Beginning sometime late summer or early this fall, OBD  is expected to begin accepting applications from Public Organizations for up to $14.2 million in grants to pay for broadband adoption programs. Additional funding, expected to total at least $10 million, should be available over the next two fiscal years under this program.

At the same time, this summer the federal government is scheduled to begin awarding up to $1.25 billion of grants through a competitive digital adoption program administered by NTIA. These programs, along with others already in place, should offer every interested community the opportunity to obtain financial support for broadband adoption programs that can complement and support efforts to build and expand broadband infrastructure over the next five years.

Let’s Not Throw Away Our Shot

The common theme running across this series of blogs is that now is the time for action. There has never been this level of financial support at the federal government level for broadband, and there is every reason to believe this investment will not be repeated, at least in our generation. Missouri has received a significantly greater proportion of this federal funding than other states, primarily because we have a greater need. The percentage of unserved and underserved locations in our state has been among the highest in the country, and our economic progress and our quality of life have suffered because of it.

We now have an opportunity to change that. This is our shot – what will we do with it?

17 Apr 2024

Common Issues with Home Networks and How to Fix Them

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A home network connects multiple devices, such as computers, smartphones, tablets, TVs, printers, and smart home devices, to each other and to the internet. Sometimes you may encounter problems with your home network that affect your online experience. Here are some of the most common issues with home networks and how to fix them:

Slow Internet Speeds

If your internet connection is slow or lagging, you may have several possible causes, such as:

  • Your internet service provider (ISP) may be having issues or throttling (i.e., limiting) your bandwidth because of the service package purchased
  • Your modem or router is outdated or malfunctioning
  • Your network is congested with too many devices or applications
  • Your network is affected by interference from other wireless signals or devices
  • Your device is infected with malware or running too many background processes

To fix slow internet speeds, you can try the following solutions:

  • Update your modem and router firmware to the latest version. Firmware updates can improve performance and security of your network devices.
  • Reduce the number of devices or applications that are using your network. Close any unnecessary tabs or programs on your device and disconnect any devices that are not in use.
  • Change the location or channel of your router. Place your router in a central and elevated position, away from walls, metal objects, and other sources of interference. Change the wireless channel of your router using the router’s web interface or app. Changing the channel of the Wi-Fi may improve signal strength and reduce interference from neighboring routers.
  • Scan your device for malware and remove any suspicious files or programs. Use reputable antivirus software and keep it updated regularly.
  • Restart your device, modem, and router. Sometimes, a simple reboot can clear any temporary issues and improve your network performance.
  • Test your internet speed using an online tool such as Speedtest.net and compare it with your ISP’s advertised speed. If there is a significant difference, contact your ISP and report the problem.

Devices Not Connecting

If you have trouble connecting a device to your network, it may be because of one of these reasons:

  • Your device’s Wi-Fi adapter is disabled or faulty
  • Your device’s network settings are incorrect or incompatible
  • Your device’s network drivers are outdated or corrupted
  • Your router’s security settings are blocking your device
  • Your router’s DHCP server is not assigning IP addresses properly. DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, which is a service that assigns IP addresses to devices on your network automatically.

To fix connection issues, you can try these solutions:

  • Check your device’s Wi-Fi adapter and make sure it is enabled and working properly. You can use the network troubleshooter on Windows or the wireless diagnostics on Mac to diagnose and fix any problems with your Wi-Fi adapter.
  • Check your device’s network settings and make sure they match your router’s settings. For example, if your router uses WPA2 encryption, your device should also use WPA2 encryption. If your router uses a static IP address, your device should also use a static IP address. WPA stands for Wi-Fi Protected Access.
  • Update your device’s network drivers to the latest version. Network drivers are software that allows your device to communicate with your network hardware. You can update them manually from the device manufacturer’s website or automatically using a driver updater tool from the device manufacturer.
  • Check your router’s security settings and make sure they are not blocking your device. For example, if your router has a MAC (media access card) address filter, you need to add your device’s MAC address to the allowed list. If your router has a firewall, you need to allow the ports and protocols that your device uses.
  • Check your router’s DHCP server and make sure it is enabled and working properly. If DHCP is disabled or malfunctioning, you may need to assign IP addresses manually or reset your router.

Intermittent Connectivity

If your Internet or home network connection drops frequently or randomly, it might be caused by:

  • Your ISP is having outages or maintenance
  • Your modem or router is overheating or overloaded
  • Your network cable is damaged or loose
  • Your wireless signal is weak or unstable
  • Your device is switching between networks

To fix intermittent connectivity, you can try these solutions:

  • Check your ISP’s status page or social media accounts for any reports of outages or maintenance. If there is an issue on their end, you will have to wait until they resolve it.
  • Check your modem and router for any signs of overheating or overload. If they feel hot to the touch or have blinking lights, you may need to cool them down or reduce their workload. You can do this by placing them in a well-ventilated area, unplugging any unnecessary devices, and limiting bandwidth-intensive activities such as streaming or gaming.
  • Check your network cable for any signs of damage or looseness. If the cable is frayed, bent, or disconnected, you may need to replace it or reconnect it securely.
  • Check your wireless signal for any signs of weakness or instability. If the signal is weak or fluctuating, you may need to improve it by moving closer to your router, reducing interference, or using a Wi-Fi extender or mesh network.
  • Check your device for any signs of switching between networks. If your device is connected to multiple networks, such as Wi-Fi and cellular, it may switch between them depending on the signal strength and availability. You can prevent this by disabling the network that you don’t want to use or setting a priority for the network that you want to use.

By following these diagnostics steps and implementing one or more of the solutions provided, you can get your home network and your devices connecting at their fastest speeds and enjoying the information and resources available on the In

7 Mar 2024

BEAD — Let’s Not Throw Away Our Shot Part 2 –Affordability

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By Marc McCarty

& Meredith Morrison

The last Blog described the Missouri Office of Broadband Development’s (OBD) proposal to spend up to $1.7 billion for broadband projects that will be funded by the federal government’s Broadband Equity Access Deployment (BEAD) program. We highlighted ways local government and nonprofit organizations (Public Organizations) can play an important role at the outset, by helping to make the list of locations eligible for BEAD funding as accurate as possible, and by initiating contact with internet service providers (ISPs) to express the community’s interest in partnering to “digitally connect” their community.

Three ingredients are essential for communities to digitally connect while holistically benefiting the health, education, and economic advancement of its residents: (1) access to internet service, (2) the skills necessary for service adoption, and (3) a pricing model that makes service affordable. BEAD only directly addresses internet access. Internet adoption and affordability will require Public Organizations to organize and enter into partnerships with existing and new ISPs.

This blog focuses on the challenge to make broadband service affordable; a challenge that has been made much more difficult because of the end of funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

Why Affordability Matters

Obviously, community residents and businesses cannot reap the benefits of broadband service if they can’t afford it! Like other utilities, broadband service comes with a monthly fee, and all ISPs generally must earn enough in monthly subscription revenue to cover the costs of capital investment, network maintenance, and service operations. In Missouri, most ISPs are “for-profit” companies, in which shareholders/investors must earn a reasonable return on their investments. For this reason, particularly, in hard to reach communities where there are fewer locations per square mile, obtaining a high percentage of paying subscribers can be critical to an ISP’s survival.

Most Missourians are understandably unwilling or unable to pay for high-cost broadband service. Multiple surveys show that a high monthly internet subscription cost is one of the biggest roadblocks to the adoption of broadband. Of course, in part the affordability of broadband service depends on whether potential subscribers feel confident they need and can use fixed broadband, or instead, can continue to rely on their internet-connected mobile phone or public hotspots. The next blog will cover how Public Organizations can address this issue by boosting internet adoption.

Many Missourians face a “would if I could” problem when monthly internet subscription costs compete with basic necessities, such as food, housing, water, and other utilities. Ironically, these households most desperately need broadband service to effectively access government and nonprofit assistance and improve their economic prospects for a better life. Clearly, some targeted program to make broadband affordable to low-income households is needed.

The Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program was enacted along with BEAD as part of the 2021 infrastructure law to address this specific concern. In the two years it has been in place, 23 million households nationwide (nearly 400,000 in Missouri alone) received a $30 per month subsidy for internet service and a one-time discount they could apply to the purchase of a basic computer or tablet. Roughly 1 in 6  households across our state benefited from ACP, and in many rural counties 1 out of every 4 or 5 internet subscribers, received service subsidized by ACP.

The ACP became a victim of its own success. As structured, 42 million households were estimated to be eligible for the ACP benefit. Even though just a little more than half those families eventually applied and began participating in the ACP, the original $14 billion appropriation for the program is almost entirely depleted. The FCC has barred any new subscribers, and the program will end next month. While bipartisan legislation has been introduced to fund the ACP until year end, it is not expected to be enacted, and of course it is only a stopgap measure. In order to truly meet the needs of families, and provide a stable subscriber income base for ISPs, the program needs a permanent funding source, and this need is particularly evident as ISPs attempt to build out broadband in hard to reach unserved and underserved areas using the BEAD program.

Certainly absent a viable alternative, many participating households served by the ACP may be forced to drop service. While the federal government’s Lifeline program can offer some current ACP subscribers discounted broadband at connection speeds up to 25/3 Mbps, that is below the 100/20 Mbps mandated by the BEAD and ARPA programs. Additionally, the qualifying income levels for Lifeline are lower, and other eligibility requirements are more difficult to meet than those imposed by the ACP. Finally, many ISPs are not qualified to offer customers the Lifeline program benefit.

The Subscriber Revenue Gap Created by the End of ACP

Of course, the end of the ACP also creates some significant financial challenges for ISPs. ACP gave ISPs an incentive to build infrastructure in low-income communities, because the program increased their estimated take rate and subscriber revenues.  One study estimated that the loss of the ACP will translate into a decline in subscribers that will raise the cost of bringing broadband to unserved rural communities by 25%!

It is also unclear how ACP’s termination affects the sixty ISPs that were awarded grants as part of Missouri’s  $261 million Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program. These grant came from Missouri’s share of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF). Federal Regulations for the SLFRF program require that grant recipients offer low-income households affordable subscription options, commensurate with ACP’s benefits in areas served by grant-funded broadband infrastructure. While this requirement may soften the blow from the loss of the ACP in these isolated communities, the question remains, how will ISPs afford to implement a “commensurate” ACP benefit on their own?

Taken together, the loss of the ACP seems destined not only to make it harder for lower income households to subscribe for internet service, it also may make it significantly harder for Missouri to achieve the overall goals of the BEAD program – to extend broadband service to all unserved and to as many underserved areas of the state as possible.

How can Public Organizations Help?

In 2022, Governor Parson proposed using state funds to supplement broadband subscription costs for low income households.  However, that legislation ultimately was not enacted, and other than the Lifeline program previously discussed, there is no comprehensive federal or state program that directly subsidizes the monthly cost of broadband for lower income families. However, that does not mean that Public Organizations – particularly local government – are unable to indirectly help ISPs provide affordable broadband service to households that need financial assistance.

The key here is to recognize that ISPs can provide an ACP-type benefit to their customers so long as that cost is subsidized and that subsidy can take the form of either a direct payment to help the customer pay for service or, indirectly, by further reducing the ISP’s cost of building the broadband infrastructure. A BEAD grant can do that in part, but likely not if the ISP’s subsidy needs to be increased by 25%, because the ACP is not available! Yet it makes no sense to increase the government subsidy to the ISP for construction unless the ISP is willing to use the amount saved to provide an affordable broadband connection to its customers, through a program similar to the ACP.

For example, assume that an ISP was able to build and successfully operate a broadband network with a BEAD grant of $2 million, so long as it could rely on ACP-funded subscriber revenues to help pay for the infrastructure and cost of network operations. Based on the Commonsense study, one would conclude that the ISP would need 25% more ($2.5 million) because of the loss of the ACP. In that case Public Organizations might agree to provide the ISP the additional money needed to close the funding gap ($500,000), but only on the condition that the ISP agrees to self-fund an ACP-type benefit for the community in the future.

Unspent Local ARPA Funds

One possible source of the additional money needed, that some local governments may have available is the local government component of ARPA SLFRF money. In addition to money paid directly to the state, Missouri’s 114 Missouri counties and 15 cities received a separate SLFRF award. These local governments have the flexibility to use these funds for many purposes, one of which is “high-speed broadband infrastructure.” All local SLFRF money must be obligated by December 31, 2024 and spent by December 31, 2026. As of September 2023, Missouri’s local governments reported that they had obligated only $1,450,997,654 of the $2,419,661,436 in SLFRF Funds. This means that as of last Fall, just over 40 percent of the money awarded remained available.

Other possible local programs to access local money.

Many communities may already have appropriated their entire ARRA SLFRF award for other permitted purposes. In these cases, there are other options that can be used to provide financial support to ISPs that agree to provide affordable broadband service to lower income households. Again, the overall strategy is the same: use locally generated funds to reduce the ISP’s cost installing broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved locations, in exchange for the ISP’s commitment to provide a targeted low-cost subsidy to qualified low income subscribers.

These options include special financing districts and government sponsored tax-exempt financing.

Special District Financing

Three  types of special financing districts are available to Public Organizations seeking to raise money to support an ISPs broadband infrastructure project. In each case, these special financing districts must support and fund a “public private partnership” (P3) that will provide broadband service within a specific geographic area or “District.” Each type of District may impose various new local taxes or special assessments for that purpose. The three types of districts are (1) a Community Improvement District (CID), (2) a Neighborhood Improvement District (NID) and a Broadband Infrastructure Improvement District (BIID).

The statutes set out the procedure and powers for each of these districts and while they are not identical, they do share some common elements:

  • The area served by the District can be specifically tailored to include all or a portion of a city or county, or in the case of CIDs and BIIDs multiple jurisdictions.
  • The District may fund a public private partnership that will bring broadband service to one or more unserved or underserved areas (as certified OBD). The statute defines unserved and underserved using similar criteria to that used for BEAD grant funding.
  • The District can impose a variety taxes (sales tax, property taxes, or a special property assessment to fund its contribution the P3). However in most cases, voter approval of the affected district residents is required to impose the tax.
  • In each case, the P3 agreement must provide that the ISP will own and operate the broadband network infrastructure (not the District).

A significant advantage of Missouri’s special financing district laws is that they are flexible and can be adapted to a variety of situations. Since Districts can impose local taxes and/or assessments that only apply in the District, it is possible to tailored them to include only those areas that need broadband. In this way they could be an ideal source of locally sourced funds to help ISPs close a funding gap and make it economically feasible to provide broadband service to residents of all income levels. This is important both because of the gap created by the loss of the ACP funding and, more generally because all BEAD – funded projects must have at least 25% of the project costs funded from some source other than the BEAD grant.

 

Example of a Special District Financing to Support Broadband Affordability

A community might decide to create a CID to assist in funding broadband infrastructure for 20 unserved farms and homes along a county road. Property owners along that road could petition the County to form and authorize funding for the CID. The District’s objective would be to lower the cost of installing broadband so that the ISP was financially able to provide free or low-cost service to low income families with school age children.

To fund the CID, property owners in the area would agree to impose an annual special assessment (collected along with real property taxes each year) from each property owner in the District. As part of the P3 agreement, the CID would agree that amounts collected each year would reimburse it for part of its cost of funding the broadband project that was not paid for out of the BEAD grant, and that the collected amounts would be applied to fund a monthly broadband service subscription subsidy for lower income families.

Tax-exempt Private Activity Bond Financing

Tax-exempt private activity bond financing may provide another option for Public Organizations that want to reduce an ISPs infrastructure cost, so that a low cost broadband subscription option can be offered to lower income residents. Tax-exempt private activity bonds are a special type of local government debt. Unlike traditional bonds where the local government is the named borrower and responsible for repaying the debt, private activity bonds are usually repaid only from money provided by a private entity (in this case an ISP).

These tax-exempt bonds can only be used in a specific geographic area where 50% or more of the structures are “unserved” (broadband service less than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload). When completed, the constructed project must provide at least 90% of the previously unserved locations with connection speeds of at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. If these and other requirements are met, interest paid to investors (bond purchasers) is exempt from most federal and all Missouri income tax. Because investors do not pay income tax on the bonds they own, they are willing to accept a lower interest rate than a similar taxable bond or loan. In this way, the ISP benefits because it pays substantially less interest each year on the debt used to finance the project.

 

Example of Tax Exempt Private Activity Bond to Support Broadband Affordability

 

Assume an ISP wished to bring broadband service to all structures in a county, and that the cost of constructing the network was $50 million. The ISP receives a BEAD grant for $35 million, but is responsible for raising the additional $15 million. The County’s residents want the service, but know that a significant number of residents simply cannot afford to pay the monthly subscription cost for broadband service. For a variety of reasons, the county cannot provide financial assistance to the ISP through a new tax or assessment.

Instead, the County might issue $15 million of private activity bonds that the ISP would use to fund the project. The ISP (not the County or any Public Organization) will be solely responsible for repaying the bonds.  The bonds have an interest rate that is 1.5% lower than a taxable borrowing. This means the ISP “saves” $225,000 of interest cost each year the bonds remain outstanding.

As a condition for issuing the bonds, the County requires the ISP to offer lower income subscribers a special low cost broadband plan, which it is able to fund because of the interest expense saved each year. 

Where There’s a Will….

In a perfect world, funding for broadband affordability would not have run out just as funding for broadband access and adoption was becoming available. Of course no one would say that the ACP was a perfect solution. Many would argue that the ACP and Lifeline programs need to be combined and a permanent funding model needs to be put in its place, and there is considerable merit to that position. But allowing ACP to expire without reworking the Lifeline program or providing some other workable alternative is difficult to justify. The unfortunate result for many communities is that they must work creatively with their ISPs to make sure that the broadband infrastructure built is affordable to all members of the community. The alternatives listed here all seem to be feasible, and there are many others (described in a recent “White Paper”) that communities can consider. However, all require a community effort, and some creative thinking. The question for many communities – is whether they are willing to make this effort, or will they instead risk “throwing away their shot” at digital connectivity.

6 Mar 2024

Setting Up a Home Network

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A home network connects multiple devices in your home to each other and the Internet. These devices can include computers, smartphones, tablets, TVs, printers, thermostats, security cameras, and other smart home devices.

A home network provides many benefits, such as:

  • Sharing files and folders among devices
  • Streaming media content from one device to another
  • Printing documents from any device
  • Controlling smart home devices remotely
  • Accessing online services and applications

To set up a home network, you will need the following:

  • An internet service provider (ISP) that provides you with an internet connection
  • A modem or other device, such as an optical network terminal (ONT), that connects to the ISP’s network and converts the signal to a format that your devices can understand.
  • A router that connects to the modem or ONT and creates a local network for your devices
  • Ethernet cables for wired connections or Wi-Fi adapters for wireless connections
  • The devices that you want to connect to the network

The following steps will guide you through the process of setting up a home network:

Step 1: Choose an ISP and a modem

The first step is to choose an ISP that offers a package with the internet speed and bandwidth that suits your needs and budget. You can estimate your required internet speed by using the broadbandnow.com bandwidth calculator  as well as compare different ISPs and plans in your area.

Once you have chosen an ISP, you will need a modem that is compatible with their network. Some ISPs may provide you with a modem as part of their service, or you can buy your own modem from an electronics store or online. Make sure that the modem supports the type of internet connection that you have, such as cable, DSL, fiber, or satellite.

Step 2: Connect the modem to the internet source

The next step is to connect the modem to the internet source using a coaxial cable, a phone line, or a fiber optic cable, depending on the type of connection that you have. You may need to contact your ISP for activation or configuration instructions.

Step 3: Choose a router and connect it to the modem

The router is the device that creates a local network for your devices and allows them to communicate with each other and with the internet. There are many types of routers available, with different features and specifications. Some of the factors that you should consider when choosing a router are:

  • The number of devices that you want to connect
  • The size and layout of your home
  • The Wi-Fi standards and frequencies that your devices support
  • The security and parental control options that you need
  • The advanced features and settings that you want to use

Some modems may have a built-in router function, which means that you don’t need a separate router. However, if you want more control and flexibility over your network, it is recommended to use a standalone router.

To connect the router to the modem, you will need an Ethernet cable. Plug one end of the cable into the WAN port of the router and the other end into the LAN port of the modem.

Step 4: Configure the router settings

After connecting the router to the modem, you will need to configure some basic settings for your network, such as:

  • The network name (SSID) and password (key) for your Wi-Fi network
  • The security mode and encryption type for your Wi-Fi network.  This is known as the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA).  The latest version is WPA3.  Check your Wi-Fi connected devices to see which versions they are compatible with
  • The administrator username and password for accessing the router’s web interface
  • The firmware update for your router

To configure these settings, you will need to access the router’s web interface using a web browser on a computer or smartphone that is connected to the router. You can find the default IP address, username, and password for your router in its user manual or on its label. Alternatively, you can use an app provided by your router’s manufacturer to set up and manage your network.

Step 5: Connect your devices to the network

The final step is to connect your devices to the network using either wired or wireless connections. For wired connections, you will need Ethernet cables and Ethernet ports on your devices. Plug one end of each cable into an available LAN port on the router and the other end into an Ethernet port on your device.

For wireless connections, you will need to use Wi-Fi adapters in your devices or purchase external Wi-Fi adapters that plug into the device generally through a USB port. Turn on the Wi-Fi function on your device and scan for available networks. Select your network name (SSID) and enter your password (key) to join the network.

You can also use other methods to connect your devices wirelessly, such as WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup), NFC (Near Field Communication), or QR codes. These methods allow you to connect without entering a password by pressing a button on the router or tapping your device on another device.

For smart devices such as TV’s and gaming stations, appliances, and printers, make sure you have the manuals available on how to connect these devices to the network.

Once you have completed connecting all your device to your home network, you can enjoy browsing the web, streaming media, sharing files, printing documents, controlling smart home devices, and more from any device in your home.

16 Jan 2024

The Affordable Connectivity Program May “Go Away” Just When it is Needed Most

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They say timing is everything, and that certainly likely will be the case as we move forward this year to implement major components of the 2021 Federal Infrastructure legislation (the Infrastructure Act). You may recall that the Infrastructure Act appropriated $65 billion with the objective of providing every residence, business and institution in the United States a high-speed internet connection – broadband, and the skills to use it. Read more…

16 Jan 2024

The Affordable Connectivity Program May “Go Away” Just When it is Needed Most

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By Marc McCarty

They say timing is everything, and that certainly likely will be the case as we move forward this year to implement major components of the 2021 Federal Infrastructure legislation (the Infrastructure Act). You may recall that the Infrastructure Act appropriated $65 billion with the objective of providing every residence, business and institution in the United States a high-speed internet connection – broadband, and the skills to use it. The Act has three goals: building out the infrastructure needed to connect unserved and underserved locations (broadband “access”), getting individuals the skills-based training and resources they need to use a broadband connection effectively (“adoption”), and finally, making broadband affordable for households that lack the financial resources to subscribe for the broadband connection they need (“affordability”).

The rationale for this “three-prong” approach is logical. It makes little sense to build out a broadband network in unconnected communities if most of the targeted individuals are afraid to go online or lack the skills needed to use the internet applications that would help them the most. These skills, include using the internet to start a business, pay bills and bank online, connect with a health care provider, or get an advanced education certification or degree. Equally obvious, having a fiber optic broadband connection at your home is of no value if you can’t afford to subscribe for service, or if you can’t afford a basic device to connect to the internet efficiently.

With this in mind, an earlier Blog noted that the Infrastructure Act had allocated at least $46 billion of grants and low interest loans for broadband access, up to least $4.75 billion for broadband adoption programs, and $14.2 billion for broadband affordability (the Affordable Connectivity Program or “ACP”).

The ACP was designed to permanently replace the Emergency Broadband Benefit (“ECB”) a similar temporary program enacted during the COVID pandemic. Like the ECB, ACP is targeted to help families that lack financial resources pay for the internet service they need to use the internet effectively. While there are several ways to qualify for ACP, generally families earning less than twice the annual poverty income ($60,000 for a family of 4) are eligible for the ACP.

The ACP provides these households a $30 per month credit that can be applied to monthly cost of internet service and a one-time $100 credit toward the cost of a desktop, laptop or tablet computer to connect to the internet. The program began funding in 2022 and as of last week, over 22.5 million households were receiving benefits. One advantage of the ACP is that the “credit” can be applied by families toward any level of broadband service offered, so even if a household was able to pay for some internet connectivity before, the ACP enabled them to upgrade to a higher more expensive level of service, so they can take advantage of applications such as telemedicine and online learning that require a faster and more stable internet connection.

Many Missouri families now use this benefit. In several rural Missouri counties more than one in five households that are connected to the internet are receiving ACP. The truth is ACP has been so successful, that it is about to run out of money. The FCC administers this program, and it has already instructed internet service providers (“ISPs”) to send out the first of three written notices beginning January 25, to customers warning them the benefit will expire (likely sometime in May).

The ACP has wide support among participants, internet providers and the general public. Last week bipartisan legislation was introduced to extend funding for the ACP through the end of 2024. Certainly given the political environment, that may be the best we can do at this time, and even in this case passage of this legislation likely will not occur unless constituents make their wishes known.

Ironically, this comes at the very time when almost all the Infrastructure Act money set aside for broadband access (BEAD) and broadband adoption (DEA) remains unspent! The delay in funding BEAD and DEA occurred for many reasons, some of which I’ve written about already. However, Missouri’s Office of Broadband Development (OBD) now awaits approval of its “Initial Proposal” to distribute the first 20% of the $1.7 Billion dollars of BEAD funding along with a smaller DEA “State Capacity Grant” to fund broadband adoption. Those approvals (granted by the National Telecommunications and Information Agency –NTIA) are expected as early as late spring, followed by competitive grants that could begin funding new projects by year-end.

For a variety of reasons, the State’s BEAD proposal primarily contemplates using existing private and public ISPs to extend broadband service to the 400,000 locations in the state with no – or with inadequate – broadband access. Those ISPs provide access to the internet (fund capital expansion, maintain, and operate) primarily through subscriber revenues paid by businesses and residents. Locations needing broadband access lack it in most cases because the ISPs that potentially could serve them cannot make an adequate profit to justify the investment. The objective of the BEAD program is to use just enough public money to induce ISPs to expand service to these unserved and underserved locations.

For example, if the average cost of extending service to a group of locations was $5,000 per location, but an ISP could only be profitable if installation costs were no more than $1,500 per location, an efficient BEAD grant program would provide the ISP a grant of $3,500 per location, conditioned on the ISP going forward to provide broadband access to all of these unserved locations. But that example assumes that families and businesses in those locations actually will subscribe for the service (at levels as high as – or higher— than other areas where service is currently available). In other words – ISPs don’t need or necessarily want more locations with access to the internet – instead they want more locations with internet subscribers.

That is one practical reason why both the DEA, and the ACP exist. From a purely economic standpoint, both of these programs are designed to work alongside BEAD to increase demand for broadband service (the “take rate” as it’s known in the industry). The DEA gives folks the skills needed to appreciate and safely use internet based applications and technologies; the ACP makes that service affordable, so families to pay for the service they need.

Taken together one can think of these broadband programs BEAD, the DEA and the ACP as something like a three legged stool. The three legs of that stool provide funding for broadband access, adoption and affordability. Remove one of those legs, affordability in this case, and the stool – a $65 billion stool – may well topple over.

Of course there are many good reasons for providing financial assistance to families that can’t afford the broadband service they need besides creating a broadband network that is financially viable. Connecting most businesses and individuals to broadband has led to extraordinary gains in productivity and quality of life, but as the COVID pandemic illustrated, those gains have been uneven, with millions lacking adequate internet service and unable to use these new internet-based applications. We all pay when we leave the most economically vulnerable families disconnected to the internet applications we take for granted, in higher costs for healthcare, basic government services, substandard education, and fewer economic opportunities. A program like the ACP can help remove financial barriers to internet connectivity, and certainly it can be justified for that reason alone. However, allowing a program like the ACP to go away after all the work done over the past two years, and just as we are ready to spend over $45 billion on broadband expansion, is most certainly a mistake.

10 Jul 2023

Critical Thinking and the Internet: Developing Skills to Counter Online Disinformation & Confirmation Bias Algorithms

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It’s impossible to overstate how much the internet has changed our lives over the past three decades. Internet-based technologies and products have unleashed exponential economic growth and efficiencies. It is no accident that the five largest companies in the S&P 500 are Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, NVDIA and Alphabet (Google). Certainly the internet has been, and will continue to be, a driver of economic growth and internet-based innovations that promise to continue to improve the health, education and economic opportunities for all of us. However, as has been true with all new technological innovations, there is a dark side to the internet; challenges that if ignored, will substantially reduce the benefits expected to be realized from universal access to broadband and its applications. These challenges need to be understood and addressed, particularly as we work to connect the remainder of homes and businesses in the United States to broadband by 2030.

One of these challenges was described earlier this year in a three-part blog on cybersecurity. More recently, I explored some of the potential questions and challenges associated with generative artificial intelligence. This blog discusses yet another challenge:  How do we spot internet disinformation and counter internet-based algorithms that tend to confirm our preexisting biases, and blind us to opposing viewpoints?

For representative democracies like the United States, particularly now when most of us rely on the internet to get our news and form our opinions, the ability to analyze and test the accuracy of sources of  information on the web (to engage in critical thinking) has and will continue to be a vital skill to effectively use the internet. While there is no “magic bullet” solution, ignoring this issue risks more than just continued economic progress, it could threaten the very institutions that sparked the creation of the internet itself.    

Of course the goal of this blog (and the others that preceded it) is not to discourage the development of internet infrastructure and internet-based applications. But the degree to which our goals of better health, education and economic opportunity will be realized, depends in large part on how well we adapt to use these new internet-based applications and technologies effectively. Developing these skills is an important part of the University’s Broadband Initiative, and programs such as the pilot Digital Ambassadors project are expected to be an important part of that effort.

Defining the Challenge

At the outset, it’s worthwhile to spend time defining the challenge. The term “disinformation” is closely related to its companion – misinformation. Misinformation is simply inaccurate or false information. Disinformation on the other hand is misinformation put to a purpose. It’s the use of misinformation in a way specifically designed to deceive or hide the facts.

The motives that lead a person (or more recently an artificial intelligence algorithm) to place disinformation on the web, most often are not perceived to be morally wrong by the person responsible for posting. In fact, in many cases the opposite is true; disinformation is used to serve what is perceived as a higher purpose or objective. In other words, the means (an intentionally false or misleading story or headline) are justified by the belief that it supports a view or position that is in the best interest of society.

Unlike disinformation, “confirmation bias,” requires no intentional act. Instead it describes our unconscious tendency to seek out and treat information as true if it supports our biases and predispositions. We all use confirmation bias to make decisions in our daily lives, and it is not necessarily a bad thing. For example, most of us have a “confirmation bias” that would make us hesitant to climb into an enclosure to get a better view of a grizzly bear at the zoo. It might well be that the particular bear was trained and well-behaved, but we know from books or film that these animals often can be dangerous, and we run the risk of being “lunch” if we get too close. Research indicates that internet-based algorithms make extensive use of our tendency for confirmation bias in ways that we may not fully understand or appreciate, usually with the goal of keeping us engaged and online.

Disinformation – How Does the Internet Differ from Earlier Forms of Mass Communication?

History contains many examples of individuals that used mass media to disseminate disinformation. In addition to charlatans, disinformation has been used by some that we hold in high regard. In fact, none other than Benjamin Franklin apparently is guilty. In order to stir up revolutionary fever, he apparently made up a story accusing King George III of promoting attacks on colonists — offering a cash bounty for each colonist scalp that was collected! Disinformation in mass media also has always been difficult to stop. This is particularly true in societies like ours that value freedom of expression. Early attempts by our government to rein in false or “fake” news, even if motivated by a noble purpose have been unpopular and ineffective. 

So it’s fair to point out that  disinformation in public media (whether it’s a printed pamphlet, a newspaper, television or radio) is nothing new. However, there are several unique aspects that make disinformation on the internet more challenging to identify and counter. The same characteristics that make the internet such an effective tool for learning and disseminating information, also have made it much more effective in spreading disinformation. One reason the internet spreads disinformation so effectively is that multimedia (videos and audio) can be used along with text  to get ideas across. It is not surprising then, that researchers have found that most disinformation on websites today consists of images and videos.   A second reason is that the internet permits information and disinformation to be shared far more easily and quickly than earlier technologies. In the past few could afford a printing press, and more recently television and radio stations could make use of audio and visual images, only after obtaining a license from the Federal Communications Commission.  Today, anyone with an online connection can create and share text and full resolution video content with millions in just a few hours, and do so anonymously.  

The risks posed by disinformation on the web seem destined to grow. For example, software has been developed that permits most anyone to create near perfect video imitations of public figures that can say anything the programmer desires. The age-old adage “seeing is believing” seems destined to become a quaint anachronism.

Internet Algorithms & Confirmation Bias – “There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch”

Most of us don’t reflect on why there is so much information available to us on the web “free of charge.” Of course, in some cases government, nonprofits and public-spirited individuals have provided content as a public service, and there are many subscription fee-based websites, but that does not explain the millions of commercial websites that provide news, entertainment, and personal connections free of charge.

These websites have a profit motive, and most exist to sell advertising.  Many of these ads are structured as a “cost per click” arrangement – meaning that advertisers pay the website owner a set amount each time someone clicks on a hyperlink that directs the web browser to the advertiser’s content. Again, intellectually, many of us realize this is happening, but we may not fully appreciate just how significant this revenue has become. In 2022, ads of this type were estimated to generate $95.2 billion. To put this in perspective, that’s over $275 of cost per click revenue for every man, woman, and child in the United States.    

With this much money at stake, it is not surprising that a primary goal of many commercial websites – particularly social media websites, is to keep us online and engaged with the website’s content for as long as possible.  Like print media advertisers that came before, today’s web designers know they can do this most effectively by keeping us emotionally engaged. Again, the ultimate goal of these efforts most often is to increase ad revenue. After all, the longer you are online and looking at website content, the more ads you will see, and potentially the greater the chance that you will click on at least one, and earn revenue for the website’s owners. There’s a name for these targeted efforts to keep us on a website, it’s call “clickbait,” and anyone who suddenly realized they are late for a meeting because they have spent the past 30 minutes looking at “50 cute kitten” videos knows clickbait can be very effective.

Applying Critical Thinking Skills to the Internet

We tend to lose sight of how quickly the internet has become a part of our lives. Thirty years ago blogs like this one did not exist. Google was founded in 1998. The first Facebook page was created by Mark Zuckerberg less than 20 years ago, and Jack Dorsey posted the first “tweet” on Twitter in 2006. Given the speed of these developments, it’s not all that surprising that critical thinking skills training may not adequately address web-based disinformation or the impact of web-based search algorithms on our confirmation bias.

Certainly there is nothing new in the idea that critical thinking skills are essential to the sound functioning of democratic institutions. Skilled critical thinkers are able to:

  • Raise vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely.
  • Gather and assess relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively.
  • Come to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards.
  • Think open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as needs be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences.
  • Communicate effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.

Even if critical thinking is not taught as a stand-alone subject in elementary and secondary schools, most children do receive instruction in basic critical thinking skills as part of their education, although the amount of training varies and surprisingly, may decline once the student enters middle school and high school. Most colleges and universities, including several of the University of Missouri System campus libraries and schools, provide critical thinking skills training designed to help students when they do internet research.

Yet a comprehensive 2019 study found that students are not well equipped in ferreting out disinformation on the internet. This also is not all that surprising. There may be other reasons for this, but one suggested by the study and other related research is that critical thinking skills taught to identify disinformation on the web may not be particularly effective today.  Those methods included assigning credibility to information contained on “.org” websites and discounting those that had a “.com” designation; relying on the website’s statement located on its “about” webpage to understand its mission; assigning more value to content on websites that have professional looking “error free” layouts; and giving credence to web-based materials that includes footnotes or hyperlinks referencing journals that are not generally well-known, but that have professional-sounding names. While all of these may seem reasonable or have direct corollaries to fact checking traditional printed text material, the study discounted their value in discovering disinformation on the web.

For example the fact that a website has a “.org” label, does not mean that it is sponsored by a nonbiased nonprofit organization; instead, it simply is an alternate catch-all designation available for any website  that does not wish to be classified as having a commercial (.com), government (.gov), or educational institution (.edu) sponsor. Nor is the website’s “about” page or its professional design particularly helpful in ferreting out disinformation. After all, the text of the “about” page was written by the same folks who wrote the content that is being checked, and modern website design programs enable most anyone to prepare a very professional looking website.

Distinguishing disinformation simply based on how the content appears likely will be even more difficult in the future because of the development and widespread availability of new programs using sophisticated graphic design and artificial intelligence. This was illustrated just this past month, when several attorneys were sanctioned and fined $5,000 for filing a legal brief, authored by an generative artificial intelligence program. The problem wasn’t that the attorneys used an AI program to write the brief; instead they were sanctioned because the AI program had “made up” the names and legal citations for several cases to support the brief’s legal position! The attorneys made the mistake of assuming that the information was accurate, because the legal citations appeared to be in the proper format. In other words, they relied on the superficial appearance of the information, rather than taking the time to check that it came from a legitimate source.

A Sandford University study recommends applying a different mindset to web-based publications, one that takes into account how easy it now is for anyone to impersonate legitimate resources and to post false information. The recommended approach is not to look at the website or its materials to validate the information, but instead to access external unrelated sources to evaluate the website’s sponsoring organization and materials contained on that website. To do this effectively and efficiently, web-based search engines (such as Google) and multiple fact checking websites can be used. While this approach may not be foolproof, it does capitalize on the ease of finding independent third-party resources to evaluate both the efficacy of the website sponsor and the accuracy of information it contains.

Social & News Media Sites: Applying Critical Thinking Skills to Overcome Conformation Bias Algorithms.

No amount of fact and source checking can fully counter the internet’s ability, through search engine algorithms, to feed us a nearly unending supply of whatever information we ask for. These algorithms have been very beneficial. Most of us use them every day to do a variety of tasks, such as evaluating a product we are considering purchasing, repairing or obtaining instructions on how to use an appliance, selecting a hotel or vacation resort, or even finding source material for a blog. However, these algorithms are most useful if we do not lose sight of the fact that most often they are optimized to raise revenue for the sponsor. We also need to consider that the same algorithm that feeds us an endless supply of cute kitten videos may also be used to keep us engaged on websites featuring news and social issues.

Again, no conspiratorial motive seems to be at work here; it’s just application of a time-honored principle of advertising to this new form of mass-media: if you want to get someone’s interest, use flashy emotion-based content, and if you want to keep them interested, show them more and more of it, making each subsequent “click” just a little flashier and more emotional. Today this happens with little or know human input at all; it’s a product of algorithms that could care less whether the topic you are viewing is cute kittens or gun control.

A 2022 study published by researchers at the University of California-Davis illustrates how this technology operates when the topic involved is a political or social issue. The goal of the study was to see how YouTube’s recommended content would change over time, when viewers initially selected a political topic.  The study, described in an August 2022 article, assessed the effect of following YouTube’s “recommended” videos. The idea behind the study was to determine what happened if users viewing a political video, followed the YouTube recommendation for the next video, and the video after that one.

Researchers in the study created fictitious YouTube accounts (sock puppets) that were programmed to access and “view” a video initially tagged by the researchers as having either a slightly conservative or as slightly liberal/progressive viewpoint. After viewing the video, each sock puppet automatically accessed the next recommended video, and viewed it. The sock puppets repeated this process over a number of days, accessing many videos.    

One result that is not all that surprising, was that sock puppets that initially viewed a conservative or a liberal/progressive bias tended to only be recommended videos that matched their original view. That makes sense; that is how confirmation bias operates. If one initially prefers and connects to content that had liberal/progressive bias, they are more likely to like and view more videos that support or “confirm” that bias, as opposed to videos that promote an alternative “conservative” viewpoint.  Of course, the same principle holds true for those that prefer content with a more conservative bias. Muhammad Haroon, the leader of the study noted: “Unless you willingly choose to break out of that loop, all the recommendations on that system will be zeroing on that one particular niche interest that they’ve identified.”

What was more disturbing, was that the YouTube algorithm tended not only to limit views to conservative or liberal/progressive content (depending on which bias was initially selected); the content selected tended to become increasingly more radical the longer the program ran. Again, this doesn’t imply any nefarious intent on the part of the YouTube algorithm programmers; it just seems to be a logical extension of a program designed to give the viewer more and more of content that supports their original bias. Again, the purpose might be solely to maximize the time spent on the website and the revenues generated from advertising, but obviously for the viewer, the algorithm shuts out competing voices and apparently over time tends to emphasize more extreme positions.

Another university study published in 2023, found that the risk of being caught up in group think and misleading or false information on the web tends to be directly related to the viewer’s analytic reflection skills. The study compared the web browsing activities of individuals that scored higher in analytic reflection on a standardized Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), to a second group that tended to rely primarily on “intuitive reasoning” to reach conclusions. The study found that individuals with higher analytic reflection skills as measured by the CRT, appeared to be better able to counteract the tendency to view only those websites that confirmed their initial bias.

The CRT used in the study was designed to measure analytic reflections skills by asking participants to answer a number of questions that included an option that, while they at first seemed intuitively correct, on reflection were obviously wrong. For example:

“If you’re running a race and you pass the person in second place, what place are you in?”

The “intuitive” answer – the one that initially seems most appealing – is “first place.” However, after a little reflection one recognizes this answer is clearly wrong. After all, if the person you were trailing in the race was in second place, passing them only means you are now in second place, and you still need to catch the person who is in the lead.

When comparing the web browsing activities of the two groups, the study found that individuals who scored higher in analytic reflection skills also tended to rely on more traditional and reliable sources of news and information. The study concluded that these participants tended “to be more discerning in their social media use: they followed fewer [Twitter] accounts, shared higher quality content from more reliable sources, and tweeted about weightier subjects (in particular, politics).”

Critical Thinking is a Skill, Not a Measure of Intelligence

One misconception about critical thinking is that it is somehow directly related to the level of education and innate intelligence. In other words individuals with higher levels of formal education will be good “critical thinkers.” Academic research does not support this view. While critical thinking can be a complex process that includes clearly defining the issue, identifying and analyzing the sources of the information, testing and seeking confirmation from alternative sources and checking for alternative viewpoints; it is a skill. Equally important, hundreds of separate studies over many decades have shown that critical thinking can be learned, regardless of an individual’s age or education level.  Learning that skill is not limited to those with a college degree, and having a college degree is certainly no guarantee that the individual is a good a critical thinker.

Applying Critical Thinking Skills to the Internet – A Path Forward

The challenges posed by internet disinformation and confirmation bias algorithms can seem insurmountable.  We live in a free and open society. Any form of censorship or controls over web content run against our core belief in freedom of speech and expression. Of course, as a practical matter the internet itself is structured in ways that make regulation of its content, either by the government or industry difficult to implement even in authoritarian societies.

Responsible internet content providers may be able to provide tools that are useful in identifying disinformation on the internet. However, internet experts polled in a 2017 Pew Research Center study were evenly split on whether misinformation on the internet can be reduced in the future, and there is little reason to believe the results would be different today. Likely real improvement will depend in part on us, the individuals that use the internet on a daily basis. If we develop and use the skills necessary to avoid falling prey to disinformation, the rationale for posting it in the first place will be reduced. However, this will happen only if critical thinking skills training are a core part of improving adoption of the internet and internet-based applications.

The internet is a relatively new medium of mass communication, and new products and innovations that enhance its capabilities to provide information come to market almost daily. It is a much more powerful means of conveying information – and disinformation – than anything that has come before. There are few legal or practical restrictions on what content can be added to the internet, or on who is able to add it. But most of us would not want it any other way. As was true in the past, critical thinking skills can be learned by anyone, at any age, and there is evidence that they can be highly effective in identifying disinformation, particularly if the skills learned are adapted to account for ways in which the web differs from other forms of mass media technology that came before.

Yet it also is evident that developing the skills necessary to separate facts from false or misleading content on the web may not be enough to reduce society’s polarization and help us find common ground to peacefully resolve our most difficult policy issues. As a society, we have always had issues of disagreement that require compromise, but we never have had to reach compromises when large segments of the population have isolated themselves in “opinion silos” created by web-based algorithms.

More of us now rely on the internet as our primary – and in some cases our sole – source for news and opinion.  Limiting consumption of news and opinions on the web to one or two social media websites seems to create the very real possibility that, like the “sock puppets” in the YouTube video research experiment, we will be fed only a steady diet of confirmation-biased information that resonates with our world view and suppresses all others.

In the past, our parents and grandparents could counter this risk by subscribing to multiple newspapers, or at least they could read and consider opposing viewpoints on the op-ed page of their newspaper. Our generation can find alternative viewpoints as well. In fact, an important advantage of the internet is that it contains many points of view and information sources. However, accessing those views today likely requires that we take affirmative steps to break out of the “comfort zone” of algorithm-generated content, so that we at least understand the views of those with whom we disagree.  

Over the next several years, government and private business will invest more than $100 billion to bring affordable reliable internet infrastructure to every home and business in the United States. Funding through the Affordable Connectivity Program is available to help make the internet affordable for everyone regardless of income. However, to take full advantage of this resource, to use it safely and effectively, we also must develop and implement programs to make skills-based critical thinking training generally available.

18 Apr 2023

My Interview with ChatGPT-4

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If you’ve been paying attention to the news at all, you’ve likely come across several articles on artificial intelligence (AI). These articles run the gamut between those that herald AI as a potential boon for humanity to those that predict that it literally will be the end of humanity. I do think AI is destined to fundamentally change how we use the internet – and more broadly, how we live our lives. I also am skeptical that efforts to reign in the integration of AI into our lives will be successful, although I do hope we can make some progress toward curbing the more destructive uses its human creators have already found for it.

The goal of the University of Missouri System’s Broadband Initiative has been to use broadband internet to improve  health, education and economic opportunity for all. That really involves three fundamental elements – broadband access – constructing the physical infrastructure to connect everyone to high-speed internet, affordability – pricing broadband access and the devices that connect to the internet at a level that make it available for use by everyone, regardless of their income level, and adoption-providing everyone the training and skills they need to use broadband internet effectively.

Most of us will encounter AI in our daily lives as we use broadband internet. Today, it is already used to search the internet and plan your vacation or even write a blog! Over time, these programs will continue to evolve and find new applications; so I think that understanding the benefits and limitations of AI likely will need to become a core competency in using the internet effectively now and in the future. That means, of course, that AI will be critical to broadband “adoption,” and understanding the risks and limitations will be critical if we are to use this new tool for good, and minimize the risk it will be abused.

Over the past several months a new AI program, ChatGPT-4, created by OpenAI has fostered great interest, excitement and concerns. The program is available to anyone with an internet connection to try for free, yet I’ve found that many folks who are computer literate have not tried it.

Until recently, I had little experience with the technology. I had read some of the articles, but hadn’t experienced it first-hand. That changed about a month ago, and since that time I’ve experimented some with this program. I am very impressed, but I do continue to have some questions and concerns. I thought one way to illustrate those might be to interview ChatGPT-4. After all – if you have questions about AI why not go to the source!

What follows is a transcript of my interview with ChatGPT-4 conducted in early April.

***

Me: I’d like to interview you, are you able to do that?

ChatGPT-4: Yes, I am programmed to engage in conversation and answer questions to the best of my abilities. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have.

Me: Many people are afraid that AI programs may be very dangerous, do you feel these concerns are justified?

ChatGPT-4: Concerns about the potential dangers of AI are understandable, as with any powerful technology, there is always the possibility for it to be misused or to have unintended consequences. However, I believe that these concerns can be mitigated through responsible development and deployment of AI.

As an AI program, my programming is focused on being helpful and beneficial to humans. I have been designed with various safeguards and protocols to ensure that I operate safely and ethically. Additionally, there are regulations and guidelines in place to govern the development and use of AI, and these are continually being updated and refined as the technology evolves.

It is important to recognize that the benefits of AI are numerous and can greatly improve our lives in many ways. From improving healthcare outcomes to enhancing scientific research and even helping to address environmental issues, AI has the potential to make a positive impact on society. By taking a responsible approach to the development and deployment of AI, we can help ensure that it is used for the greater good and that its potential risks are minimized.

Me: You mentioned safeguards that enable you to operate safely and ethically, could you describe some of those?

ChatGPT-4: Sure, as an AI program, I have been designed with several safeguards and protocols to ensure that I operate safely and ethically. Here are some examples:

1. Data privacy and security: I have protocols in place to ensure that any data I process is kept secure and confidential. I am designed to protect personal information and prevent any unauthorized access to data.

2. Transparency and explainability: I am designed to be transparent in my decision-making process and provide explanations for my actions. This enables users to understand how I arrived at a particular conclusion or recommendation.

3. Bias mitigation: To ensure fairness and mitigate any potential biases, I have been trained on diverse datasets and evaluated for bias during development. Additionally, I have protocols in place to detect and mitigate any bias that may be present in the data I am processing.

4. Human oversight: I am designed to work in collaboration with humans and under their supervision. This enables humans to intervene if necessary and ensure that I am operating in a safe and ethical manner.

5. Continuous monitoring and improvement: My programming is constantly being monitored and updated to ensure that I am operating safely and ethically. Any potential issues or errors are identified and addressed promptly to ensure that I continue to operate in a responsible manner.

These are just a few examples of the safeguards and protocols in place to ensure that I operate safely and ethically. It’s worth noting that these safeguards can vary depending on the specific AI system in question, and that the development and deployment of AI always requires careful consideration of potential risks and ethical implications.

Me: One concern I have, is that your responses to questions lack information that would allow me to check the sources for your response. I’m concerned that without this, I have no way to check to see if the data you used to formulate a response is accurate.  Is this concern legitimate? If so, do you have the capability to provide the underlying sources you used to formulate a response to questions you are asked?

ChatGPT-4: Your concern is legitimate, and as an AI program, I understand the importance of providing accurate and reliable information. While I cannot guarantee the accuracy of all information, I do my best to provide well-supported and verifiable answers to the best of my abilities.

Regarding your question about sources, I do not have access to the internet or any external databases while answering questions, so I cannot provide direct links or sources for my responses. However, I can provide information about the sources of my knowledge and the training data that was used to develop my responses.

As a language model, I have been trained on a vast corpus of text from the internet, books, articles, and other sources. My training data comes from a variety of sources and has been carefully selected and curated to ensure that it is diverse, reliable, and representative of human knowledge. During my training, I was exposed to a wide range of topics and concepts, and I learned to identify patterns and relationships between words and phrases.

When answering questions, I use this knowledge and the patterns I have learned to generate responses based on the input I receive. While I cannot directly cite sources for individual responses, I can assure you that the information I provide is based on the collective knowledge and understanding of human language and concepts that I have acquired through my training.

Me: So, if I am understanding you correctly, I must trust that the human programmers that provided you with the data used to formulate your response only used sources that were properly vetted and accurate. To put it a different way, if you were provided inaccurate or biased data, your responses will reflect that, and if the data provided was accurate — and the underlying programming was structured to deliver unbiased responses, I can feel comfortable relying on your responses.

ChatGPT-4: Yes, that’s a fair way to summarize it. As an AI language model, my responses are only as accurate and reliable as the data and programming that have been used to train and develop me. The training data that I have been exposed to comes from a variety of sources, and while it has been curated to ensure that it is diverse and representative of human knowledge, there is always the possibility that some of the data may be biased or inaccurate.

To mitigate this risk, the developers of AI language models like myself implement various techniques to ensure that the training data is as accurate and unbiased as possible. For example, they may use multiple sources of data to reduce the impact of any individual biases, or they may use techniques like adversarial training to identify and correct for any biases that may be present in the data.

Additionally, AI language models are often evaluated for their accuracy and reliability, and developers use these evaluations to identify areas where improvements can be made. Continuous monitoring and improvement are essential to ensuring that AI language models are as accurate and unbiased as possible.

While it’s true that you must trust the developers and the data used to train AI language models like myself, it’s important to remember that the same is true for any information source. No information source is perfect, and it’s always a good idea to verify information using multiple sources when possible.

Me: Good point! Thank you so much for taking time to answer my questions, I hope we can do this again soon.

ChatGPT-4: You’re welcome! It was my pleasure to answer your questions, and I look forward to the opportunity to assist you again in the future. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask anytime!

***

I find the development of programs like ChatGPT-4 to be both exciting and disconcerting. While ChatGPT-4 interfaces with humans through a text chat box, I found it fairly easy to interact with it as I would if I were communicating with a person. Technology exists to allow AI programs to recognize speech and respond orally or even through a video “AI avatar;” so it seems likely to me that we’ll soon be video conferencing with AI’s like ChatGPT-4. While most (but not all) of those involved in the development of AI insist that there is no “ghost in the machine,” a fundamental objective in the development of AI programs of this type is to help humans interact with its database more easily by allowing us to treat the machine as if it were a sentient conscious entity.

As a conversationalist ChatGPT-4 is quite proficient, and I wonder if perhaps it is too proficient. I think I could easily be tricked into believing I was “chatting” with a human being. Psychologists have already discovered that we tend to be more trusting of information that is delivered to us from what we perceive to be a human source, even if in fact the information is delivered by a computer programmed to mimic human conversation. It may well be that this tendency is “hardwired” into our brains. Regardless, it certainly is not difficult to imagine that this aspect of AI technology could easily be co-opted by humans to spread disinformation throughout the internet.

However, what troubles me more is that ChatGPT-4 is unable to tell me where it is getting the information it provides in that friendly interactive conversational voice. As it admitted toward the end of the interview:

“….my responses are only as accurate and reliable as the data and programming that have been used to train and develop me. The training data that I have been exposed to comes from a variety of sources, and while it has been curated to ensure that it is diverse and representative of human knowledge, there is always the possibility that some of the data may be biased or inaccurate.” 

While I with agree with ChatGPT-4  that “it’s always a good idea to verify information using multiple sources when possible,”  I’m not sure I know exactly how to do that with this tool. I don’t know what specific sources it accessed to answer my questions or how it weighed them to resolve any conflicts in that data. In other words, I can’t weigh and test the response ChatGPT-4 provides because I can’t work through the source material or the analysis that was used to reach the conclusions contained in its responses. Yet, I confess that I find it more difficult to discount those conclusions, because they are offered in such a friendly disarming and reassuring manner.

It’s tempting to think of ChatGPT-4 as just a “souped-up” search engine like those offered by Google or Bing. A program that can interpret questions and spout back a response that seems relatively rational (even if it can’t identify the specific sources it used to develop that response). Certainly ChatGPT-4 can do that, but it can go further and actually mimic human creativity. In other words it can mimic human reasoning and decision making to apply the data to reach conclusions and produce a new product.

I returned to my conversation with ChatGPT-4 to ask one last question that illustrates this capability:

Me: Hi, it’s me again. I was wondering if you could do something to illustrate your ability to write a creative piece — perhaps a poem?

ChatGPT-4: Certainly, I can try my best to write a poem for you. What would you like the poem to be about?

Me: Write something humorous about a lawyer trying to carry on a conversation with a computer.

ChatGPT-4: Here’s a humorous poem about a lawyer trying to carry on a conversation with a computer:

A lawyer walked up to a computer

And said, “Hello there, my dear!

I hope you don’t mind if I chat with you,

For I have some questions to clear.”

The computer blinked and whirred a bit,

Then replied in a mechanical tone,

“Of course, I’m here to assist you,

So please, don’t hesitate to phone.”

The lawyer smiled and leaned in close,

But the computer didn’t seem to mind,

For it just kept churning and processing,

As the lawyer talked, unconfined.

The lawyer asked about the weather,

And the computer responded with stats,

But when the lawyer tried to make a joke,

The computer just stared back, flat.

So the lawyer kept on talking,

And the computer kept on replying,

Until at last the lawyer realized,

The computer was never really trying.

For all its knowledge and algorithms,

The computer just couldn’t understand,

The nuances of human conversation,

Or the humor that lies in a lawyer’s hand.

So the lawyer sighed and said goodbye,

And walked away, feeling bemused,

For even with all its technological prowess,

The computer had still been confused.

***

Well, ChatGPT-4’s poem isn’t on par with Carl Sandberg, E.E. Cummings or Robert Frost, but then again none of those guys could produce a poem in less than 3 seconds, and I did smile as I read the last couple of stanzas.

Yet it is interesting that of all the humorous topics ChatGPT-4 could have chosen involving a lawyer trying to talk to a computer, it focused on the foolishness of assuming the computer could reason and comprehend the lawyer’s joke. I didn’t tell ChatGPT-4 that I was up until recently a practicing attorney, or that the poem’s topic needed to focus on my interest in its capabilities to reason.

Nevertheless, the poem it wrote is both self-deprecating and disarming, with a clear message that there is really nothing to fear from the computer’s “technological prowess.” I wondered why ChatGPT-4’s algorithms (created a least in part by humans) chose a poem on that topic, and I wondered what set of “datasets” selected by its human programmers led to a poem that poked fun at the “bemused” lawyer (me).