Child safety and digital literacy are among the top objectives of a new and sweeping national broadband plan proposed by the Federal Communications Commission.
Enterprise Networking Planet details FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s sneak peek at a highly anticipated broadband plan that will surely have vast implications for the information technology and broadcasting industries.
Among other components, Genachowski said the broadband plan will call for the creation of a national digital literacy corps to develop community-based training programs, as well as an online portal offering computing classes for teachers, students and others.
It outlines a strategy to educate kids about potential dangers online and teach them critical thinking skills that will help them differentiate between fact and fiction on the various Internet sites they visit.
When the Federal Communications Commission presents its national broadband plan to Congress next week, it will outline several proposals to drive online learning and boost digital literacy among children, including a concerted effort to address Internet safety.
“If you’re a parent who thinks change is scary, the digital revolution can be like The Shining,” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in an address Friday previewing the broadband plan’s recommendations for children and families.
“Parents are asking themselves whether they should be embracing new technologies or worrying about them. The answer is we have to do both.”
