FCC may kill $2B program that connects schools and libraries to Internet

The Federal Communications Commission was roundly criticized today for proposing to scale back or eliminate E-Rate, a $2 billion-a-year Universal Service program that provides discounts for telecom services and equipment in schools and libraries. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said E-Rate should be changed because students are getting too much screen time. He led a 2-1 vote to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes changes and asks the public to comment on them. "Over the last decade, school districts across the country experimented with a massive increase in screen time for students," Carr said at today's meeting. Read full article Comments — Source: Ars Technica 🔗 https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/fcc-may-kill-2b-program-that-connects-schools-and-libraries-to-internet/