opinion
BY LISA SORIN
The internet is infrastructure. For
small businesses and consumers, especially
throughout the last year, the
value of equal access to online platforms
and reliable broadband connectivity
cannot be overstated. But
bridging the digital divide does not
just mean high-speed internet for all,
it also means equal access to opportunity
– the jobs of the future and skills
training, teaching business owners
and young people how to thrive online,
and ensuring community leaders
are free to make their voices
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BRONX TIMES R EPORTER, AUG. 6-12, 2021
heard.
These are no doubt issues that our
elected representatives have proven
committed to addressing. Unfortunately,
the approach some have taken
– from state legislatures to members
of Congress – is cause for concern.
This is why the Bronx Chamber of
Commerce joined the other fi ve borough
chambers of commerce in calling
on New York City’s Congressional
Delegation to halt a package of bills
aimed at splintering the technology
sector by radically altering antitrust
law.
As we recover from the pandemic,
now is hardly the time to risk limiting
our progress. The Bronx Chamber
is dedicated to increasing digital
adoption across the borough to ensure
that all businesses have the necessary
tools to succeed. According to
survey data, 73% of entrepreneurs believe
consumers will be less likely to
visit physical stores in the future.
In addition to the role internet-enabled
platforms play in our economy,
marginalized and underrepresented
communities have increasingly used
these tools to organize and enact
change, especially when it comes to
criminal justice and police reform.
But the digital landscape is facing a
slew of attacks from across the political
spectrum.
Earlier this year, a coalition of progressive
organizations sent a letter
to President Biden warning against
“uncareful efforts” to reform Section
230, which shields online platforms
from being sued for content created
by users. “Lawmakers must consider
the intersectional consequence that
this will have on activists, sex workers,
Black and brown communities,
Photo courtesy Getty Images
Muslim communities, LGBTQ+ folks,
disabled people and other marginalized
communities before they make
a change that could profoundly alter
the state of digital free speech and human
rights,” they wrote.
Indeed, social media has the power
to amplify important causes and has
become a platform for underrepresented
groups. For instance, every
June, LGBTQ+ voices and allies rally
online to celebrate Pride Month. And
in the wake of George Floyd’s murder
last summer, millions turned to social
media to demand justice, with a
recent study showing a strong correlation
between social media activity
and government action on criminal
justice reform.
But the unintended consequences
of anti-tech legislating do not end
with online content moderation. The
conversation in D.C. surrounding
these antitrust bills could very well
impact New York’s local technology
sector, which employs hundreds of
thousands of residents and has continued
to hire, and invest in offi ce
space, even during the pandemic.
Fostering competition and growth
has been the cornerstone of the innovative
ecosystem we’ve worked hard
to build in the Bronx and throughout
the city. However, should some
of these misguided bills become law,
many startups may be forced to accept
less lucrative deals and forgo venture
funding altogether.
The need to deploy reason in debating
technology issues has never been
clearer. The spread of misinformation,
the voices of marginalized communities,
and equitable economic recovery
are all on the line. The details
of future policies – which are quite
literally the policies of our future –
should be hashed out with the shared
interest of consumers and local communities
in mind. Refl exive action
against tech companies should be replaced
by a thoughtful approach that
recognizes the need to continue enabling
community growth and progress
via the infrastructure of today’s
online environment.
Lisa Sorin is the president of the
Bronx Chamber of Commerce.
12 REPORTER,BTR
Lawmakers must consider small
businesses, local communities when
crafting tech policy
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