FCC takes Gigabit access off the broadband speed goal board

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Ars Technica reports…

The Federal Communications Commission last week eliminated the gigabit speed goal established during the Biden administration and declared that current levels of broadband deployment in the US are acceptable. Though fiber networks have routinely offered such speeds for years, the FCC said the gigabit speed goal is not “technologically neutral,” suggesting that it isn’t fair to other, slower technologies.

In 2024, the FCC raised its broadband benchmark to 100Mbps downstream and 20Mbps upstream, setting the new standard by which to judge whether deployment is reasonable and timely. The FCC at the time also set a long-term speed goal of 1Gbps download speeds paired with 500Mbps upload speeds, saying it would use the goal “as a guidepost for evaluating our efforts to encourage deployment.”

Republican Brendan Carr, who is now the FCC chairman, never liked that long-term goal. He proposed abolishing it last year, and the change was finalized on August 14 in the FCC’s latest broadband deployment report. The reports are mandated by Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act.

“As part of our return to following the plain language of Section 706, we adopt our proposal from the Notice [of Inquiry] to abolish without replacement the long-term goal of 1,000/500 Mbps established in the 2024 Report,” the order said. “A long-term goal is not mentioned in Section 706 and could appear to violate our obligation to conduct our analysis in a technologically neutral manner. At present, it is impossible to predict long-term technological developments and the evolution of consumer preferences.”

The FCC said that comments submitted by cable industry group NCTA and wireless industry group CTIA “support our reasoning for abolishing the long-term goal.”

Doug Adams reports on final BEAD dollars and technology

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Broadband.IO reports…

Now that the last final proposal is approved, we’re finally able to tally just how much of the BEAD dollars will be deployed for direct connections and how much is non-deployment… or ‘savings’ as the NTIA continues to call them.

  • Total BSLs designated connectivity through BEAD: 3,739,925
  • BEAD funding approved by the NTIA using BOB guidance: $18B
  • Non-deployment dollars: $22.5B
  • Percentage of originally designated IIJA/BEAD dollars allocated: 44.25%

OPPORTUNITY: NDIA Trailblazer Applications Now Open!

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From the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA)…

NDIA is now accepting applications for the 2026 Digital Inclusion Trailblazers! Trailblazers are municipal, county, or regional governments recognized by NDIA for paving the way for excellent digital inclusion work and providing models for digitally inclusive communities committed to advancing digital equity.

“Striving for the NDIA Trailblazer indicators has helped focus and uplift our digital inclusion efforts while providing a wealth of insights from other communities to learn from. This program and our recognition have sparked new momentum and partnerships for digital equity in South Bend.” Patrick McGuire, Technology Equity Manager, City of South Bend

Apply to be a 2026 Trailblazer

LA Times looks into Meta’s $17-billion settlement and what it reveals about social media

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LA Times reports…

After months of hype and mere hours in front of the jury, California’s blockbuster suit against Meta ended on Wednesday with a sweeping $17-billion settlement and 130 pages of promised changes to the platforms.

Witnesses at the blink-and-you-miss-it Oakland trial echoed much of what had already been heard this year by juries in Los Angeles, Santa Fe and Nashville.

But the evidence presented during the proceedings still shed new light on social media’s seedy underbelly.

Internal documents show Meta knew for years that its youngest users were the most likely to be targeted by bullies, extortionists and sexual predators.

Arturo Béjar, an ex-Meta employee, described girls being threatened with rape, boys whose feeds were flooded with snuff films, and middle schoolers inundated with sexually explicit images. Vulnerable children were algorithmically force-fed images of starving bodies and hanging teddy bears, the former engineer said while testifying for plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Some steps have been taken moving forward…

Under the agreement, Meta must flag parents whenever accounts it has identified as likely to solicit youngsters for nudes and then leverage those images for blackmail start messaging their kids. It will also send alerts if kids interact with posts about suicide, eating disorders and self-harm.

Some parents might wonder why such policies had to be litigated at all. But legal experts said the agreement reflects what was likely weeks, if not months, of careful backroom horse-trading.

Not everyone agrees…

“This settlement agreement is basically the government coercing Meta into censoring users,” said Ari Cohn, free speech counsel at Tech Freedom. “These are things that the government could never legislate. The government could not set a bedtime for the 1st Amendment or limit free speech to two hours a day.”

Although children are more vulnerable than adults, they have the same right to free expression, he said. Efforts to protect them will inevitably spill into censorship of all users — now on the orders of the government.

Wright County Board to discuss “Satellite Ground Station” proposed for Rockford Township – apparently approved by the FCC

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KRWC reports…

The Wright County Board of Commissioners will meet later this week along with officials with the Wright County Attorney’s Office and possibly with township officials regarding a new technology front – “satellite ground stations.”

These facilities track satellites, communicate with spacecraft and process data between Earth and space. SpaceX and its subsidiary StarLink are currently in the process of locating eight satellite ground stations in the United States – four in Washington, one each in Wisconsin, California and Utah, and one here in Wright County, in Rockford Township.

Commissioner Nadine Schoen brought the item to the August 25th board meeting. She said that questions have been asked for months, but answers have been slow in coming – if at all…

“It has taken on its own history. It’s mounting. It’s kind of a snowball effect when people start finding out what is actually taking place and what rights are being taken away.”

Commissioner Kirby Moynagh questioned why such a project could be completed without any local oversight or buy-in, stating the Federal Communications Commission has given the project prior approval, thereby superseding local jurisdictions…

“They don’t require permits from the local government, the FCC says they can go in and do it and then they do it and nobody knows about it until after it’s installed.”

Commissioners are frustrated because of what appears to be a federally-approved project’s ability to sidestep local regulations. Officials say local zoning applications from lifelong Wright County residents require rigorous scrutiny, yet, it appears this project hasn’t been on the radar of any Minnesota regulatory authority until recently.

Earlier this month, Commissioner Schoen, along with representatives from the Association of Minnesota Counties and the Minnesota Public Broadband Alliance met with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, where concerns were raised as to how a private company could get the ability to place equipment in an agricultural zone without going through the county or township for permitting.

Rep Emmer talks about data centers, China and information

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Rep Emmer talks about data centers on FOX Business…

The description from the FOX website…

House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., discusses the debate over data center construction in the United States on ‘Kudlow.’

DIGIDAZE in St Paul aims to boost digital confidence for attendees

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KSTP reports…

Digital literacy takes center stage at St. Paul community fair amid statewide AI changes

Community members at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center attended DIGIDAZE on Saturday, a free community technology fair designed to boost digital confidence across St. Paul.

The event, presented by the Community Technology Empowerment Project (STEP), St. Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN) and AmeriCorps, offered hands‑on activities, refurbished devices, raffles and one‑on‑one help with computers, smartphones and online tools.

“Our goal is to bridge the digital gap,” said Dasiyah Franklin‑Carter, event co-organizer. She said digital literacy is becoming essential for families navigating schoolwork, job applications and everyday communication.

“I want people to leave with more confidence with using technology,” she said.

U of M students create AI-generated butter busts at the MN State Fair

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Something fun for a Sunday, KARE 11 cover the AI-generated butter busts at the Minnesota State Fair…

For generations, Minnesota State Fair visitors have watched Princess Kay of the Milky Way and her court have their likenesses carved into butter. On Saturday, some fairgoers got the chance to see what they might look like in butter, too, with a little help from artificial intelligence.

The University of Minnesota’s Data Science and AI Hub offered visitors the chance to create 3D-printed plastic “butter busts” of themselves as part of an effort to get people talking about AI.

Unfortunately, it was a one-day only event, but what a great way to get people to talking to about AI with experts and experts-in-the-making.

Fergus Falls denies data center rumors tied to RTC nondisclosure agreement (Otter Tail County)

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The Fergus Falls Daily Journal reports…

The Fergus Falls city administrator is pushing back on rumors that an NDA signed with a Dayton, Minnesota, company could pave the way for a data center at the Kirkbride building on the former Regional Treatment Center campus.

“I can say with certainty that the project related to the RTC does not and is not related to a data center,” City Administrator Andrew Bremseth said. “We see NDAs being used in other areas, where data centers are using that mechanism to try to get further down the process before people find out about it. That is not happening in this case. There’s no data center conversation happening around the RTC whatsoever. I can clearly say, without violating anything, that there is no data center proposed project.”

It’s difficult to know if this is speculation or just a concern following what’s happening in other communities…

The local rumors appear rooted in events in Pine Island, where city administrative staff — but not elected council members — signed NDAs with developer Ryan Companies in late 2024 as part of what became known as Project Skyway, a nearly 500-acre technology park north of Pine Island.

It does speak to the need for communities to prepare and/or discussion options for data center regulations or expectations in the community.

 

EVENT Sep 15, 2026: Thief River Falls City Council holds public meeting on data centers

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Grand Forks Herlad reports…

Increasing inquiries from data centers with an interest in Thief River Falls have resulted in the city announcing its intention to introduce an 18-month moratorium on data center-related projects.

Four to five prospective data centers have inquired with Thief River Falls representatives, but none materialized due to electrical cost demands. Time is needed, according to the city, to research and develop an ordinance to establish the standards for location, infrastructure, water, noise and rate-payer protection, among other factors.

It’s also to “protect the welfare of the residents of Thief River Falls,” according to City Council minutes.

“We all know supply and demand. If the supply for power goes up, so does the cost. I can’t see in good justice, or out of fairness to our taxpayers, turning around and saying ‘Sure, we’ll give this to you at cost,’” Thief River Falls Mayor Mike Lorenson said.

The council has set a date of Tuesday, Sept. 15, for consideration of adoption of an interim ordinance imposing a moratorium on the construction of a data center within the city limits. The vote to set a hearing date, or a moratorium, unanimously passed. A public hearing will take place at 5:30 p.m. that day.

Mayor of Farmington talks about situation with local data center (Dakota County)

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Sun This Week (Hometown Source) reports…

Farmington Mayor Nick Lien explained why the city will not pursue a one-year data center moratorium during the Aug. 17 City Council meeting.

Lien said if a moratorium were enacted, it would not apply to Tract, the developer of a 2.5 million-square-foot data center concept in Farmington, since the development had already received rezoning and planned unit development approval to place it outside the scope of a moratorium.

“Inver Grove Heights is living through the scenario of what would happen if the city did try to apply the moratorium to the Tract project. They did try this exact thing, and they are now facing a $20 million lawsuit, and are scrambling to exempt the current development from that moratorium,” Lien said.

He said the moratorium idea gives residents a false hope that the city and council could suddenly change its mind and undo the Tract project and rip up the contract.

Decisions had been made earlier…

Schmidt said the council approved a preliminary and final plat for Tract that includes a concept to build a 2.5 million-square-foot data center.

“Once that is done certain rights vest in an owner or an applicant in this case,” Schmidt said, referring to Tract and the Farmington School District, which owns land that is part of the potential data center development.

The Mayor is open to communication..

“I highly encourage those residents who feel as they would like to know more about our specific projects to attend, regardless of how strongly you feel one way or another about the data center topic in Farmington,” Lien said.

Lien also invites residents to ask questions and share concerns during his weekly open office hours from 3-4:30 p.m. Monday and 9-11 a.m. Friday at City Hall, 430 Third St. in downtown Farmington.

A quick look at AI, business and training from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

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The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis reports…

The number of businesses currently using AI shows there’s potentially many workers to be trained. But much of the training needed is likely to be basic because most businesses that use AI don’t appear to be doing very much with it.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 22 percent of U.S. businesses used AI as of the end of July 2026. That’s a 4 percentage point increase since the beginning of the year.

Around the Ninth District, the share of businesses currently using AI ranges from 14 percent in North Dakota to 22 percent in Montana (see figure).

It seems like there’s interest…

Business demand for AI training appears strong, though much of it appears to be from businesses that aren’t sure about how to use the technology.

“What we’ve seen so far is the [client] organization wants to equip their people to use AI, but they don’t necessarily have an enterprise-wide strategy yet,” said the University of Minnesota’s Jahnke. “So they’re wanting to equip their employees with the basic knowledge with particular emphasis on how to use it ethically and a basic understanding of how AI works.”

And it’s growing…

Demand for training in AI skills is likely to grow with businesses’ growing use of the technology.

Over the next six months, the share of U.S. businesses using AI is expected to increase by 3 percentage points compared with July, based on Census Bureau surveys.

Among most Ninth District states, the expected increase is about 2 percentage points. Montana and North Dakota expected a decrease due to a growing number who expressed doubt that they would still be using AI.

Despite the technology’s limited impact on employment so far, there is a simmering fear in the public that massive job losses are not far off. Experts disagree on whether this is realistic, and where they land depends on how much artificial intelligence they think can replace human intelligence, and how soon.

Ayush Chopra, who developed a simulation of AI impact on the labor market while a grad student at MIT, said he doesn’t expect a “job catastrophe.” The simulation found that, among states, South Dakota had the highest concentration of jobs exposed to AI disruption, such as those in finance. By “exposure” he means that those jobs contain more tasks where AI can enhance human labor, not replace it.

If AI can improve productivity, that’s not a bad thing for South Dakota given the labor shortage, according to Hultman. The state’s unemployment rate in June was 2 percent, the lowest in the nation.

City of Isanti data center moratorium is now one year (Isanti County)

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The Isanti-Chisago County Star reports…

The Isanti City Council is adjusting its moratorium on data centers down from 30 months to 12 months.

According to Community Development Director Stephanie Hillesheim, the maximum length of such a moratorium is 12 months.

“I know we discussed 30 months or 18 months, but it’s 12 months. That’s the longest we are allowed to put the moratorium on for,” Hillesheim said. “We have to be proving staff is working on an ordinance and doing research on it.”

Interestingly, Hillesheim said the urgency to decide whether to place a moratorium on data centers has increased since the topic first came up a couple of months ago.

The council approves…

The council unanimously approved the draft ordinance for a 12-month moratorium. Hillesheim said the draft will be posted for the required 10 days and will come back before the council at its next meeting for final approval.

Sen. Klobuchar Wins Distinguished Service Award her Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act is mentioned

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The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association reports…

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota has won NRECA’s 2026 Distinguished Service Award for championing electric cooperatives and the communities they serve throughout her nearly 20-year career in Congress.

Her work in broadband is mentioned…

As co-chairman of the Senate Broadband Caucus, Klobuchar introduced the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, “which invested billions in broadband infrastructure while preserving existing cooperative exemptions from federal pole attachment regulations,” Waller said.

“Her work ensured that electric cooperatives were competitive applicants in working to address the digital divide in rural communities.”

FOX9 asks NDSU professor why Upper Midwest appeals to data center developers

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This is an interesting discussion of the inherent advantages the Upper Midwest has for data center developers…

And a description of the video from FOX9…

As data centers expand across the region, questions remain about how much water and electricity they use and what that means for local communities. NDSU research specialist Bob Mayo joins us to break down the differences between facilities, the demands they place on infrastructure, and what the research shows.