AARP reports on how low-income former Affordable Connectivity Program recipients use the Internet…

When the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ended in April 2024, a well-known financial juggling act ensued.

Low-income recipients, now left to pay for their internet services without assistance from the federal program, shuffled payments, negotiated discounts, haggled, and stretched their limited financial resources to remain connected, a recent AARP study showed.

Using interviews, in-home observations, and video diaries to understand how people adapted once the $30 monthly benefit disappeared, the study highlighted how former ACP recipients reacted to the loss of help with a utility that has become commonplace in nearly every societal activity.  Researchers conducted interviews with a dozen former ACP recipients age 50-plus, including six who were interviewed in 2023.

Here’s a collection of one of their videos. There are several in the article.