So We Might See, a national interfaith coalition for media justice, has started the Bring Betty Broadband campaign to raise awareness about the lack of access to high-speed internet for lower-income and rural Americans. The campaign highlights that only 35% of people earning $20,000 or less and 24% of rural residents have high-speed internet, compared to 88% of people earning over $100,000. Access to high-speed internet is increasingly important for tasks like job applications, communication, and accessing government services, and the digital divide is growing between those who have access and those who do not.

1. Bring Betty Broadband A campaign to raise awareness about the lack of high-speed internet access to lower income and rural Americans Started by So We Might See, or SWMS, a national interfaith coalition for media justice http:// www.uccfiles.com/swms / For more information about SWMS:

2. So We Might See A media reform group that traces its roots to the Civil Rights struggles of the 60’s. Includes: National Council of Churches The Disciples Action Network of the Christian Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Presbyterian News Service of the Presbyterian Church Islamic Society of North America U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops

3. Why the need? 88% of people earning $100,000 or more per year have high-speed internet. 35% of people earning $20,000 or less per year have high-speed internet. 24 % of people living in rural areas have high-speed internet. Access to high-speed internet is tied to race, income, and geographic location. More and more necessary information requires speed and constant connectivity: job applications email communication voter registration government documents The gap between the information “haves” and the “have nots” continues to grow.

4. Information from the Pew Internet and American Life Project

5. Links to More Information Bring Betty Broadband Home Site http://www.ucc.org/bring-betty-broadband/ Pew Internet and American Life Project http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2009/Home-Broadband-Adoption-2009.pdf SWMS http://www.uccfiles.com/swms/ Sign the letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce https://secure3.convio.net/ucc/site/Advocacy?cmd= display&page = UserAction&id =406