Around the world, one in every three people has no reliable access to the internet. Unequal access to the internet creates digital divides that can limit civic participation, undermine access to education and healthcare, and deepen inequality. It can also reduce innovation, industrial growth, and economic output. Reducing digital divides is recognized as essential for progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, as reaffirmed by the more recent Global Digital Compact, 2024. However, this goal could be threatened by the controversial…