Chromebook conundrum?

The idea of digital equity, while undoubtedly important throughout the world, is particularly relevant to our deeply segregated city, where 40% of households lack wireline internet. Fortunately, many residents and institutions have taken the local government's goal of ending Baltimore's digital divide by 2030 quite seriously. 

For instance, the Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition and Enoch Pratt Free Library recently announced that Dell Technologies donated 1,000 Chromebooks for students in the library system's programs. According to a press release, the library system will also create an education program for children and families to learn how to best use these devices for accessing the library's free services. They'll receive the computers after completing this course, per the statement.

The idea that influential institutions partnered to provide city residents with free computers and digital literacy training is worth celebrating. At the same time, this announcement raises some uncomfortable questions about intentions and impact. 

Should companies like Dell be doing more to bridge the digital divide than giving out laptops? Does this make a reasonable dent when nearly 96,000 residents can't even link these computers to wireline internet at home? How will the Free Library even know if the Chromebooks are reaching those who need them most? What's stopping anybody from grabbing a laptop and selling it? Have we better solutions than depending on the fickle generosity of tech giants who, based at least on their market value, could probably do more if they wanted? 

If you have any thoughts on these or any other possible conundrums that this program raises, let us know by replying to this email or sending a note to baltimore@technical.ly.

— Technical.ly editor Sameer Rao (sameer@technical.ly)