Yesterday, Rhonda was on the BBC’s Business Matters discussing South Korea’s potential lawsuit against Netflix. Squid Games, Netflix’s most recent success, overwhelmed South Korea’s broadband. While some have questioned if such a lawsuit violates net neutrality, she questioned the impact on creativity. Will Netflix continue to purchase scripts they believe will be a hit? If not, what impact will that have on creativity for the next generation of artists?
She also mentioned that if South Korea is successful and Netflix has to pay more, the increase to customers is a short-run consequence. In the long run, innovation will improve the capacity of South Korea’s broadband. South Korea already has high rates of internet usage and speeds much faster than the rest of the world.
Broadband is also a hot topic on our side of the planet. Congress has been contemplating the demands of President Biden’s infrastructure bill. It feels inappropriate to have something that could, in theory, help so many individuals be dragged out so long. However, in the case of reliable and secure internet access- this infrastructure bill will not be enough to close the digital divide.
Accessibility and security go hand in hand. Providing access to broadband without emphasizing or having conversations about good cyber hygiene is a flawed approach. Closing the digital divide is about more than simply getting basic broadband access to individuals and families. We should demand a higher standard for all.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The Global Information Workforce Study shows that women make up roughly 22% of the cybersecurity workforce. This study also notes that, along with technological advancements, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is steadily increasing.
Women, an untapped resource, can help meet this demand if organizations work to engage, develop, and retain women in the field of cybersecurity and encourage non-STEM backgrounds to join the cybersecurity workforce by leveraging their multidisciplinary experiences.
Best,
Himaja
