The Digital New Deal series on Civic Infrastructure introduces ideas for policymakers, civil society, and technology companies to address the “civic deficit” in mature democracies whose people are increasingly angry, distrustful, and misinformed. It builds on the foundation laid by our Roadmap for Safeguarding Democracy. The papers lay out a “full stack” approach to civic infrastructure, going beyond the supply of news to explore other elements below the content layer, including anchor institutions, digital applications, protocols and standards, and the need for universal broadband infrastructure to close service gaps that have left too many in rural and low-income communities without access. Together, they demonstrate how investment in the full stack of civic infrastructure is deeply part of the American tradition, and is required to update the original vision of a public service media fit for a self-governing people.

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