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Pennsylvania Wi-Fi digital signage kiosks face possible fines for advertising

March 6, 2019

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials told Philadelphia's mayor and city council that the Wi-Fi kiosks the city is installing could violate rules that prohibit advertising along federal and state roads. The violation could deny the city millions of dollars' worth of government funds, according to a govtech.com report.

George McAuley, the state's deputy secretary for highway administration, sent a letter to the mayor and council president stating the kiosks could be viewed as outdoor advertising devices that are regulated by the department of transportation.

The letter arrived after Intersection, the media company providing the kiosks, had installed some of the 100 LinkPHL kiosks planned for the city. The Wi-Fi kiosks include cell phone charging ports, phones that can make domestic calls and screens displaying information such as weather forecasts, all supported by digital advertising.

Pennsylvania usually gets over $1.6 billion annually in federal highway funds, according to the DOT, meaning it would lose at least $160 million if it were penalized by 10 percent.