What is Virtual Activism?

Virtual activism is by no means an alternative to physical or real-life activism. Rather, it is a fairly recent method that is developing exponentially with the development of the Internet.

• In recent years, nongovernmental organizations have become increasingly dependent on the Internet to promote their organizations' work
• NGOs depend on the Internet to enhance their ability at advocacy, especially through email alerts and listserves.
• A virtual culture has been created with its own ethics and standards, and methods of communication and interaction.

In some countries, where governments have closed down or limited the activities of nongovernmental organizations and civil society:

• The Internet became the only tool for maintaining the existence of those organizations.
• The web became a crucial tool for sharing information with like-minded organizations and informing the world of their precarious situations.
• Some organizations have taken their activities beyond the borders of their own countries and initiated a new - or maintained an old - Internet presence, hence keeping their activities and organizations alive.

Internet presence also has become

• An important fund-raising tool, and in some cases a necessity for securing grants.
• From a financial point of view, a web presence and the use of the internet could cut down on costs in the long run.
• Many organizations have eliminated costly publications and the print media, and have chosen to stay in contact with their members and audiences through emails and listserves.

Why virtualactivism.org?

With the constant evolution of internet technology, the gap between organizations that can afford such technology, and those that cannot continues to increase. It is no more clear than in the disparities in technological advancement between the Global North and the Global South. Prices for simple internet presence through websites are prohibitive for large, financially stable NGOs, not to mention the smaller NGOs, whether located in the North or the South. More significantly, women's organizations from the Global South are least represented on the Internet because of the lack of women in technology in the first place, and also for lack of technological know-how and skills.

Nonprofit organizations in particular are least represented on the Internet. Virtualactivism was developed to contribute towards closing this ever-increasing digital divide.

Why work with us?

As members of the NGO world ourselves, we, at Virtual Activism, understand the needs of organizations working on 'rights' and/or development issues. This encompasses human rights, social, economic and political rights, women's rights, etc. In addition to this expertise, we have the technological know-how and have developed the best techniques to promote NGO activities on the internet. We have developed methods to maximize a nonprofit organization's use of Internet technology in such a way as to fully reflect its programs and culture.

More importantly, Virtual Activism offers its services at no-charge for eligible NGOs. In addition, we offer training to enable organizations to become independent in their use of the web.

At Virtual Activism, we talk your language - the language of NGOs - rather than the sometimes incomprehensible jargon of computer technology. It is a language that will neither alienate nor intimidate people who are unfamiliar with the internet, yet will bring you closer to understanding it and dealing with it.

Virtual Activism is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization registered in Rhode Island, USA.