Useful Tools

Image from above of three women sitting on a sofa around a silver laptop. You can not see the girls lfaces, only their legs and their arms which are pointing at the screen
Unsplash | John Schnobrich

ONLINE TOOLS for Activists, NGOs, and Engaged Citizens

The internet can be a daunting place, Better World Info’s ➡️ platform for useful tools is here to help you locate only the most reliable information, to skip past fake news, endless advertisements, and paywalls to find the resources that really matter – the ones that are helping us to make the world a better place.

We provide over 10,000 resources specifically for NGO’s, activists, campaigners, educators, and engaged citizens. These must-have tools are essential for networking, connecting with excellent initiatives, and becoming involved with online activism.

Discover guides to social media, search engines, online services such as software and antivirus tools, online learning, cybercrime, fighting censorship, data privacy, tools for campaigning and social change, and staying safe online. We even offer everyday online services such as job sites, major city guides, information on financial markets, words of wisdom, and historical information.

 

Diagram showing the estimated amount of data created on the internet in one minute
Statista | CC BY-ND 4.0

Make sure to check out our highlights where we have carefully collated the very best of our website. We feature in depth guides on important topics such as peace, nuclear disarmament, the arms trade, the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, coronavirus, political guides to the U.S. and the UK, economic inequality, military budgets, real news, refugees and migrants, the climate crisis, human rights, and many more.

We recommend following our Twitter lists which are an excellent way to stay up to date on the issues that matter to you most. Sorted by category, they include experts and organisations from fields which cover the world's most pressing issues.

German speakers should visit our partner site Bessere Welt Info for more than 12,000 links on Allgemeine Infos from a European perspective.

"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family" - Kofi Annan

Better World Info is here to inform, educate, raise awareness, spread positivity, and to network likeminded people towards our common goal of helping to create a better world for future generations. By separating the wheat from the chuff, we save you time and allow you to focus on the issues which are most important to you.

 

Young woman with wavy auburn hair hold a megaphone upto her mouth
Unsplash | Clem Onojeghuo

Resources and Tools for Activists

Activism, campaigning, and getting your voice heard has never been easier with Better World Info’s guide for those committed to human rights, social justice, environmental protection, peace, and making this world a better place.

Find essential toolkits, training resources, advice for NGOs and nonprofits, information on leadership, communication, social and grassroots movements, digital activism, and social change.

As technologies advance and encroach on their users it is becoming more and more difficult to protect ourselves online. Activists in particular are vulnerable to threats, smear campaigns, and harassment. Almost 70% of environmental organisations in the global south reported either physical or digital surveillance. This form of slow violence impedes progress, aims to silence and oppress, and can have serious mental health implications. Internet and email privacy are paramount in staying safe and keeping your data private.

Proven to be a strong force for building collective action and mobilising communities, social media advocacy is successful due to its easy accessibility, speed of communication, and the ability to reach vast numbers of people in every corner of the world. It can provide a safe space for people to speak freely and to become empowered.

Discover our extensive collection of campaigns and advocacy organisations from around the world to inspire your journey. We especially recommend our toolkit on social media advocacy allowing you to better promote your cause, build relationships, and gain support.

Partly influenced by online activism, the frequency and duration of protests has notably grown in the last few decades, they are also becoming increasingly global. From 2009 to 2019 the world saw an increase in mass protests of 11.5%.

Excellent examples of how online activism can be used to spread ideas globally, make our collective voices heard, and instigate change include the Palestinian solidarity protests, the Black Lives Matter campaign, the climate movement, pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, the #MeToo campaign against sexual violence, and the LGBTQI+ movement.

 

Collage of many different social media icons including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
Ibrahim.ID | CC BY-SA 4.0

Guide to Social Media and the Internet 

  • SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT

Social media can be an excellent tool for networking, staying informed, finding events, and to aid online activism. We feature essential guides and online courses to help beginners get started, as well as must-have information on how non-profits and NGOs can use social platforms to their advantage.

Almost 62% of adults now use social media as their primary news source. Without media literacy skills, users can easily mistake fiction for fact. Biases are also created by algorithms which push content on users that they have already enganged with. This can lead to a one-sided view of important topics as readers have their opinions reaffirmed back to them.

In our words of caution section learn about how social media corporations can use our digital footprints for data mining, manipulation, and surveillance. Learn how microtargeting and filter bubbles are threatening democracy.

We also feature important information on social media addiction, its impact on mental health particularly in adolescents, and how it can contribute to a loss of productivity. Mental health concerns in children have been increasing since the release of smartphones. Between 2005 and 2017 symptoms of major depression in young people increased by 52%.

Studies show that spending more than 3 hours a day on social media puts young people at higher risk of developing mental health issues. Social media addiction has been explained by the dopamine reward loop whereby users receive positive feedback in the form of likes and notifications.

Instances of cyber bullying, online harassment, unwanted sharing of explicit images, and the spreading of malicious rumours have become much more commonplace.

 

A phone displaying the logo of Cambridge Analytica is held up infront of a large screen showing the blue log in page for Facebook
Flickr | Book Catalog

Find comprehensive guides to all major social media platforms including criticism, use as publishing platform, and alternatives available. Facebook in 2018 became embroiled in the Cambridge Analytica scandal whereby 87 million Facebook profiles were the victims of data harvesting. Data which was then used to influence the U.S. 2016 Presidential election.

In our guide to X (formerly Twitter) we feature the implications of the Elon Musk takeover, and how the platform became the number one social network for spreading disinformation. It is also under fire for the suspension of journalist profiles, restrictions on viewing posts, and complicity in government censorship requests.

  • NAVIGATING THE INTERNET

Digital illiteracy and lack of access are major barriers to employment opportunities, the spread of knowledge, and increased connectivity with the world and global ideas. 21% of adults in the world are classed as computer illiterate, and this issue is not exclusive to developing nations, in the U.S. for example this figure remains high at 16%.

Discover a wealth of free resources to help people of all skill levels access the information they need. From basic information on internet browsers, and home pages to more in-depth coverage of the impact of artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, cybercrime, internet freedom – at Better World Info you will find it all. Further information can also be found on the digital divide, internet governance, net neutrality, and online privacy.

 

A girl sits at a desk looking at her laptop where there is a class being presented online. She has a notepad and a pen and the teacher is standing infront of a blackboard.
Brian J. Matis | CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

Digital Education and eLearning

Prior to the covid-19 pandemic distance learning was already growing in popularity. It is a flexible and affordable option for people of all ages, backgrounds, and financial situations to improve their skills and employment prospects in the comfort of their own home.

The pandemic of course forced many learners off campus and into online classrooms. In 2019, 35% of college and university students in the U.S. almost 6.9 million were enrolled in some form of distance education.

We have collated some of the best options for this type of learning including a comprehensive resource on MOOCS (Massive Online Open Courses) which offer a huge variety of courses in many future related fields and are often free. Highlights include courses on the environment and sustainability, international relations, human rights, and management.

Learn about other options for digital learning in peace education, international development, and the many other forms of adult education available.

Online learning means that many traditional barriers to knowledge have been removed. Courses are flexible, less time consuming, and are even better for the environment. Digital learning also boasts higher rates of retention as learners maintain interest, are less distracted, and are able to work studying around other commitments.

Useful Tools for a Better World

While the internet can seem like a swamp filled with fake news, scams, and unreliable sources, Better World Info offers you a way to search for information privately, without advertisements, with no commercial, religious, or political interests, and free of charge – always with our vision of a better world in mind.

We invite you to find excellent initiatives to support, petitions where you can make your voice heard, use the internet for a better world, campaign for the issues that matter to you, and help raise awareness of important global issues.

By following our social media accounts on X, Facebook, and Instagram it is easy to stay up to date on key developments in peace, social justice, human rights, and much more.

Better World Info is an open participation platform and we invite experts, activists, and citizens to contribute their knowledge. By creating a space where people are free to network, share their expertise, and promote worthy causes we can all help to create a better world.

“The internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow” - Bill Gates

Author: Rachael Mellor, 12.12.23 licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0

For further information on Useful Tools see below  ⬇️

Hot Topics

Meta logo
Pixabay | CC0

Twitter-Threads standoff

Promising a "kind space", Meta launched the Instagram-twitter hybrid and more than 30 million people have already signed up. Meta has taken advantage of Twitter's stumble following Musk's acquisition. In response, Twitter has threatened to sue Meta for "systematic, willful and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter's intellectual property".

Twitter-Threads standoff
Symbol of social media site Mastodon. A white letter 'm' sits inside a large blue speech mark
Free SVG | Public Domain

Mastodon – The New Twitter?

Since Elon Musk’s chaotic take over Twitter, social media users are flocking to alternatives. Concerns over Twitters policy on free speech, content moderation, and having to dig through mountains of advertisements to find content from the accounts they actually follow have left users weary. Mastodon is decentralised and has no corporate interests. They do not use algorithms, and your data will remain completely private. With more than 70,000 new sign ups to the site after Musk’s deal closed, is this the end of corporate social media we have come to love and hate?

Mastodon – The New Twitter?

MOOCs

Massive open online courses are free courses offered online with unlimited participation. They provide an affordable and flexible way for you to learn new skills, advance in your career objectives and deliver quality educational experiences.

MOOCs
Graphic of a white man in a suit standing infront of a bird cage where the Twitter symbol is flying out
Pixabay | Mohamed_hassan

Elon Musk Twitter Deal

In April 2022 Elon Musk proposed to buy out social media giant Twitter for $44 billion. Previously he stood on the board directors as the company's single largest shareholder. The buyout deal remains ongoing, and details around his plans for the site remain elusive. Twitter would become a private company that is for sure, and Musk has suggested the need for increased transparency and the removal of spam bots. Concerns regarding democracy have been raised about the reinstating of banned accounts, and the potential for moderation to be neglected.

Elon Musk Twitter Deal
Blue and white Facebook app logo half submerged in dark murky water to give drowning effect
Flickr | Mkhmarketing

Frances Haugen - 2021 Facebook Whistleblower

The former civic integrity team member for Facebook, who upon her resignation took a series of documents to the Wall Street Journal citing serious profit over safety concerns - referred to as the Facebook Files. The US Senate heard about differential treatment for politicians and celebrities, a shareholder lawsuit, and failure to report findings of toxic impacts on teenager users of Instagram. Haugen is now pressing the government for more regulation and to hold Zuckerberg accountable.

Frances Haugen - 2021 Facebook Whistleblower
Anna Langova

What can you do?

Have you ever asked yourself: How can I make a difference? If today every one of us did one good thing to make the world a better place, billions of good acts would take place around the world everyday.

What can you do?
Public Domain

Campaigns

If you are interested in being part of a campaign or would like information about events near you, check out the extensive catalog of campaigns and events available on our website. Here you will find many different options, conveniently organized by topic.

Campaigns
Public Domain

Human Connection Network

Human connection is a non-profit social knowledge and action network. They have the mission of preserving human dignity and creating a better future for all. If you are someone interested in civil social engagement, this is a great tool for you!  

Human Connection Network
Nevit Dilmen

Positive Thinking

Positive thinking is a concept that shows that you can positively change your life by just having good thoughts. It won’t change the world around you, but it can help you adjust your perceptions and reactions to everyday things and improve your well-being.

Positive Thinking
White man in black and pink yelling into a emgaphone infront of a huge world map
Pixabay | mohamed_hassan

International Campaigning

Campaigning is an innovative instrument that has become one of the most helpful tools to organise and raise awareness on important subjects. Find out here about great campaigns taking place right now.

International Campaigning

Recommended content

J.L.

Support us!

Better World Info

Better World Info aims to provide you with a broad and balanced blend of free links across a variety of topics to help you make informed decisions and affect positive change in this world. Find here how can you help us continue our work.

Featured Organisation of the Month

Tactical Tech Collective

If you are interested in the way digital technologies can change a society, check out this organisation working to intersect technology with human rights and civil liberties. 

Featured Online Resource of the Month

Beautiful Rising

Beautiful Rising shares tools to approach activism and social movements in a more creative and effective way. It bases its work on “pattern language”.

Privacy
The controller (Dr. Norbert Stute, Austria) would like to use the following services in order to process your personal data. Technologies such as cookies, localStorage, etc. can be used for personalization. This is not necessary for the use of the website, but allows us to interact with you more closely. Please select, if appropriate, the following options: