Useful Tools

➡️ ONLINE TOOLS for Activists, NGOs & Engaged Citizens

The internet can be a daunting place, especially for those looking to do good in the world. With Better World Info, you can 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.

Jump straight to our platform for ➡️ Online Tools

Explore our comprehensive guides on -

• Social Media - Words of Caution, Guides, Tools for Activists & Campaigners

• Useful Online Services - Finance, Travel, Work

• Major City Guides

• Artificial Intelligence, Cybercrime, Internet Governance, Freedom & Data Privacy

• Online Campaigns to Follow & Support

• Tools for Activists

• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) for a Better World

• Initiatives to Support & Our Highlights

• Wisdom & World History

Explore our in depth guides to the worlds most pressing topics such as peace, nuclear disarmament, the arms trade, the war on Gaza, 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 more.

Follow our X/Twitter lists 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 network like-minded people towards our shared 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.

Resources & Tools for Activists

Activism, campaigning, and getting your voice heard have 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 report 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 have notably grown in the last few decades, and 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 demonstrations in Hong Kong, the #MeToo campaign against sexual violence, and the LGBTQI+ movement.

Guide to Social Media & 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 that push content on users they have already engaged with. This can lead to a one-sided view of important topics as readers have their opinions reaffirmed.

In our words of caution section, learn 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 cyberbullying, online harassment, unwanted sharing of explicit images, and the spreading of malicious rumours have become much more commonplace.

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. This data 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 suspending 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 worldwide are classified 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, and internet freedom. Further information can also be found on the digital divide, internet governance, net neutrality, and online privacy.

Digital Education & 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 homes.

The pandemic 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 Open Online 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 retention rates as learners maintain interest, are less distracted, and can integrate 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 can network, share their expertise, and promote worthy causes, we can all help 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 (Updated 07.05.25) licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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