Useful Tools

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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