Thursday, January 7, 2010

Google Award to Honor Freedom of Expression

Google with partnering organizations has set up an award called Breaking Borders to recognize “outstanding webprojects by individuals or groups who have shown courage, energy and resourcefulness in using the internet to promote freedom of expression, making us aware of diverse political viewpoints and standing up to those who censor information.” Google says the prize is split up into three categories, each of which worth $10,000: “Tools that promote Freedom of Expression, outstanding work on Policy” and “Activism or Journalism that contributed an important voice or argument”.

If you want to participate, you can nominate a project of yourself or of someone else until February 15... anything on the web that you consider “has helped promote the free circulation of ideas, stood up against censorship, helped local communities, raised awareness about a specific issue or cause, mobilised government or supported silenced voices.”

Recently, Google also stated their intent to donate to organizations like Reporters Without Borders and Global Voices, fullfilling a double role of both working against censorship and freedom of expression, as well as working with censors in certain countries like Germany and China. I wonder how the jury will deal with nominations which reflect on Google-related issues, say, a website detailing which URLs are self-censored at Google China – information which Google themselves does not offer to people?

[Thanks Juha-Matti Laurio!]

Google Award to Honor Fre ... by Philipp Lenssen | Comments (1+2)

>> More posts

Advertisement