Without you, there is no Internet. The Internet is so much more than just devices connecting to each other; it’s a place for all of us to come together to share information, experiences, and ideas.
Everyone who uses the Internet has made it into what it is today through creativity, advocacy, insights, connections—the list is as long as everything we have ever shared online!
Over the past six weeks, we have dug into the different groups that help run the Internet, their unique roles in the Internet ecosystem, and some of their key players. But to make change and do their jobs the best they can, all of these groups rely on Internet users. Meaning you.
How would standard setters know which issues need fixing without your input? How would innovators know what to create without users expressing what they need? How would educators share their knowledge without an audience? How would nonprofits that rely on online volunteers be able to operate? The power of users transcends industry, category, and group. You are needed everywhere!
Civil society is a diverse community of not-for-profit organizations that primarily work in the public interest, often advocating for specific groups and communities. In general, it is a by-the-people, for-the-people approach to tackling issues and making positive social change.
Internet civil society groups include grassroots movements, media, youth, Indigenous peoples, thinktanks, education and research groups, and more. The Internet Society is an example of a civil society organization as well—we advocate for a safe, globally connected, resilient Internet.
Civil society is a crucial part of the Internet ecosystem, as it represents the people and builds avenues for everyday users to get involved in the Internet governance community.
We couldn’t be prouder of our global community of Internet Society chapters, individual members, organization members, special interest groups, and staff.
Anyone can join the Internet Society, and what groups you join and how involved you are is up to you. With no barriers to entry, everyone has a voice in our community.
Together with our global community of volunteers—people just like you! —we have connected communities to the Internet, funded critical Internet infrastructure, defended the Internet against legislative threats, and trained more than 140,000 learners.
When you use the Internet, there are endless possibilities at your fingertips. You can connect a community to the Internet, take online courses and learn a new skill, earn money as a remote worker, or address health concerns with a doctor at a telehealth appointment, just to name a few. This is why everyone deserves the opportunity to be an Internet user, and why we have made it our mission to create an Internet for everyone. (Internet Society)
How YOU run the Internet
