Connecting the people: The San Francisco Chapter recently received a Beyond the Net Grant from the Internet Society Foundation and will use it to help bring high-quality Internet service to more than 9,000 Native Americans in in a remote area of southern California. The grant will be used to extend wireless service about seven miles further into tribal lands.
Campaign against disinformation: The Netherlands Chapter is working with the artificial intelligence-powered KRINO Project to fight fake news online. KRINO will be able to analyze online content, including political statements, social media posts, and even medical information, but with humans reviewing its recommendations. The AI-based tool is in development, and the chapter’s Make Media Great Again Working Group will help fine tune the tool.
How the Internet works: Recently, two Internet Society chapters have hosted Internet-related training programs for members of the community. The Mali Chapter hosted the first edition of the Mali School of Internet Governance, with 46 people, including lawyers, engineers, law enforcement officers, and students, participating. The goal of the training is to give participants the knowledge and confidence to participate effectively in Internet governance processes and debates at regional, national, and international levels.
Digital literacy: The Panama Chapter recently hosted a training session on basic digital skills for 10 leaders of Indigenous communities of the Emberá ethnic group. Participants were taught about the parts and functions of a computer, how to create and use emails, and office applications, among other things.
Securing the Internet: The Benin Chapter is focusing on cybersecurity over the next year. The chapter will run three major projects during the year. Internet Privacy Week will focus on raising awareness about online privacy. The Benin Routing Security Initiative will push for the implementation of MANRS good practices by operators. Shaping the Local Technical Community, meanwhile, hopes to energize the BJ NOG, a group of network operators in the country.
Explore this year’s Chapterthon projects to see how our members are using the power of the Internet to better lives. Then download the project blueprints to make a difference in your community and throughout the world!