Yahoo Boosts Social Activism, Launches “Internet for Good” Awards

Yahoo and Public Affairs Asia have launched the Yahoo Gold Standard Internet for Good Awards, which recognizes excellence in internet usage by organizations or individuals in promoting a charity, encouraging community involvement, and having a positive impact on the world. Public Affairs Asia is a regional coalition of professionals involved in policy making and legislation. With this event, Yahoo believes that the internet has become an important tool for positive social change.

Before this Internet for Good campaign, Yahoo already engaged in similar campaigns throughout Asia, such as Yahoo Buka Dunia (Yahoo Open World) in Indonesia, PC for Life in Vietnam, and Purple Hope in Singapore.

The head of public affairs for Yahoo Asia Pacific, Kuek Yu Chuang, said that this campaign will expand Yahoo’s brand value to make it more humane, innovative, relevant, and fun.

Trustworthy products from Yahoo such as Yahoo Mail, Messenger, Flickr, Yahoo Blogs, and other products, and property news, and entertainment has become an integral part of the online community in Asia, which enables users to read the news, connect and communicate with friends and family to discover new things they did not know before.

The Yahoo Gold Standard “Internet for Good” Awards is open for the community, workers, charities, consultants, business groups, embassies, government organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the general public in the Asia Pacific region. To enter, you can visit the Public Affairs Asia website. No registration fee is needed for NGOs, communities, and charitable organizations. Other groups need to pay $200 for each submission. Entries must be lodged by September 28, 2012.

To be considered, you have to submit an essay of 1,000 words at most, to explain how your project has succeeded by using the internet or social media. Business and government leaders will be the jury, led by chairman of the Gold Standard Award and director of Public Affairs at KKR Asia Pacific, Steven R. Okun.