Association for Progressive Communications: Difference between revisions

The '''Association for Progressive Communications''' (APC) is a nonprofit organization that aims to make internet access more widely available and to work for a free and open internet.<ref>[http://www.apc.org/en/about APC about] Retrieved 12/21/14.</ref>

APC’s strength lies in the fact that we don’t get excited about the internet for the internet’s sake. We are committed activists who want to use it to make the world a better place. We help people get access to the internet where there is none or it is unaffordable, we help grassroots groups use the technology to develop their communities and further their rights, and we work to make sure that government policies related to information and communication serve the best interests of the general population, especially people living in developing countries.

APC is both a network and an organisation. [https://www.apc.org/en/members/ APC members] are groups working in their own countries to advance the same mission as APC. The membership define APC’s strategic priorities every five years. APC has a small staff, each living in different countries and communicating day-to-day over the internet. APC’s value and uniqueness come from the local perspectives and contact with grassroots organisations that we gain from our members and the fact that we operate as a truly virtual, international organisation.

'''How we work'''

We organise our work in three programme areas:

Our strongest activities are often those taking place at the local or national level where the real impact can be felt, and from which the network can learn and replicate regionally or internationally. We work best when we can really work as a network – i.e., programmes and members work together to conceptualise projects and campaigns and then implement them together.

Established by our international membership, APC the worldwide network has committed to:

APC helps people get access to the internet where there is none or it is unaffordable, we help grassroots groups use the technology to develop their communities and further their rights, and we work to make sure that government policies related to information and communication serve the best interests of the general population, especially people living in developing countries. In all of our work we encourage people to network as a means of making other activities more sustainable. If people share their experiences and skills they have greater value over a longer period and often create a ripple effect.

'''Our topics'''

* Access to internet: internet infrastructure, wireless technology.

We were founded in 1990, and operated legally as a partner of the Tides Foundation until 1998, when we were incorporated as a nonprofit under section 501( c ) (3), public charity status 170 (b) (1) (A) (vi) state of California, USA. APC is governed according to the nonprofit regulations of the State of California, even though we are an international network.

Consultative status to the United Nations. We are an active participant in high level international ICT policy discussions, and were granted category one consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1995.