Over the past two years, millions of people throughout Asia-Pacific have started using the internet for the first time, lifting the region’s online population to more than 2.5 billion. This wave of digital adoption has created new opportunities, helping people communicate, find information, and access vital services like health and education. But it’s also reinforced the need for vigilance in the face of a growing range of threats to online safety and privacy. Google Search reflects people’s concerns, with trends showing that
Partnerships to build a safer internet in Asia Pacific
This year, through Google.org — Google’s philanthropic arm — we’re supporting nonprofit organizations in Asia-Pacific with approximately $5 million in grant funding to raise awareness about security and media literacy and promote positive online habits among underserved communities. This builds on the more than $11 million that Google.org has committed to digital responsibility initiatives over the past five years. Organizations Google.org has supported include Maarif Institute — whose Tular Nalar program with MAFINDO and Love Frankie is helping educators and young people in Indonesia become more media-literate — and Internews in India, whose FactShala initiative with Data Leads is helping people evaluate online information critically.
With the new funding from Google.org, we aim to help nonprofits give more people in every part of the region access to such educational opportunities. Together with the investments we’ll continue making to safeguard our own tools and platforms, we hope these efforts will contribute to global progress towards a safer internet for everyone.
