Amidst all the threats to press freedom, here's some good news: the Breaking Borders Award, jointly organized by Google and international citizen journalism website Global Voices and supported by Thomson Reuters. The award is presented to outstanding online projects that show courage, energy and resourcefulness in using the internet to promote freedom of expression and stand up to those who censor information.

Three categories of the prize are awarded: tools that promote freedom of expression, outstanding work on policy, and activism or journalism that contributed an important voice or argument. The winner of each category receives $10,000.
Indeed, there has been so much interest in the awards that the deadline for nominations has been extended to February 15. A committee of experts will select the winners and announce them at the Global Voices conference early this year.

Google has also announced a new Youtube channel, Freedom of Expression @ Google, which features videos in English and German that promote and discuss freedom of expression on the internet. Users are invited to upload their own videos about how the internet has changed human communication.

Source: Breaking Borders