We recently announced our new initiative, the Data Access Project. The response has been exciting: already, thousands of you have turned on Applets that use public data! We’re proud of the ways we’re working to bring you closer to the institutions and agencies that impact your life.
However, we realize that impact goes both ways: armed with the right information at the right time, every person can be a force for good in the world.
Coming out of our work on Applets for activism, we started speaking with the team at Equal Rights Advocates. When we embarked on the Data Access Project, we realized it was the perfect opportunity to work closely with ERA to build out a service, and bring more non-profits to IFTTT. Here’s an in-depth look at these groups, and why we’re excited to have them on the platform.
ERA is a national (US-based) civil rights organization dedicated to protecting and expanding economic and educational opportunities for women and girls. Since 1974, their campaigns have used public education, legislative advocacy, and litigation to fight for women’s equality. Their service pulls from their news and social feeds — turn on Applets to follow their progress and spread the word about their vital and tireless work.
The WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization. They’re active in over 100 countries, on a mission “to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.” To that end, they’re focused on issues that impact food, climate, fresh water, wildlife, forests, and the oceans. They’ve taken on an ambitious goal-oriented approach to their work, and it’s not hyperbole to say that the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. Their service lets you share and save stories across their impact areas, so you can amplify their work and stay informed.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
The ACLU has certainly been in the news a fair amount lately. But for almost a century, they’ve been working to defend and preserve the U.S. constitution and the civil liberties of its citizens. The odds are good that if you look closely at a landmark Supreme Court decision from the last hundred years, you’ll find that the ACLU has been involved. They’ve grown to become the nation’s largest public interest law firm, with operations in every state. Connect their service to hear about breaking ACLU news first, and share it with the groups that are important to you.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
The EFF is focused on civil liberties in the digital world: from user privacy to net neutrality to patent law, you might be surprised at how often your world intersects with the issues they champion. They advise policymakers, educate the public and press, host workshops, and manage an action center to help citizens get involved. The EFF's Applets can help you stay informed and take action.
It was exciting to work with ERA to bring their service to life, and to find other useful and inspiring non-profit feeds to highlight. As the Data Access Project evolves, we look forward to working closely with more causes. It's rewarding for our team, and — we hope you'll agree — our users!
P.S. The emojis in our header were designed by the Twemoji team at Twitter.