Movements.org

Movements.org is an online platform focused on supporting activists, dissidents, and grassroots movements through cross-border exchanges of expertise and practical resources. Rather than operating primarily as a conventional media outlet or advocacy membership organization, it presents itself as a marketplace for assistance: activists can describe projects or problems requiring help, while lawyers, technologists, mathematicians, scientists, communications specialists, public-relations professionals, and other experts can offer relevant skills. The project developed from the Alliance for Youth Movements, a network and conference initiative created after an October 2008 summit at Columbia University. That first summit brought together digital activists, technology and media figures, nongovernmental organizations, and government representatives to discuss how communication technologies could support grassroots campaigns and counter violence. The initiative was associated with Jason Liebman, Roman Tsunder, and Jared Cohen, who helped establish the Alliance for Youth Movements after the summit. The Alliance continued its convening work through a second summit in Mexico City in December 2009, which placed particular emphasis on social media and connection technologies in Latin America, and a third summit in London in March 2010. At the London event, organizers announced plans for an online hub for digital activism. The Alliance subsequently adopted the Movements.org name, and the platform officially launched in February 2011. In June 2012, Movements.org became a division of Advancing Human Rights, the organization founded by Robert L. Bernstein. Its stated interests aligned with Advancing Human Rights' work on freedom of expression, women's rights, and the rights described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 2016, Movements.org separated from Advancing Human Rights and became an independent project managed with assistance from Democracy Council. The platform's activities have included practical support for activists, partnerships intended to improve secure access to the internet, publication of activist-oriented material, and tools for tracking political developments. In August 2012, Movements.org worked with Al Jazeera on an interactive tracker documenting defections by senior Syrian military officials, parliamentarians, and diplomats associated with Bashar al-Assad's government. On July 9, 2014, it launched the marketplace version of its service, formally matching dissidents in closed societies with experts in areas such as law, technology, communications, and public relations. The organization reported users from as many as 140 countries and made its service available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Ukrainian, Russian, Persian, and French. It also announced support from Google Ideas during its startup phase, technical assistance from Ronin Analytics for its digital-security perimeter, and partnerships with SaferVPN and Youth Service America. The available reference material does not establish the platform's current operating status, ownership structure, headquarters, or leadership team.

Movements.org originated in the Alliance for Youth Movements, a network created to bring together activists, technology specialists, media organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and government representatives interested in the use of digital tools for civic and political action. The initiative's first major event was held at Columbia University in October 2008. The summit was supported by Columbia University, the United States Department of State, Google, Howcast Media, and other media organizations. Its purpose was to exchange practical knowledge and build relationships among socially responsible grassroots activists using technology in their movements and campaigns. After the inaugural summit, Jason Liebman, Roman Tsunder, and Jared Cohen co-founded the Alliance for Youth Movements. The organization sought to identify, connect, and support digital activists both through its annual gatherings and through activity during the rest of the year. Its second summit took place in Mexico City in December 2009, with support from the United States Department of State and other sponsors. That meeting concentrated in part on the use of social media and related communications technologies to oppose violence, with a regional emphasis on Latin America. The third summit was held in London in March 2010 and received support from the UK Home Office and media companies. During that event, the organizers announced that they were developing a new online hub for digital activism. The Alliance for Youth Movements subsequently became Movements.org, and the new platform officially launched in February 2011. Its model extended beyond conferences by offering a digital environment where activists could seek assistance and professionals could respond to specific needs. In June 2012, Movements.org formally became a division of Advancing Human Rights, an organization founded in 2010 by Robert L. Bernstein, the founder of Human Rights Watch and former president and chief executive of Random House. Advancing Human Rights focused on freedom of expression, women's rights, and the wider freedoms articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including through internet-based initiatives. During this period, Movements.org continued developing tools and partnerships connected with political activism and information access. One notable project was an interactive tracker produced with Al Jazeera in August 2012. It followed defections by senior Syrian military officers, members of parliament, and diplomats linked to the Assad government. In July 2014, Movements.org introduced its marketplace site, positioning the service as a mechanism through which dissidents in closed societies could request assistance from legal, communications, public-relations, technology, scientific, or other professional experts in open societies. The platform reported support from Google Ideas during its early development and from Ronin Analytics in designing its digital-security perimeter. It also announced a partnership with SaferVPN, which committed to making free VPN subscriptions available to activists in closed societies, and with Youth Service America, whose programs encouraged young people to participate in volunteer activity. Activist users also published original material in The Daily Beast. The service was described as having more than 20,000 users from up to 140 countries and as being available in seven languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, Ukrainian, Russian, Persian, and French. In 2016, Movements.org separated from Advancing Human Rights and became an independent project managed with help from Democracy Council. The available reference material does not provide a confirmed current leadership roster, headquarters, legal structure, financial information, or operating status. Accordingly, the platform's present scale and activity level remain unverified.

• 2016

  Separates from Advancing Human Rights

  [1]Movements.orgen.wikipedia.org

  Movements.org became an independent project managed with assistance from Democracy Council.

• 2014

  Marketplace model introduced

  [1]Movements.orgen.wikipedia.org

  The organization launched a site matching activists in closed societies with professional experts in open societies.

• 2012

  Becomes an Advancing Human Rights division

  [1]Movements.orgen.wikipedia.org

  Movements.org formally joined Advancing Human Rights as a division.

• 2012

  Syrian defection tracker released

  [1]Movements.orgen.wikipedia.org

  Movements.org and Al Jazeera launched an interactive tracker covering defections from the Assad government.

• 2011

  Movements.org launches

  [1]Movements.orgen.wikipedia.org

  The Alliance for Youth Movements rebranded as Movements.org and launched the online platform.

• 2010

  Digital hub announced in London

  [1]Movements.orgen.wikipedia.org

  The Alliance announced plans for an online digital-activism hub at its third summit.

• 2009

  Second summit in Mexico City

  [1]Movements.orgen.wikipedia.org

  The Alliance convened activists and supporters in Mexico City, with emphasis on social media, connection technologies, and responses to violence in Latin America.

• 2008

  First Alliance for Youth Movements summit

  [1]Movements.orgen.wikipedia.org

  A Columbia University summit brought together digital activists, technology and media leaders, NGOs, and government representatives to discuss technology-enabled grassroots movements.

A global civic-technology and human-rights support platform that converts professional expertise and digital tools into practical assistance for activists operating in restrictive environments.

• Civic-technology platform · 2014

  Movements.org activist assistance marketplace

  The platform allows activists to post concise descriptions of projects, operational problems, or resource needs. Professionals and experts can then offer assistance in fields including law, mathematics, science, technology, media, communications, and public relations. Its central proposition is a structured exchange of expertise between people working under restrictive conditions and supporters located in countries with greater freedom and resources.

• Political information tool · 2012

  Syrian defection tracker

  Produced in collaboration with Al Jazeera, this interactive tool tracked reported defections by senior Syrian military officials, parliamentarians, and diplomats associated with Bashar al-Assad's government. It represented Movements.org's broader effort to combine activist information, digital presentation, and political analysis.

• 2014Activist assistance marketplace

  International · Closed societies · Open societies

  The organization launched a service designed to connect dissidents and activists with legal, technology, communications, and public-relations experts.

  Outcome. The marketplace became the core described service of Movements.org, with reported users in up to 140 countries.

  Source
• 2012Syrian defection tracking project

  Syria · International

  Movements.org partnered with Al Jazeera to visualize defections by senior figures from the Syrian government during the Syrian civil war.

  Outcome. An interactive tracker was released through Al Jazeera.

  Source
• 2008Alliance for Youth Movements Summit

  International

  The inaugural summit created a forum for activists, technology companies, media organizations, NGOs, and governments to share practices for technology-supported grassroots movements.

  Outcome. It led to the creation of the Alliance for Youth Movements and ultimately the Movements.org platform.

  Source

• 2016

  Separation from Advancing Human RightsStrategy

  Background

  After operating as an Advancing Human Rights division, Movements.org changed its organizational relationship.

  Action taken

  Movements.org became an independent project managed with assistance from Democracy Council.

  Aftermath

  The available sources do not establish a later corporate structure, owner, or confirmed operating status.

  Source

• 2014

  Launch of the activist marketplaceProduct launch

  Background

  Activists in closed societies often lack access to specialized legal, technical, communications, and public-relations skills.

  Action taken

  Movements.org created a matching service where activists could request help and experts could offer assistance.

  Aftermath

  The organization reported more than 20,000 users from as many as 140 countries, although the current status of those figures is not established.

  Source

• 2012

  Affiliation with Advancing Human RightsM&A

  Background

  Movements.org operated in areas overlapping with Advancing Human Rights' focus on internet-enabled human-rights work.

  Action taken

  Movements.org formally became a division of Advancing Human Rights.

  Aftermath

  The platform operated within Advancing Human Rights until separating in 2016.

  Source

• 2011

  Rebrand from Alliance for Youth Movements to Movements.orgStrategy

  Background

  The Alliance's conference-based network sought a continuing online mechanism for supporting digital activists.

  Action taken

  The organization adopted the Movements.org identity and launched an online activism hub.

  Aftermath

  The project expanded from convening and networking into an online service for activist support.

  Source

1. 1Movements.orgen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Movements.org official websitemovements.org