The Awards are open to Australian and New Zealand organisations, businesses or individuals that have made significant contributions to the development and use of the Internet in their country.
Individuals, academic and non-profit organisations will be eligible to receive the $2,500 prize in each prize category.
Originally based on the four main themes of the United Nations’ Internet Governance Forum, this year’s awards consist of six categories:
1. Access and digital skills
2. Diversity
3. Information
4. Innovation
5. Security and online safety
6. The Leonie Dunbar Memorial Award for Community Websites.
Submissions will be assessed by independent experts according to the following criteria:
- The main benefits of the product, project or initiative to its stakeholders or the wider users of the Internet
- The original objectives of the project and success in meeting these goals
- The projects’ objectives and measured success in meeting its goals
- How the initiative, or its ideas, could assist with the development of the Internet in an International context.
Companies and for-profit initiatives can donate their prize-money to a charitable cause of their choosing.
Finalists will be revealed 8 June. Winners will be announced at the awards dinner to be held in Auckland, New Zealand at the end of August, with travel provided.