Entries open for 'The Bobs - Best of Online Activism'

People around the world are invited to submit websites and online initiatives to the online activism competition in four categories and 14 languages at thebobs.com. The Bobs are highly renowned for their international focus and made unique by the scope of languages they represent.

• Social Change category honours projects that use a range of digital advances to have a positive influence on the world and strive to improve it in areas such as education, equality, health and the environment.

• Tech for Good category shines a spotlight on technical innovations and websites dealing with data protection, open software, online security and circumventing censorship.
• Arts and Culture category pays tribute to artistic and cultural projects which do an exceptional job of using digital communications to convey their interpretation of socially relevant issues.
• Citizen Journalism category gives particular attention to projects and websites that take advantage of all forms of online participation.

• Additionally, DW will give out its Freedom of Speech Award for the second time. Imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi received the prize in 2015.

“Across language and cultural barriers, we appreciate the people’s creativity and their brave work for freedom of expression and an open society,” said DW director of programming, Gerda Meuer. "This work deserves to be shared with the world."

After the close of entries, an independent panel from 14 countries will evaluate the submitted projects. From the many submissions (last year there were more than 4800) jury members will create a list of nominees. DW will publish a list of all the nominees on 31 March. The jury will announce this year's contest winners in Berlin on 2 May, just ahead of World Press Freedom Day.

Independent of the jury, the online public will be able to vote for their favourite finalists at thebobs.com from 31 March to 2 May. In the past, more than 120,000 people participated in the poll. The main prizewinners will be honoured at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany, on 14 June.

The Bobs media partners are Somewhere in, bdnews24.com, Banglatribune, China Digital Times, Ifex, Global Voices, Waza, Satyagrah, Webdunia, Gooya, Hromadske TV, Novoye Vremya, Medyatava.