Internet

=== Philanthropy ===
The spread of low-cost Internet access in developing countries has opened up new possibilities for [[Social peer-to-peer processes|peer-to-peer]] charities, which allow individuals to contribute small amounts to charitable projects for other individuals. Websites, such as [[DonorsChoose]] and [[GlobalGiving]], allow small-scale donors to direct funds to individual projects of their choice. A popular twist on Internet-based philanthropy is the use of [[peer-to-peer lending]] for charitable purposes. [[Kiva (organization)|Kiva]] pioneered this concept in 2005, offering the first web-based service to publish individual loan profiles for funding. Kiva raises funds for local intermediary [[microfinance]] organizations that post stories and updates on behalf of the borrowers. Lenders can contribute as little as $25 to loans of their choice and receive their money back as borrowers repay. Kiva falls short of being a pure peer-to-peer charity, in that loans are disbursed before being funded by lenders and borrowers do not communicate with lenders themselves.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.cgdev.org/open_book/2009/10/kiva-is-not-quite-what-it-seems.php|title=Kiva Is Not Quite What It Seems|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210045011/http://blogs.cgdev.org/open_book/2009/10/kiva-is-not-quite-what-it-seems.php|archive-date=10 February 2010|first=David|last=Roodman|website=Center for Global Development|date=2 October 2009|access-date=16 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Strom |first=Stephanie |title=Confusion on Where Money Lent via Kiva Goes |work=The New York Times |page=6 |date=9 November 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/business/global/09kiva.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129225155/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/business/global/09kiva.html |archive-date=29 January 2017 }}</ref>