Nothing has brought the world together like the Internet. Just think about how many times you’ve logged on Facebook in the past 24 hours, and gchatted with a co-worker who’s moved to the other coast.  Even Obama used online social networking sites in his campaign for presidency, and it worked well - 42 percent of voters who looked to the Internet for information went to “social media” sites, such as Facebook, YouTube and MySpace. And the rest was history.

In this vast net, one trend we are (happily) seeing is that many creative Internet users have been leveraging this cyberspace to promote change. Some outstanding examples include websites such as Kiva, a microfinance organization that empowers entrepreneurs in developing countries to run their own businesses, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s YouTube video series “Don’t Vote”, which urged millions of viewers to register and vote in the 2008 election. Geographic barriers are broken, play field is leveled, and the future of online social impact initiatives has never looked more promising.

Even many web giants are now extending their services to include a social component as well. As part of the new iGoogle package, there is now the option to choose a cause theme.  Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, World Wildlife Fund, and charity: water have all made their presence with some slick and heart-warming images. If any of you talented graphic designers are interested in designing a PoP theme, let us know in the comments!