NEW YORK — Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP announced today that its website SeniorPlanet.org has been honored for Best Community Websites and Mobile Sites as part of the 25th Annual Webby Awards. The honor of Best Community Websites and Mobile Sites was granted to sites that created and facilitated online community, connectedness, and/or communication around shared interests.
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet. IADAS, which nominates and selects The Webby Award Winners, is comprised of Internet industry experts including Internet inventor Mozilla Chairwoman Mitchell Baker; MOMA Senior Curator Paola Antonelli; Host of NPR’s Code Switch Shereen Marisol Meraji; R/GA Global Chief Creative Officer Tiffany Rolfe; Co-Inventor of the Internet Vint Cerf; DJ and Founder, Club Quarantine D-Nice; Co-host Desus & Mero on Showtime Desus Nice; SVP of Content at Twitch Michael Aragon; Twitter Senior Director, Product Design Richard Ting; and Founders of VERZUZ Swizz Beatz and Timbaland.
OATS was founded in 2004 by Tom Kamber and a group of dedicated volunteers with a mission to help seniors learn and use technology so they could live better in the digital age, through its proprietary program Senior Planet from AARP. During the pandemic, Senior Planet moved all of its programming online, in order to continue providing classes and services to older adults.
“Honorees like Senior Planet are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said Claire Graves, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. “It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the nearly 13,500 entries we received this year.”
“Senior Planet is thrilled to be honored by The Webby Awards,” said Tom Kamber, founder and executive director of OATS. “Fifteen years ago, we set out to create a space online where older adults could learn new skills, meet new friends, and help shape the digital world. This award recognizes just how much older adults can accomplish together online, and how much richer our technology experience is when we include and empower all ages. Many thanks to our staff and volunteers—past and present—who labored to bring Senior Planet to fruition, and to our colleagues at AARP who did so much to make Senior Planet a go-to resource for seniors who have logged on over 200,000 times during the pandemic.”
About OATS from AARP:
OATS from AARP helps older adults learn to use and leverage technology to transform their lives and their communities. Through its flagship program, Senior Planet, OATS works closely with older adults to create extraordinary experiences in-person and online. As one of AARP’s charitable affiliates, the mission of OATS from AARP is “to harness the power of technology to change the way we age.” To learn more, visit www.oats.org or follow @OlderAdultsTech on social media.
Find The Webby Awards Online:
Website: webbyawards.com
Instagram: @TheWebbyAwards
Twitter: @TheWebbyAwards
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-webby-awards
Facebook: Facebook.com/TheWebbyAwards
YouTube: youtube.com/webby
About The Webby Awards:
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites and Mobile Sites, Video, Advertising, Media & PR, Apps and Software, Social, Podcasts, Games, and Virtual & Remotes. Established in 1996, this year’s Webby Awards received nearly 13,500 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: WP Engine, Marketerhire, Brandlive, Slack, YouGov, BASIC, KPMG, Wall Street Journal, AIGA, Podcast Movement, Fast Company, and Social Media Week.