Bright ideas wanted for how the web can improve society

Writetothem.com allows people to contact their MPs

Online democracy charity MySociety is calling for proposals from the public for ideas on how the internet could improve society.

The group has asked for proposals twice before in 2003 and 2006, resulting in the launch and success of sites such as WriteToThem, which allows people to easily contact their MPs, and WhatDoTheyKnow, which enables freedom of information requests.

MySociety was also responsible for popular parliamentary information site Theyworkforyou.

Judges will be looking for ideas that play to the strengths of the internet, have clear social, civic or democratic benefits, offer value for money and are easy to explain.

They will either be a whole new web site idea, or a modification of something MySociety already does.

Tom Steinberg, director of MySociety wrote on the group's blog: "Just as on previous occasions we’ll pick a winner and some runners up, but also just as before we can only promise to do our best – we don’t have the resources to solemnly promise to build the winner, whatever it might be."

The call will stay open until 15 September, and winners will be announced in early October.