This is of crucial importance in situations of political and religious oppression. The Internet is well used by groups such as Amnesty, Keston Institute, Human Rights Without Frontiers, and the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Fellowship. It is a potent weapon for getting out news, and as a tool for mobilizing prayer, awareness and political support. Powerful search engines index historical material, contemporary documentation, discussion and news. While this includes missiologically relevant material, there will still be important information which is not shared in this way.
Sensitivity is needed to questions of ownership and to the power that access and control provides.
Issues of ethics and informed consent in missiological research are becoming more important and the use of the Web is not exempt, despite the freedom it gives to the user to obtain and process information. Like DAB there was a sense of frustration that despite the promise of the technology, it was difficult to envisage with certainty what lay beyond experience to that point. Nevertheless from 1994 onwards those involved in Missiology began to share significantly in the benefits of electronic communication with colleagues, access to libraries and databases, and discussion groups related to their interests. Evidence of greater confidence was becoming apparent. The passionate commitment of APC to facilitate networking between people was an inspiration.