The Online Trust Alliance (OTA) and the Internet Society (ISOC) on Wednesday announced that the two global non-profit organizations have combined resources, expanding the reach and impact of the Internet Society to a broader group of stakeholders and industry members.

Under the agreement, OTA will operate within the Internet Society, and members will automatically become Internet Society members. Together they will build and expand multiple initiatives including OTA’s annual Online Trust Audit and Cyber Incident Response Guide, and Internet of Things (IoT) Trust Framework.

“The Internet Society and OTA share the belief that trust is the key issue in defining the future value of the Internet,” said Internet Society President and CEO, Kathryn Brown. “Now is the right time for these two organizations to come together to help build user trust in the Internet. At a time when cyber-attacks and identity theft are on the rise, this partnership will help improve security and data privacy for users,” added Brown.

Founded in 1992, the Internet Society is the organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

Founded in 2004, OTA has played a key role in bringing together public and private sector stakeholders to develop best practices that maximize consumer trust and consumer protection.