Sometimes I would like to think that social media can do good.
Nowadays information can be reach from anywhere. No matter if you live in Miami or Mumbai, finding out what happens in another city is one click away. Though I am sure the discourse about information technologies is no longer atypical, the profitable usage is evermore evolving.
Recently, I came across videos on social media talking about online donations and possible shelters for people in Florida that is affected by the hurricane disaster; before that, there were a handful of videos of people asking for donations via their personal account to help those in need in another country like Palestine or Congo. This got me thinking, with us being so exposed to informations and resources to help those in need, will this make us more likely to contribute?
The Emergence of Online Donation
Ever since late 2000s, platforms like GoFundMe or FundRazr has long started online fundraising projects that allows you to fund, basically anyone in the world, and essentially help them reach their goal. Whether it is for project as small as buying school equipment, to helping displaced refugees find a new home, anyone in the world can create or donate to a cause. Not to mention the easiness of online payment these days; platforms now effortlessly convert any currency, from dollars to lira, it is now more accessible than ever for us to donate money anywhere.
Though the use of donation platforms have been around for some time, nowadays, people are using their own social media to post campaigns and donation links. Creatively publicised and eye-catching videos have been used by creators in order to gain as much viewership and as much donations as possible; and there is no doubt that these strategies have been useful for some; in 2024, it was reported that over 40% of survey respondents have donated digitally to crowdfunding campaigns online.
Donating Online Is Just More Efficient
A 2016 survey reported that more than 60% of people would prefer giving their donations online and that the expected numbers of donation will increase each year. For social media users like us, it’s just more easier, don’t you think? all you need is enter the amount of donations then confirm in on your e-wallet, and it’s done! it’s like you’re not even spending any dime. You get to control how much you are willing to give, who are you specifically giving it to, how often will it be, even to how you are addressed, whether it’s anonymously or on behalf of other person; you truly have the ‘freedom’ to do as you pleased. No need for a third-party that might take half of your donations for ‘operational costs’ or signing up for forms you would not want to fill. On top of all that, with content and campaigns tailored by the almighty algorithm, you will always find something you would support.
The Downside of Online Donations
There is, of course, two sides of the same coin. While its effectiveness and efficiency is undeniable, we must take into the account that there will always be someone who take advantages of it. Scammers are notorious for using online platforms to conned people into donating for them, and the tragic part is, sometimes we don’t even know whether our donations are truly given to those in need. We should always be cautious of stories and photos we see on the internet (as some might even be AI!) just like what was reported in a recent news regarding donations for the hurricane victims.
The Future For Donations
I would say that online donations has certainly made a lot of people I know more generous, especially with its efficiency and its accessibility. Though in-person or offline donations will (probably) still exists in for a long time, I think with the use of social media, online charities will surely become way more relevant in the future.
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I wonder if there is also a kind of bystander effect that takes place when online donation links are shared around. Like when someone has a heart attack in the street, and everyone goes “someone call an ambulance!” but then no else is one actually ends up calling the ambulance becaue everyone assumes that everyone already calling the ambulance. I think it’d be interesting if there was a way to know if the people that share these links assume that others are already donating, and if that stops them from donating themselves.
Sorry, it won’t let me edit the comment, but instead of that one messed up sentence I meant this:
Like when someone has a heart attack in the street, and everyone goes “someone call an ambulance!” but then no one actually ends up calling the ambulance because everyone assumes that everyone else is already calling the ambulance.
How donations have changed through digital possibilities is a really exciting topic.
Personally, I immediately thought of a Paypal function. If you want to send money to someone there, Paypal suggests that you send one euro directly to a trustworthy donation organization. I think that sums up the simplicity you mentioned so well. With a single click, without looking up IBANs or even going to the bank in the past, you can donate to a good cause. I would actually find it very interesting to see how much is raised in a year or so.
I don’t think it is called ‘charitable’, because you are unconsciously loosing your money but in a short amount. Donation through online and newly appeared websites and companies is a new way of scamming — you can directly donate to the ones in need, but with these websites, they take away part of your donations.
I’ve been noticing this trend more and more too; social media has the potential to do a lot of good. It’s amazing how quickly information spreads and how easy it is to contribute to causes from anywhere in the world. Like you mentioned, with just a few clicks, we can donate to victims of disasters or help communities in need. This makes charity work feel more accessible and efficient, and it’s great that social media can reach such a wide audience.
However, as you pointed out, there’s also the risk of misuse. Scammers can exploit these platforms, and sometimes it’s difficult to know whether donations are truly reaching those who need them. It’s a fine line between harnessing the power of social media for good and risking it being abused. The potential is huge, but as with anything online, we need to stay vigilant.
This is perhaps just my personal opinion but I think that we regard monetary donations and charity too highly. It is natural of course, it is one of the easiest things to value in life and it is of course necesary for living. So when someone is in need, we immediately think about giving money. The way I see it, the popularity of funds online is a reaction to being faced with situations that you may wish to help, but that other than through monetary means you are actually able to affect. I think it is probabaly best to donate to smaller organizations that have a clear effect on a specific zone so that you can measure the impact, instead of bigger organization where you don’t really know what happens after you donate. Of course social work and service is also a viable help option that I believe should be more popular and should be done if you can manage to.