From the way we connect to the way we workout (looking at you, Peloton), social media now touches just about every single aspect of our daily lives. According to Statista, a public data service, in America there are estimated to be around 308 million social media accounts. Keeping in mind there are approximately 340 million people in the country, it’s no surprise that from sea to shining sea this digital technology has transformed every aspect of our reality.
One area less examined by social scientists is philanthropy and how social media is actually changing the way we give. With the growth of crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe and Kickstarter, and mainstream social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (now, X), over the past 15 years has come a social reconstruction of the way charitable acts are conceived, shared and amplified throughout our off-screen and on-screen lives.
From 2010’s Red Cross text-funding campaign in response to the earthquake in Haiti, which raised around $500 million, to 2014’s ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised around $115 million for the ALS Foundation, there’s no denying that the way we give in our modern world is influenced by the continued integration of our daily lives with those we lead on social media platforms.
A quick glance at the numbers shows how significant these digital impact campaigns can really be: in August of 2014, during the height of the Ice Bucket challenge, the ALS Foundation raised nearly $80 million. In that same period of time in the year prior, before the Ice Bucket Challenge went viral, it had raised just $2.5 million. With numbers like that, we can see how it would be hard to overstate the impact social media has had within the realm of philanthropy.
For the most part, gone are the days when philanthropic efforts relied solely on traditional methods of fundraising and awareness campaigns like the classic bake sales and high school gymnasium raffles. On one hand, social media’s ubiquitous reach has democratized philanthropy, making it easy for individuals to champion causes near and dear to their hearts. Along with bolstering transparency and accountability within the philanthropic sector, modern donors are enjoying a new world where they get unparalleled access to real-time updates on projects that give them a sense of how their contributions are being utilized. On the other hand, there are growing concerns over what was originally dubbed “slacktivism” in the ‘90s, the tendency for people to substitute real contributions in the form of time and money with a low-stakes, often superficial type of engagement. In today’s world, it might look like social media advocacy via online petitions or copy-and-paste chain messages that never leave the virtual world.
Like any new phenomenon, this ever-evolving landscape of virtual philanthropy brings a new slate replete with novelties and challenges.
The Way We Give Is Changing
The traditional image of philanthropy was most often associated with wealthy individuals or established foundations making larger-than-life donations. Think of the fundraising galas of years past: if your mind goes to those posh, black tie events featured in movies like “Ocean’s 8,” you’re certainly not alone. These events were often exclusive, high-brow occasions for those of a certain class and social status. In recent years however, the rise of crowdfunding platforms and new modes of giving have empowered individuals from diverse economic backgrounds to contribute to the causes they care about without the exclusionary bar for entry of philanthropy’s past.
This shift has allowed for greater inclusivity and participation in the philanthropic process, emphasizing that everyone can be a humanitarian, regardless of their financial status.
This democratization of philanthropy is a concept that Gen Z and Millennials have taken by the reins in recent years. These two generations, consisting of people from the age of 9 to about 40, make up over half of the U.S. population. One of the mainstays of this age group is that they’re not only willing to give, but they expect the brands they support to show philanthropic drive as well. Additionally, money being spent on clothing, furniture and other staples is often only going to companies involved in charitable donations.
This cultural shift to a society prioritizing giving back as a mainstay of daily life is coming at a time when it’s easier than ever to do so.
Participation Gets Personal
People are no longer satisfied with a boring, recurring annual donation to a cause they don’t feel truly connected to. Because of this, donors are getting more personal when it comes to their philanthropic work and social media provides many ways for them to do so.
Charitable trends fulfilling this desire to feel more involved abound on social media. This month alone, it’s likely your feed has been graced by #Movember, an annual campaign encouraging men to grow their mustaches and share their progress during November to raise awareness for men’s health and #GivingTuesday, a hashtag that circulates the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to donate to nonprofits. You’re also probably no stranger to the idea of a birthday fundraiser where a person will ask their social media friends to donate to a specific charity instead of purchasing gifts. Through campaigns like these, social media allows individuals to feel more personally engaged with the organizations they’re supporting. So, whether they’re asking for donations in support of every mile they walk or in preparation for a big race they’re doing in the name of a social cause, participation in giving is growing ever more personal with the help of social media.
Activism Versus Slacktivism
Social platforms are obviously here to stay and they will continue to revolutionize the way we give. Though there are many benefits to this, it’s also important to note that this new world isn’t without challenges.
As mentioned earlier, one of the main criticisms in relation to social media philanthropy is that it promotes slacktivism. Also called armchair activism, slacktivism is when people engage in miniscule online actions (such as liking a post or using a hashtag) to show support for a cause without ever actually taking meaningful, real-world actions.
The #BlackoutTuesday campaign on Instagram in 2020 is perhaps the most well-known example of armchair activism. Initially, it was started within the music industry as a protest, with big-name celebrities like Justin Bieber, Madonna and John Mayer taking part. However, it quickly gained momentum and became a widespread trend, where millions posted a simple black square to indicate support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The original intent behind the campaign became blurred as more people participated. This led to confusion and eventually caused many users to remove their posts altogether.
As a result, people began questioning the effectiveness and seeming hypocrisy of this strategy. On X (called Twitter at the time), model and former actress Emily Ratajkowski said, “So easy to post a black square. I’m seeing people who haven’t posted in YEARS come on to post a black square. Your silence was embarrassing and now you can feel good about yourself while doing the bare minimum. This is the worst kind of virtual signaling.” Ratajkowksi wasn’t alone in this sentiment and many questioned the effectiveness of this campaign for anything beyond a way for users to signal their anti-racist sentiments without the accompanying steps in the real world that would actually make a difference.
Confusion ensued in using the #BLM (Black Lives Matter) hashtag alongside these posts, well-meaning users inadvertently rendered the hashtag temporarily useless to the online community that was depending on it for organizing protests and sending out updates. Former Vox columnist and culture critic Caroline Framke wrote in Variety, “Whatever the original intent was, the endless scroll of squares — particularly those clogging up otherwise useful hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter — quickly became counterproductive, eclipsing crucial information on where to donate and how to tangibly support the cause. Posting a black square on an Instagram feed doesn’t actually help amplify Black voices; it just buries them under performative nonsense.”
Thus, we saw play out what has become a recurring theme among self-proclaimed social media philanthropists: an acknowledgment of a problem through a post without a corresponding real-world action.
This trend, unfortunately, isn’t limited to just the nightmare that #BlackoutTuesday became. Slacktivism is, by definition, any action that involves minimal effort or commitment. Online users can do a number of low-stakes things on their social media accounts, like signing online petitions or copy-and-pasting a pre-written message of support for a certain cause, but the issue stands that, unless users combine this action with a more substantial real-world action, like donating time or money to an organization, the act is rendered largely ineffective.
This isn’t to say that social media can’t be an effective tool for philanthropists. In thinking about this topic, the key point to keep in mind is the difference between slacktivism and activism. Liking, sharing and using hashtags related to social justice campaigns can be an incredibly effective way to stay up-to-date with organizations and to spread awareness to others within a user’s direct community who may be willing to get involved. What’s important is that a user combines this action with deliberate and meaningful work that promotes the cause they’re choosing to support. Though slacktivism has room for criticism, it still plays a meaningful role in raising awareness and mobilizing people who might not otherwise be engaging with the organizations they come across on their social feeds. True and lasting change requires a combination of online awareness and hands-on activism, something we can all aim for in our daily lives.
The advent of social media has been an absolute game-changer for philanthropy. These digital communication tools have enabled nonprofits to connect with broader, more diverse audiences while also increasing the standard of transparency these organizations are held to by donors.
The increasing expectation younger generations have when it comes to engaging in charitable endeavors comes at a time when there were never more ways to do so. So whether a person wants to be super hands-on or a bit more anonymous in their giving, there’s undoubtedly a way for anyone and everyone to get involved in giving, thanks to the power of social media.
Top Sites For Giving
Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered with a few organizations in need of support during this season of giving. Whether you’re an animal lover or a mental health advocate, there’s an organization on this list for anyone with a heart for giving. All of the national organizations listed have a rating of A or higher on CharityWatch, an independent charity watchdog in America that works to keep charitable organizations accountable.
National
• Friends of Animals friendsofanimals.org
• National Breast Cancer Coalition stopbreastcancer.org
• Mental Health America mhanational.org
Local
• Boca Helping Hands bocahelpinghands.org
• Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorbig.org
• Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services ralesjfs.org