Kony and Black Box Social Media
You may have come across the recent viral video from Invisible Children, Kony 2012, but what the movement against Ugandan warmonger Kony and Black Box Social Media have in common is that both understand the power of social media to relay messages whether they be for business or shining light on injustices throughout the world. Whilst there are a slew of naysayers claiming that Invisible Children have no right to speak on behalf of the oppressed Northern Ugandan masses, few realize that their operations in Northern Uganda, specifically Gulu, are comprised of 95% Ugandan staff and their country director is a native Northern Ugandan who herself was victim of rebel attacks. For more on Jolly Okot read my exclusive interview entitled From Suffering to Joy: A Conversation with Jolly Okot, published on the acclaimed feminist website, The WIP. Digressing lets get back to the connection between the fight against Kony and Black Box Social Media.
Kony and Black Box Social Media | The Power of Social Media
As it relates to our industry we feel its vital to track the buzz of the #Kony2012 video across all channels, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter alike. As an alumni to the organization, I can tell you that the power of social media has wrapped itself like kudzu vines around every inch of the internet since Invisible Children’s Legacy Tour 2010.
Although leveraging social media in efforts to stop the war in Northern Uganda and surrounding countries has been one of IC’s strongest weapons of peace, proven by their victory of the Chase Community Giving Sweepstakes despite cases of fraudulent voting by the second runners-up:
Invisible Children has won $1 million as the winner of the Chase Community Giving contest on Facebook. However, this victory may come with a price, as the final days of the contest spurred accusations of voter fraud.
The Isha Foundation, which “addresses all aspects of human wellbeing,” came in 2nd place behindInvisible Children. However, in the contest’s last few hours, many newly created profiles voted for The Isha Foundation, some of them with dubious-looking names, including Gdfg Kcjbvkljvb and Sdfj Dfsjlfkddjf.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/22/fraud-in-facebookchase-co_n_433928.html
Arguments are posted all over social media sites claiming that any organization out there that hungry for funding must be up to something. I beg you to ponder this question: How much do you think it costs to stop a rebel leader, spread awareness, and rehabilitate the communities destroyed from the ground up by Kony? The fight against Kony and Black Box Social Media would like you to view the transparent financials and pull back the curtains of speculation:
Kony and Black Box Social Media
You see some of the top graphic design artists, speakers, filmmakers, and economic initiators have sacrificed a career in Hollywood or within corporate America to give their time and talent at a fraction of the salary they would receive otherwise. The difference between the movement against Kony and Black Box Social Media is that we have a passion for our work in social media for profit, however we are admire the efforts of those that act on behalf of their empathy for mankind.
Kony and Black Box Social Media | We’ll Be Back
While this Kony and Black Box Social Media article primarily focused on the financials of Invisible Children and their social media dominance, Part II will be focused on how they made their #Kony2012 go viral and the negative backfire they received from opposing groups. If you have anything to say about Kony and Black Box Social Media then blast off in the comments!