Social media for good

For many users, social media provides a great way to kill time, and with three percent of Twitter’s servers dedicated to Justin Bieber and sites like Perez Hilton and Texts From Last Night, you can easily understand how.

I recently saw a friend’s Facebook status claiming she “likes it on the counter,” naturally prompting me to inquire what exactly she had in mind. After telling me to get my mind out of the gutter, she explained the “it” referred to her purse and the goal of the viral status was to generate conversation about cancer research and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This instance of social media with a philanthropic message made me think about other examples I’ve seen recently. 

Pink my profile

Another initiative to raise awareness for cancer research in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month encourages users to turn their Facebook profile picture pink. The first time you turn your picture pink through the application, SC Johnson will donate $1 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. By “pinking” your profile, you can easily help donate to a great cause, while showing your support to your community. 

The It Gets Better project

In response to the frightening increase in the number of gay teens committing suicide, a YouTube video campaign has sought to spread the word that “It Gets Better.” The campaign targets young gay, lesbian, and transgendered teens facing abuse, bullying, and discrimination by their peers. The reaffirming message of hope insists that although life seems hard now; don’t give up because in just a few years you’ll have the opportunity to live free of the abuse and hate. The project, started by Dan Savage, has gained the support of others including Neil Patrick Harris, and Ellen DeGeneres along with countless other videos submitted to the “It Gets Better” YouTube Channel.

Blog and tweeting for clean water

On October 15, bloggers around the world will help raise awareness for the importance of clean water. Although most of us take advantage of this resource every day when we turn the faucet, an estimated 1 billion people around the world don’t have access to clean drinking water. Exposure to contaminated water and lack of proper sanitation results in the death over 4,500 children each a day. This year’s Blog Action Day organizer, Change.org, hopes to see a ripple effect throughout the online space.

The @blogactionday Twitter handle will spread campaign highlights, news clips and information. You can also use the hashtag #BAD10 to follow the conversation. As a grassroots movement, Blog Action Day empowers ordinary people to make a huge difference.

The viral nature of social media makes these platforms the ideal conduit to spread philanthropic messaging – whether for cancer research, gay rights, or clean water. What instances do you know of when social media has been used for good? Will you join in on any of these campaign?

Matt Schuierer is part of the Project Management team at Mom Central. As a Boston College alum, Matt is enjoying experience life in Boston as a post-grad.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.