Activists use Internet to get word out

By: Allison McNeal

Social activists are distributing their message to a new audience: the Web.

Nonprofit groups have recently started to construct demonstrations on YouTube and use social networking sites like Facebook to get the word out.

The different strategies the groups have implemented are the use of animated 3-D characters to protest the global shortage of drinking water and having Web companies that allow individuals to create their own charity.

WaterPartners International is one of the companies to incorporate a global safe drinking water campaign.

This company could have promoted their campaign by visually showing the effects of safe drinking water, but instead used the Internet as their means of communication.

According to Nicole Wickenhauser, a company spokesperson, said that it saved time and money by putting their campaign online and through animated, virtual characters built from actual people.

As a result, daily Web traffic doubled at WebPartners site during the campaign and also attracted support from around the globe.

With Web based activism, it encourages ordinary people to start up their own campaigns.

Another campaign that has started up is Yourcause.com.

Yourcause.com has allowed citizens to create their own charity and is similar to sites like MySpace.

According to cnn.com, "the new site allows a person to do everything a charity traditionally does [like] raise money and awareness and recruit support."

Matthew Combs, the site's co-founder, said his site designs Web pages and vets charities for people who don't have the time or expertise to do it themselves.

Other social network sites like MySpace are starting to support activists and have an "impact" page that connects users with political and charitable causes.

YouTube has also recently launched a "Nonprofits and Activism" channel for consumers.

With these new technologies, the Web has become a crucial source for nonprofit fundraising and has shown how involved Americans are.

$550 million has been donated online in 2001, and the number grew to $10.4 billion in 2007.

Online companies have shown that social activists can help reach a larger audience and that change can be imminent in the near future.

"Real change is most often accomplished by committed individuals working together for a cause they feel passionately about," Wickenhauser said. "Whether they work together virtually or in person is less important."