FastCompany
13 October 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
To combat the spread of conspiracy theories, researchers at Cambridge’s Social Decision Making Lab have created an interactive game that puts users in the shoes of "manipulators" to teach them how to "question social media posts that have the hallmarks of engineered virality." Although experts say playing the game just one time will likely not result in sustainable change, a similar game that focused on understanding how fake news was created found that users' beliefs in fake news decreased by an average of 21%.
http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/features/anonymous/camcorders-justice
James Scudamore
Intelligent Life
1 January 2014
Text / Over 3000 Words
In India, videos made about the many social problems are secretly broadcasted in different villages to make people aware of the real problem and also aware of what they can do to fix it. Video Volunteers, an organization that coordinates these video productions, catalyzes community change through transparency and accountability.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/crowdsourcing-a-better-world
Tina Rosenberg
The New York Times
28 March 2011
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Americans often want to connect to a cause beyond writing a check. Crowdsourcing is creating new forms of philanthropy globally, giving donors more choice and a stronger connection to the projects they fund.
http://www.wired.com/2014/05/fighting-online-harassment
Laura Hudson
Wired
15 May 2014
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Harassment on the internet is more accepted but just as harmful as it is in person. RiotGames, a game publisher, decreased abuse by enabling its gaming members to decide and enforce community norms.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/for-teenage-smokers-removing-the-allure-of-the-pack
Tina Rosenberg
The New York Times
1 August 2012
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Adolescent smoking remains a challenging health problem because of the allure of cigarette branding. Australia is piloting the transformation of cigarette packaging with a generic look that reduces the appeal of smoking. In Florida, the Truth campaign has exposed that cigarette companies targeted teenage consumers and, in response, created a set of new advertisements that presented the cigarette industry with transparency.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/04/girls-tweeting-not-twerking-their-way-to-power
Courtney E. Martin
The New York Times
4 September 2013
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Sexual assault, rape, and sexism are social problems that young women face and many feel powerless to create change. Non-profit organizations such as SPARK and WAM have trained teenage girls to be advocates for themselves. Online campaigns and social media have also made teenage girls feel empowered to express themselves and make social change.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/20/why-solutions-journalism-matters-too
David Bornstein
The New York Times
20 December 2011
Text / 800-1500 Words
Crises and problems are well-covered in the media. When the media focuses instead on organizations that are doing social good, it has a better effect because then these organizations are more likely to receive support and expand their access.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/07/on-gay-rights-moving-real-life-friends-to-action
Tina Rosenberg
The New York Times
7 July 2011
Text / 800-1500 Words
The ability of social media and online civic participation to impact law and politics is still developing, but one social media tool - Friendfactor - was used successfully in New York to help bring about the passage of Gay Marriage Equality. It may be an indicator for how powerful platforms like this one will continue to play a role in societal growth and change.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/on-the-web-a-revolution-in-giving
Tina Rosenberg
The New York Times
31 March 2011
Text / 1500-3000 Words
New crowdfunding options can help even the smallest donor's contributions to have a meaningful impact, bolstering a sense of personal involvement, maximizing knowledge about causes, and inspiring greater participation.
https://medium.com/bright/how-pinterest-is-revolutionizing-your-child-s-classroom-4ccd4d59bbb9
Kathryn Joyce
Bright Magazine
31 March 2015
Text / Under 800 Words
Colorful volumes of books have aided teaching for centuries; however, the scope of engagement in the internet age demands newer methods for pedagogy. Pinterest, a social media-constructed visual bulletin board, has become a venue in which teachers share their pinned visual media, lesson plans, and charts with students and other teachers. The success of Teaching Pinterest expands pedagogy, reduces teacher alienation, enables collaboration with other teachers, and directs readers to other sites that offer teachers’ curriculum ideas for a cost.
http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-08-26/aleppo-cell-phones-are-helping-some-desperate-syrians-find-clean-water
Joyce Hackel
Public Radio International (PRI)
26 August 2015
Radio / 5-15 Minutes
In war zones, people have a difficult time finding clean water and safe areas to inhabit. Social media, smart phones, and technology applications are aiding in people’s survival. In Aleppo, Syria, the International Committee of the Red Cross posted a map on Facebook to show alternative sources of clean drinking water that reached approximately 140,000 people.
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