Why the Ice Bucket Challenge Is Not Good for Philanthropy

Like any smart business, we don’t reach out to people for a one-time handout. We like to think that people want to have a lifelong relationship with the causes dear to their heart, and over time be able to see how their support has funded progress and changed others’ lives.

There are two ways in which the Ice Bucket Challenge is a brilliant campaign for ALS:

• Awareness. ALS is on everyone’s tongue, and it’s important for people to be aware of this condition that affects over 30,000 Americans.
• Funding. Recent data shows that more buckets of water have been poured and shared than donations made, but the challenge has still managed to raised over 22 million — and counting.

Anything beyond that, in my opinion, falls into the realm of slacktivism. I’ve written about slacktivism before, arguing that social media can be used for good, to inform people of causes, but furthermore to inform them on how they can make a difference that goes beyond pushing buttons on our smartphones. Just how “liking” a page or a post does nothing for a cause, but more for your instant gratification, pouring a bucket of ice over your head is not doing anything either, but it’s definitely getting you “likes” and comments as people think you are doing it “for a good cause.”