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	Cause to Connect: Social Responsibility & the Web By April Dinwoodie

In the world of Web 2.0 we can do just about anything online; shop, date, earn a college degree -- if you can dream it you can probably find a way to "virtually" do it. It is safe tosay that good, bad, indifferent -- the WorldWide Web offers something for everyone.
In the area of "good" the Web has become a dynamic place for nonprofits, foundations,
corporations and individuals to raise money and awareness, in some cases taking a kernel
of an idea and transforming it into an online movement. Many of today's most popular
online destinations are finding ways to connect to people who want to make a difference
in the world.

Green Machine

In 2007, Yahoo!, one of the most visited websites on the Internet, with more than 130 million unique users per month, launched Yahoo! Green. This online destination gathers news, ideas, and discussion about ways to promote an environmentally conscious lifestyle. With the Green Movement gaining momentum, Yahoo! saw an opportunity to leverage its popularity for the greater global good by helping to educate and engage people interested in truly making the world a better place. The site features tips for “living green,” information on the science behind global warming, and many calls to action, including a virtual CO2 calculator and pledges people can take to commit to changing their habits. Based on the pledges people make, a dynamic map of the United States allows visitors to see exactly how their home state is doing in the fight against global warming. The Yahoo! Green Team is tracking

 • Number of energy-efficient lightbulbs changed

• Number of dollars saved

• Number of cars off the road

• Pounds of coal saved

• Pounds of CO2 prevented

Currently New York state ranks 46 out of 49 states (there is no data for Alaska or Hawaii, so it is clear we have some work to do! The Ruder Finn Green Team is doing a great job in motivating us all to recycle and take care as we utilize energy within our work day. Here are some easy office tips:

• Turn off the lights in your office when you are not in it

• Unplug phone chargers when not in use

• Keep windows closed tightly to conserve heat and air conditioning

Yahoo! Green embraces feedback by inviting visitors to their Green Suggestion Board and, as you can imagine, folks are not shy about sharing their thoughts and ideas about global warming. One visitor writes: “ Yahoo Green is looking good–but where is all the stuff about green gardening, sustainable garden design etc ... There are some great sites around: h t t p : / / w w w . s g a o n l i n e . o r g . a u http://www.livingroofs.org”

It’s not all favorable. As always, when a site or brand opens up the online doors for feedback, there will be a mix of both positive and negative. Another visitor writes: "If ‘global warming’ really does exist, which it doesn’t, what should the temperature of the earth be at? Why believe Al Gore when he pollutes 10x more than the normal household? Anyone who believes in this is just another sheep, I bet you can all say Baah very well.”

Whether positive or negative, people are taking the time to make suggestions/comments and it shows that there is indeed energy around this topic. In classic Yahoo! style, Yahoo! Green offers many ways to spread the word to friends and family with “send to a friend options” and special interactive badges that people can post on their websites to let their visitors know they are with Yahoo! Green in the fight against global warming. Yahoo! has found a way to utilize its mega-brand status in a meaningful, socially responsible way. 

YouTube YouChoose

YouTube is the leading online video community that allows people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. In August 2006, The Wall Street Journal published an article revealing that YouTube was hosting about 6.1 million videos, and had about 500,000 user accounts. Since then the numbers have continued to increase, with the site attracting about 20 million different visitors per month. 

On March 1, 2007, YouTube announced YouChoose 2008 (http://www.youtube.com/ youchoose), a centralized hub of candidatecreated channels that feature campaign videos, speeches, informal chats and behindthe- scenes footage. In addition, YouTube You Choose 2008 provides a platform for people to engage in dialogue with candidates and each other through the use of community features such as video responses, text comments and ratings.

YouTube did not even exist in 2004, so it is infusing a totally new dynamic and changing the political game during this important election year. As of January 30, 2008, even as the pool of candidates has dwindled, each of the 17 people who were or are still running for president have a YouChoose channel and are utilizing the medium to varying degrees. Even as people dropped out of the race and the field narrowed it is certain they will continue to utilize YouChoose to connect with people. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have utilized YouChoose during their campaigns and both realize that nearly every moment can become a media moment. This raises the stakes and leaves candidates more exposed than ever.

YouChoose is set up with introduction videos from each candidate and then specific sections that are broken down into the following categories:

• Education

• Energy

• Healthcare

• Immigration

• Iraq

• The Ecomony

Within each category the candidates have video clips that include their responses and positions related to these key issues. Just in case you missed a candidate’s speech or if you want to double-check what a candidate said, YouChoose is open 24/7. In typical YouTube style, members are not shy about voicing their opinions on the candidates. 

Candidates, reporters and news outlets have no choice but to recognize the power of YouChoose and to pay attention to what is happening. In Charleston, SC, Democratic presidential candidates faced questions directly from voters in the first YouTube/CNN debate. Thirty-nine questions were asked out of the 3,000 that were received and covered the war in Irag, same sex marriage and healthcare. It was incredibly compelling to see the questions from real people, which reflected so much of what is on the minds of the American voting public. This kind of interactive, online dialog adds a new layer to our political status quo. YouTube made a commitment early on to leverage its popularity to provide vital information for the voting public. 

Responsible Social Networking Some people see social networking sites as anything but good. Parents toil over privacy and their teens’ exposure to potential predators. However, social networks have become a hotbed of social change and activism for young people. As reported in USA Today, a 2006 national survey of those ages 15 to 25 by the University of Maryland’s Center For Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement found that young people who use the Internet daily are more civically engaged than those who use it less often. Across the globe young people are becoming the early adopters of technology and, because of this, they are becoming much more informed about the world in which they live. With a hunger for unearthing knowledge and a passion to do something, young people are using the Web to engage and make their world a better place.

One very compelling example of young people leveraging the Web for social change can be seen in Dollars for Darfur, a program started by two high school students who decided to do something to help the people suffering in Darfur. Nick Anderson and Ana Slavin began a very grassroots local campaign to raise money but soon realized that they had a very powerful tool at their fingertips, literally. They approached the Save Darfur Coalition (an alliance of more than 180)

The social networking aspect of the program via MySpace works to connect directly to teens who want to 1) learn more about teen dating abuse; 2) congregate with other like-minded teens; and 3) find help for themselves or their friends. There are more than 3,000 friends who have connected to the overall message of non-violence. Some of the comments that have been posted are as follows:

“I think this idea is amazing and I will help with anyone who needs it. :c)”

“I believe in what you are saying through your site. Love is respect. Always.”

Ruder Finn has helped clients by getting to know these dynamic online destinations and to recognize what they are doing to root themselves in social responsibility. We can also create programming that can be networked online using these powerful channels/tools. While many of our clients can and have used social networks to spread their messages, clients who are rooted in programs for social change can benefit greatly from this type of engagement. The methodology is basic but the execution and ongoing commitment must be there. Here are some helpful tips when considering an online social network component to a communications program:

1) Content is key — It’s perfectly acceptable and most often recommended that you repurpose your existing Web content for use on a social network. Messages need to be reinforced and people have a comfort level with repetition.

2) If you build it, you have to stick around and keep things vital — Once the profile is created, someone must be ready to be the administrator, maintaining constant contact with the friends and other groups online.

3) Change is GOOD — Refreshing content is necessary in order to keep friends engaged and coming back to check you out.

With the Web as the communications core of so many people’s lives, isn’t it refreshing to see all of the good that is possible and how some of the most popular online brands are embracing social responsibility to foster real change? In response to the rise in individuals and groups rallying around social responsibility, many of today’s biggest online brands have created tools for people interested in utilizing the Web as a vehicle for good works.