Symposium number 4 brought forward the question “How can you judge the validity of things on the internet?”

I back in 2012 was a sucker for the KONY 2012 campaign, along with my friend I purchased a $17 string bracelet in the belief that I was helping a worthy cause. I signed up for all the newsletters and latest news on what was happening. I even went as far as to be involved in the Cover the Night event, in which my friends and I stuck posters of the KONY 2012 campaign on public poles in our home town.

What hooked me?

Everyone was sharing it! My Facebook newsfeed was flooded with KONY 2012, my brother was urging me to watch it and if everyone else says it’s true, that means its true, right?!
Crowd Sourcing (the process of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people, and especially from an online community) as Adrian mentioned was a major player in what created this “over night” fad.

It had the moving, fantastically made video. This 30 minute long video, was made by a body of filmmakers who founded Invisible Children, these talented beings pieced together a moving video that raised awareness in an easily understood format. Coupling this was its excellent structure, Shama Kabani, CEO of The Marketing Zen Group and author of The Zen of Social Media Marketing, told TechNewsWorld that “The ‘Kony 2012’ video took off because it had all the elements of a great story — background on the founder, a plot, a resolution, a call to action,”

Professional Body. As an easily manipulated teen, Invisible Children was a trustworthy cause. A non-profit organisation that was on a mission to make the world a better place, well there was my chance to help save the world and i went along.

These factors were what validated KONY 2012 for me.

Facts Found at http://www.technewsworld.com/story/74835.html