@Kia_Motors Tweeted this photo last year with the description “‘like’ this photo to stop her tears. Your single click is her crying hope for life”.
We’ve all been there. We’ve all opened up Facebook to a post like the one above. And if you’re like me, you probably cringed.
After all, no one wants to see a post implying that a child will starve to death unless a photo gets a certain amount of ‘likes’. It’s not just ridiculous, it reeks of condescension. And media-savvy Millennials are all too aware of these manipulative undertones.
The idea that charity is dependent on the amount of Facebook shares gives off the impression that the company has the resources to help the cause. But it’s holding back donating until it’s had a chance to exploit the cause in the name of self-promotion. This parody version captures all this all pretty well:
Even UNICEF is criticizing this tactic. It says the so-called “slacktivism” is symbolic, but adds up to nothing. It’s even created an entire campaign encouraging involvement beyond hitting the ‘like’ button.
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