Kony 2012 Video - Thoughts?

As moving and awareness-raising as the Kony 2012 viral video is, it is the exact definition of "slacktivism" as defined in this article. Hundreds of my Facebook friends shared and reposted this video, but I know that only a very few amount actually DID anything for the cause, except watch a video about it. Like others have said, this video is also about an old topic. I think this video should have been made years ago, when the topic was more relevant. It's true that the Kony 2012 video is an amazing use of social media - hundreds of thousands of people are now aware of a very important topic - but the video itself is lacking, and even upsetting those it intends to "help."

I think using video is a great use in social media. The Kony 2012 video had a huge impact, and it became viral overnight. I woke up and there were things about Kony all over facebook, tumblr, twitter, everywhere! It instantly caught everyone’s attention, even my grandma was talking about it. The video had a purpose and impacted everyone who watched it. I’m glad to see that it was so successful and can’t wait to see what will come of it. 

 

I actually watched this video the second day that it came out and it really moved me. I think the creator did a great job emphasizing the problem and how to fix it; "make Kony famous". It also did a great job showing the vivid images of what exactly was going on in Uganda-- enough to make the audience feel for the people affected and want to do something about it. I will admit that I didn't do any external research before jumping on the bandwagon to want to help Invisible Children and contribute to the cause. I do not regret the decision to help, but I do feel that if people don't read up on a cause before assuming that it is all the way, 100% legit, you might find yourself signing up for something entirely different. With that said, this campaign did exactly what it set out to do, make people aware of what is happening and making Kony's face a famous one!

While I think the video was made with the best intentions and surely got people talking, I do not agree with some of the messages presented. Joseph Kony has been wanted for years now and he is no longer in the country of Uganda.  I think it is a mistake to think that we can watch a thirty minute video and understand what is best for a country that many of us cannot even point out on a map. The Kony 2012 video does a great job of demonstrating how social media can bring awareness to a issue, but what is the next step? How can social media move beyond awareness and into action?

Self-admittedly, I am not all that familiar with Ugandan culture, but I think it's important to look at different viewpoints before such large generalizations are made. There have been responses to this video that tackle some of the issues with the messaging of Kony 2012. One of them, in the form of a YouTube video, comes from the Prime Minister of Uganda himself. I have to applaud his social media strategy of responding to criticisms and inviting individuals to come visit Uganda to further understand the country via Twitter. The other response actually comes from actor and screenwriter Ben Affleck, who shares his perspective on the conflict with the LRA. 

The impact of this one video is amazing. The cause is an old cause that I had been familiar with before but they're promoting this like no one has ever done before. Truely innovative.

This video is a perfect example of the impact that social media has on our lives. Before the creation of social media, ideas took days, months and even years to travel from person to person but now, with the click of a button, millions of people can see content in a matter of seconds. I think this video is a perfect example of an idea going "viral". Within the past few weeks I have seen and heard many people sharing this video and what an impact it has made on them. After I watched the video for the first time, I found that it was very impactful and made me see things in a new light. I definately think that this is a video that everyone needs to see!

This movie severely impacted me the first time I saw it. Afterwards, I instantly went to their website and ordered one of their bracelets and donated some money. I went back to their website a couple weeks ago and they had already sold out of all of their action packs and t-shirts. This and the fact that this video broke the record for how long a video took to go viral are clear representations that this video was a major success. Everything about this video is great example of an excellent marketing plan. Their execution of their consumers, calls to action, communication of their message etc. worked so brilliantly. Since I used this video for our homework last week I had to do some extra research on it and some opposing viewpoints to the campaign. Many people said that this video simplifies the problem too much because what is actually going on in Uganda is a lot more complicated than this video makes it seem. However, the only way to get people to communicate this message to others is if it IS simplified. There can only be one simple goal because that is something people can remember and work towards and that's why this video worked so well.  

This is a perfect example of how to use social media to communicate to the world. This video has reached millions of people using social media outlets as its main form of transportation. Its impeccable content and emotional drive have inspired me to get involved. This is the first time I have heard about Joseph Kony and I plan to spread this video throughout my network. This is the year, Kony 2012!

I think using video as a type of social media is a very innovative way to impact others. This video is especially impactful for the youth because they are the ones who are constantly online looking at social media sites, videos, etc. I think this was impactful for me because it was interesting enough to watch the whole 30 minutes, learning about issues related to my age cohort. Since most social media sites have links to watch videos, this is the perfect way to express what needs to be said and it is so easy to spread it throughout the internet on various sites.

Kony 2012 is a perfect example of the power of social media in today’s world. This video became the most viral video in history. This article shows that it only took 6 days from this video to hit 100 million views. I think this is a prime example of the impact social media can have on the world.

As for how I took the video, I think it shed light on a subject I knew nothing about. I have heard of invisible children in the past, but wasn’t aware of what it was actually fighting for. I think this is a brilliant way to get the word out about Kony. I hope that this video has an impact on the world, and helps to take care of the huge problem going on in Africa.

This video has been shared over Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress, Tumblr, Youtube, Blogs, and many more social media sites. Watching the video for the first time, it was very impactful for me. I knew these types of crimes were going on in other countries, but it was never brought to my attention. This is a very social video and I believe that causes like this should be the videos that are going viral, not a 5 year old singing Adele or Justin Biebers new hair style. I think the way this video was made, with the music, flow, and editing helped engage the viewer with the video. It makes you want to get involved and stand up for a cause you believe in. I am very glad to see the success of this video and am excited to see the Kony 2012 project progress this year.

This video did a great job of making something that doesn't directly impact a lot people hit close to home. By making the story personal, this video got a lot of attention. It definitely works as a social video seeing that not only did it get over 82 million views in two weeks, but it is a half hour long video. It is hard to get such a large group of people to watch a five minute YouTube video, let alone a 30 minute video. I thought the way the video told a story was very impactful.

This video has taken flack for a number of reasons. It's been accused of sensationalism. It's been accused of providing false information. It's 30 minutes long. The non-profit itself has taken some flack due to its financials and lack of direct information as to what the money and everything else goes toward.

Regardless of your opinion on the content of the video, there is no doubt that it is a social video. It is the most viral video in history. it's been viewed nearly 83 million times in 2 weeks. It's generated a crazy amount of awareness for the organization and the cause. It's generated a large amount of revenue for the organization. It went from Facebook to everything. Twitter, Reddit, Television, Radio, Newspapers and magazines. Kony 2012 is everywhere. The ethics of the video and the truthfulness of the video can be argued, but the fact is the video is a great example of a viral Youtube video, and you can bet it will hold a place in many more articles and books to come.

I think this is a very interesting use of social media. It went more than viral in just a matter of days and is now one of the most talked about videos and campaigns across the world. This campaign has been brought up in many of my advertising classes as a potical advertisment as well as in my sociology classes. I think it is very impactful and since it has been seen by so many people and has made it this big it can be said to be impactful across just about everybody. This video currently has 82,515,732 and this number is growing at a rapid pace. I think social media is used to it's fullest potential for something like this.

This video managed to get over 82 million views in just 15 days. It just goes to show how using social media correctly can reap huge rewards. It brought to light an important issue to the generation of heavy internet users. However, it was not the first time that media has tried to portray the injustices occurring in Uganda and elsewhere throughout the African continent. Several movies have done portrayed these injustices such as Lord of War and Blood Diamonds. However, I do agree that Kony 2012 is the first to truly generate a huge response to the problem and it truly does what a social video should do. It has a true impact on its intended audience and has caused people to join a movement in such large numbers that would not otherwise be possible without social media.

This video, and movement, is a testiment to the power of social media. That being said, as far as it's impact onto me I think that it's really opened my eyes to a lot of injustices throughout the world. Without this video, and the social media movement behind it, millions of people (along with myself) would be left in the dark onto issues such as this. 

I heard of this video through friends, which means that social media was used in the best way possible. After watching it I found it to be very impactful and has spread through every social media site that I have been on. I think it does work as a s social video the only down fall of it was that its almost a hald hour long. I know of a lot of people that heard about it, but wouldnt watch it because of how lengthy it was. I however wanted to see what it was all about so I took the time to watch and after doing so I started to spread the word on twitter and facebook. Thats how I knew that this was an impactful video because I wanted to share it with others. 

KONY 2012 has been discussed in almost all my classes and has been spread all over Facebook and Twitter. For me, this video was impactful. I've now seen the video 3 times, and within the first 10 minutes I am saddened by this unnoticed problem. The video has all the facts and thoroughly exlains this tragedy that is affecting children in Africa. This video is a great example of how social media can help spread the word about a crisis affecting millions. I believe we have social media to thank for bringing notice to this craze. The video has a very emotional, heart-felt message that really helps people understand the devestation of the problem. The power of facebook allowed viewers to easily share this video with family and friends; this is what helped spread the word. The man who made the video was very smart to use social media as his channel. Overall, I believe this video was VERY successful in impacting the world, it could easily become the most viral video to hit Facebook.

The KONY 2012 video gained a lot of attention these last couple of weeks.  The social video made a huge impact on its viewers, me being one of them.  It educates people about a situation that was going once going unnoticed.  It is terrible what is being happening to these children and even more terrible that nothing is being done about it.  The video is a great example of how social media can spread a message.  I am thankful that social media has made it possible for light to be brought to a subject that was in the dark for so long.    

This video was amazing. Before seeing this on the class blog I did not know anything about this video. I feel really out of touch because I just don’t see how I did not know about this especially with how big it is and impactful. From the beginning of the video my attention was grabbed and that is very hard to do with me personally. It seemed very well thought out and professional but done in a creative and interesting way to hold the viewers attention, especially sense the video is a little lengthy. Amazing!

This video is absolutely impactful to its viewers as a social video. It provides a full heartfelt message on a subject that needs worldwide attention. I’ve been curious on what Kony 2012 was prior to this week and am grateful I am in the know. The values that Kony 2012 stand behind touch a very basic element of human nature. When banded together, the video has helped create a movement that is unmatched to government power, it is the power of the masses, the power of connected humanity.  My personal response has me disgusted on how someone like Kony could thrive in such corrupt ways. Time for me to spread the word.

The Kony 2012 video was so effective because it focused on feelings of compassion and guilt that humanity shares.  In a week my facebook newsfeed had blown up from all of my friends posting the Kony 2012 video.  I was curious, but away from my computer (because this happened during spring break) and I didn't feel like watching a 30 minute video on my phone.  Instead I called my brother (who knows everything about everything) to get informed about what was going on.  I was surprised to see that my younger cousins, who are in the 6th and 8th grade, were posting the Kony 2012 video on their pages.  I was shocked to to see them getting involved in such a huge movement, but found out that many young people were spreading awareness in school.

I feel that the Kony 2012 video works so well because it was easy to share.  Once one person posted the video on his/her wall all of his/her friends were exposed and then those people were able to share that video with their own friends.  Not only that, but the message from the video was one of awareness - watching the video did not neccessarily make anyone an expert on the issue or force them to declare themselves as politcal activists.  It allowed people to gain knowledge on a subject that may be unheard of to them.  I think this is what allowed the movement to gain attention and support so fast because it allowed people to feel a connection without being scared of how much effort they would have to put into it.

The Kony 2012 video was very impactful for me. When I first watched the video, I could not look away. The fact that it was so well made, and made in a way that was interesting, made the video even more impactful. I did not feel that I was getting preached to while watching the video, I felt more like I was being talked to and I was interested in what the video had to say. The video works as a social video. The purpose of the video was to inform people about Kony, and the video has accomplished this. Their tactic of utilizing Facebook and Twitter, as well as prominent celebrities proved to be a successful one. 

 

This video went viral in the matter of hours! I was on Facebook and I couldn't go a couple posts without someone posting this video or something about it. With it in my face like that, I was so intreagued by the video and the information it was sharing that I had to watch it. This video is definetly watching if you haven't already, and yes it does work as a social video. Kony 2012 is a message that was meant to get to everyone, and that is what they did. The message was all over Twitter and Facebook, and even had celebrities behind it. Kony began with this video and is now all over the news, television, internet and newspapers. The man that created this video definetly got what he wanted!

I watched the KONY 2012 video last week and forwarded it immediately on Facebook, what's more, I also liked and shared the Invisible Children fan page. So obviously, it has successfully attracted my attention.  After this video gone viral on social media, all main-stream media started talking about it: News Reposts, Talk Shows. Regardless the controversial opinions toward the real situation in Uganda, this very video did a great job on impacting people. According to the statistics, tens of millions of views on social media and the number continues growing in a tremendous way. So why is this campaign so successful?

1. Right Channel. Choosing social media to spread the message is the key factor of success. Long before KONY 2012 gone viral on social media, main-stream media have already reported the miserable living situations of children in Uganda, but they didn't attract such huge attention among people.
2. Celebrity endorsement.
3. Smart way of telling the story. 

This is the true definition of Viral. In one day this vide got 30 million views. How did it do that? It played on human emotion and guilt. This caused everyone to share the link and by doing that, people thought they were contributing. As you can see by the google trend, the times "kony 2012" searched spiked and sharply went down. Same with video views and no it is a thing of the past and hardly no one remembers it. On to the next one.

Also, I think it was all a scam. Yes, it is great that they are creating awareness about the LRA and child militias in Uganda but their big event on 4/20 will seem like the cause has ended and all they did was provide you with tools to vandalize property. It is GENIUS marketing and a good way for people to donate for a cause.

This video is truely amazing.  I have heard so much about Kony 2012 the past month or so, but I had never taken the time to watch the video or figure out what all of the excitement was all about.  Im happy that I was finally able to experience a bit of the video.  This video is extremely impactful and it is made very professionally.  It definitely works as a social video.  It has a great message that is being sent to the viewers, and it making a big impact on those who watch it.  When we dicussed YouTube stars last week, everything I googeled on the topic came up with this as a search result.  That alone shows how popular the video became in such a short period of time.

To me, the Kony video is a good example of the power of social media and how it can spread so quickly.  I would say the message is definitely impactful and probably is to most of the people who watched it.  It showed that not only is social media and YouTube used for promoting silly videos and teen bopper up-and-comers, but for good causes too.  I think the video has worked as a social video because I can't count how many times I've seen people post about it on Facebook.  It's definitely terrible what is going on with the LRA, but I think that Americans should worry about the poverty stricken children that live in their own country first.

Kony 2012 is an excellent example of how quickly a message can spread via social media. I had no idea what Kony 2012 was until one day my Newsfeed on Facebook was blown up with a link to the video and people's opinions about it. The video is most definitely impactful, and although it may be too long to hold some people's attention, I think it works as a social video. Another interesting thing about this example is that within the next few days of this video being posted, I also began to see people post related links and comments warning people to do their research before believing everything in the video. Just as with any traditional method of spreading news, one also must be careful when reading something on social media. I do believe that social media allows for all sides of a story to be shared though, and that is why it is so impactful.

I have heard about the Kony 2012 campaign but this is the first time I've watched the video in full. I feel that this is a great way to use social media for a good cause. I am familiar with invisible children because my brother and some friends actually did a fundraiser that included longboarding a trail through the state of Michigan that had a rountrip of around 150 miles. The trip spanned over several days as well. To raise money they went to local businesses and invidivuals and ask for donations for their cause, and also got local longboarding companies to supply them with equipment for the trip. In the end they donated all of the money to Invisible Children. This Kony 2012 campaign is a great idea for a great cause. The use of social media in this campaign is a great idea and will help spread awareness as well in a very big way. Social media can be used for amlost anything now, and it is good to see that celebrities are endorsing this campaign using social media as well. Social media can impact people in a great way because it reaches out to so many people. Campaigns like Kony 2012 have the potential to reach billions of people throughout the world, all because of social media.

I have heard about Kony 2012 and the invisible children but had not watched the video until now.  Regardless of the controversy of Jason Russell and the truth in content regarding Uganda’s current situation, I feel that the video overall message is impactful.  Speaking to the impact that social media has on and will continue to influence the future of global communication and issues.  The video is a great use of social media with a powerful message and supported self efficacy, it’s no wonder why it became a viral phenomena.  Being able to reach people from the US, Canada, London to Australia and track your impact and efforts is huge.  The idea that one person can make a difference and it’s not hard to take action and stand up to fight for justice is incredibly motivating. 

The Uganda government claims that the Kony video is misleading and does not represent the current situation in east Africa.  However, I personally feel that false impressions wouldn’t land Kony as number one on the list generated by the International Criminal Court of the world’s most wanted fugitives.  Regardless the world needs to be educated on what was going on and it is great to see politicians getting involved with issues that are important to citizens not just what is on their political agendas.  Social media has changed how the world connects; as we share stories, ideas and passion for change we come together to form an amazing and influential global community.

This video is a prime example of social media doing things for a great cause. Regardless of recent choices of spokespersons involved, the cause is real. I think that it is great that this video has reached millions of people and has been able to bring to light an otherwise hidden secret. It is horrible what is happening to these thousands of children and with the help of Facebook, Twitter and Youtube they are getting the justice they deserve. After watching the video, I checked out the KONY 2012 website where every single item for sale is sold out! It is amazing that this all was started by a small individual group of people and has been able to grow to become a worldwide campaign. For numerous others and me this cause has opened up our narrow world where our biggest problem is where to go out that night. We are fortunate enough to live in a place we are able to sleep safe at night knowing that we are protected. Other places in the world are not so fortunate. I hope that this video continues to grow and the United States can help stop Joseph Kony and help protect the children of Uganda. 

This is definitely impactful for me. My friend has been involved with Invisible Children for the past 5 years and is very passionate about it. This information is nothing new to me, but I think the Kony 2012 campaign will raise the much-needed awareness they are looking for. 3 years ago when they invaded cities and camped out the attention they need to pass the bill for the advisors to go into Uganda. I think this campaign is a step in the right direction for Invisible Children and I hope to see more people become aware. I think that a social video is one of the best ways they could get the word out. I just checked to see how many views it had on youtube and it was over 82,000,000 in a little over a week. I can't think of any other way to reach that many people in such a short period of time. 

Wow. Right off the bat, I'm slightly ashamed that I had no idea what this was before watching this video for this class. Am I really that out of touch with with international news? Probably. We all tend to focus on our own little worlds, and seeing something like this really makes you (or me) think about all the other things that are happening in this crazy world. I think this video is so inspiring. The first thing I thought of was what networks I could share it on with the hopes that people will spend 30 less minutes on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest to watch it. It was incredibly impactful for me, and I hope it is for everyone that views it.

Regardless of your personal feelings about the Kony 2012 video, there is no doubt that this is one of the best examples of just how powerful social media can be. The Kony 2012 video was posted to YouTube and immediately caught world wide attention via social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.  From there, bloggers picked it up, then your general news sites, then finally (as is usually the case) the TV media picked it up as well.  One video created world wide recognition for a serious cause is a matter of minutes, hours, or days depending on where you live and your access to technology.  The Kony 2012 video has proved social media's reach and I'm sure it will go down in history as one of the most popular social media videos ever produced. 

When Kony 2012 hit the internet, I was on a cruise, cut off from all news and social media. My parents were actually the ones who told me about this, and I heard about the controversy and "false reporting" before seeing the actual video. Here are my thoughts about the whole thing:

What the campaign did right

• The topic was deeply emotional and controversial.
• It was told by an open, honest, likable and transparent narrator.
• The story-telling method is top-notch; the narrator bridged the gap between Americans and Ugandans by using himself, his family and his activist groups as prime examples. It also shows how much work he and his colleagues have put into the issue, which gains campaing credibility.
• The video invites viewers to take real action. Viewers felt they could be a part of something bigger.
• It had a crystal-clear strategy: Need a massive number of people to care about the issue > Gain the support of famous people > Force the U.S. government to take action > Capture Kony > Capture others like Kony.

What the campaign did wrong

• It left the impression that Uganda is currently dealing with this problem, when they're not anymore (and Ugandans hate the video for this).
• It draws attention to Kony, which could provoke another uprising.
• A couple weeks after the video went viral, the narrator was arrested because he was doing inappropriate things in public while drunk. Yikes.

Disregarding your personal opinion about the Kony 2012 campaign or the Invisible Children Organization, the Kony 2012 video was one of the most successful social media movements ever created. This video had more than 67 million views in less than one week. It was successful in regards to social media because it achieved it's goal: to increase awareness and make Joseph Kony famous. I guarantee everyone that uses Facebook or Twitter recognizes what Kony 2012 is, even if they never watched the video. I know for myself that my twitter and Facebook newsfeed was flooded with people sharing the video and offering their opinions about it. When I finally watched it, I was blown away. I thought it was an amazing video, so I shared it with my friends and family like many others did. There has been negative comments and stories uncovering about the campaign, and I'd hate for it to be true, but regardless of what's true, it was a very successful social media campaign.

How influential a social media campaign can be? I think this is an excellent example. Instead of a campaign introduction, it is more like a professional-made short documentary film. Impressive, convincing, well organized and executable. However, this video can also be very inducible. Putting aside the influential factors of this campaign, the strong implies towards the sanctions against Kony in Uganda would obviously lead to racial conflicts in certain aspects. What about people cannot find Kony out before Dec 31? What if it triggers other political issue? What do other Uganda people think about this campaign? Whether or not this interferes other country's domestic affairs? Many of us already know who Kony is, but is he really that bad or he is putting down his evil hands in these years? What did Kony say? Before following anyone or attending any actions, we should clear about everything. Otherwise, this "campaign" would cause too many chain-effects and might not be stopped as expected. Stop the war and help others retrieve hope is a good thing; just do not ruin the hope by a different war. 

Kony 2012 is no doubt a successful campaign using social media’s power to impact millions of people. I first saw this video on a Chinese website, which demonstrates that the campaign has already achieved its purpose—make Kony famous. The video is going viral because it takes the advantage of the power of social media, and the key success of this campaign is that it uses human being’s sympathy for the poor kids and the belief that that “bad guy” should be brought to justice. In today’s social network, a successful campaign has to be either interesting enough to get people involved, or it arouses people’s sense of responsibility. Kony 2012 did the later one, which has a bigger power than the first one. Aside from the social media, the founders have celebrities and politicians as a part of the campaign. This is a brilliant idea because those influential people will deliver the campaign to more people and probably achieve the final goal of the campaign—stop Kony.

Put political conspiracy theory aside, in term of social media campaign only, the campaign had been a great success before this Friday.

Just as the Kony 2012 is going viral, the founder Jason Russell’s drunken video is spreading crazily. This is a disaster for a social campaign. On Invisible Children’s Facebook page, the CEO explained Jason’s misbehavior, but it is still far from enough. People start to question the organization, and some even want their money back. Invisible Children has a PR crisis to conquer to accomplish the mission.

Regardless of your personal standpoint on the KONY 2012 campaign, I was ecstatic to see the spread of this video throughout the last week. This video is a HUGE success for social media, and anyone in the social media world should be in awe of how well the campaign its objective: to raise awareness of the cause and the man named Joseph Kony. When you truly think of it, imagine how many people took almost 30 minutes out of their day to watch this vide. 30 minutes! Multiply that by the reach of video and you have millions of minutes spent watching this one video. That is incredible and something that will be written in books in the future. If businesses can tap into the essense of success for the Kony 2012 video, they would definitely hold a huge advantage over their competition. Whether it is personal, social, or business oriented, everyone can learn something from the Kony 2012 video.

I had heard about the campaign and had seen the title of it, Kony 2012, on the internet, and around other places, before.  I just had no idea what it was exactly or who Kony was.  The video was really incredible and something that I enjoyed watching because it taught me so much about this movement.  This video was very impactful for me because it really let me know what other kids have to deal with in countries across the globe.  It’s very sad and wrong that they have to deal with that kind of abuse.  I also think this video did a great job of letting people know what is happening, who Joseph Kony is, what he’s doing and what the movement is doing to stop him.  It really made me want to learn more about this issue and more about Kony.  This was a very well made video and I hope and believe Kony will be brought to justice in 2012.        

 

Kony 2012 definitely has had an impact on numerous people throughout the world. The video did a good job of getting people's attention about this topic over a short period of time. It's amazing that a video can influence a person that much. This just goes to show how companies can be using video as a way to get their message out their via social media. This video certainly works as a social video. I've seen it mentioned on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Almost everyone I know has heard something about Kony 2012. Social video has huge potential for others in the future.

Although when I saw this video being spread around Facebook a week or so ago, it was my first time hearing about John Kony, I have since heard that this story has been reported on national television news shows for a few years.  Personally, I have critiques of the whole movement, because I believe no one should attach themselves to a cause after watching a 30 minutes video made specifically by an organization trying to persuade you.  I think this is a really good example of how video can be used to to pull at viewers heart strings and get peoples' attention.  If this same information was delivered in a news article in the New York Times, which I wouldn't be surprised if it has been covered already, the reaction would not be as intense.

Before reading this week's blog, I had heard about Kony 2012 through all the outlets the campaign desires: Facebook, Twitter, and people talking about it in my classes and around campus. The volume of attention this video has received shows its impact and success at a social video. The balance between information and emotion Jason uses had an immense impact on me. Logistically, I could see why this cause was important, but it also created an emotional connection that resonated in me. The movie's impact contributes to its success as a social video, but it also strongly encourages people to get involved and spread the word--and is successful in doing so. Despite some opposition toward the campaign and Invisible Children, the majority of people I've talked to have heard of Kony 2012. It's something we talk about in class. It's getting media attention--positive and negative. To me, this widespread attention shows that it is a successful social video.

The KONY 2012 video is impactful to me, like many people because it makes us aware of a major problem effecting children. The video is effective at raising awareness about the issue and lobbying to people about helping the cause. I know just from being on Facebook and Twitter the past few weeks that people have really taken the video's message to heart. The majority of the posts about KNOY that I have seen are extremely supportive of the cause, however there is some opposition. The opposers believe in making the world a better place, but have written that there are many other problems that take place right here in the USA that take precedence (in their opinions) over finding and capturing KONY. The KONY project could possibly lead the United States into another war, which we cannot afford. It would use many resources that could be used right now to help American children out of poverty, abusive homes, and into a better life through education and foster programs. Whether you agree or disagree with how the KNOY video has to say. It was a well-written and impactful piece. 

 

The video really shocked me, because I know there are some places like Africa but never could imagine it could be that bad. Also, another thing shocked me was that the power of social media; within 10 years, it could go from a couple people working on the organization and it becomes more than hundreds, thousands and millions trying to make people in Africa's lives better. Before, people could only communicate from phone to phone or letter to letter, now, internet has become so powerful that you can see or talk to each other when you click on the button. It is amamzing that internet can do so much for us now; however, you never know if there is a future technology, which can do something that are seen impossible now but able to do it in the future. 

I have heard of Kony and I even watched part of this video before reading this weeks blog. After watching Kony 2012 I discovered that it was a very influential and it is a very successful video. I think that people can not deny that this video does do a great job of using social media. I have seen this video on so many people's walls on Facebook and links posted on Twitter. People are talking about video and that is the purpose of social media. I think that this video is considered a social video. 

I had no idea what Kony was until reading this week's blog and watching the attached video. I found Kony 2012 to be very influential and moving. I was interested in the amount of emotion Jason Russell was able to capture through the entire video. I think the video does work as a social video, in the sense that, there is a vital message being communicated and a sense of unity. The success of this video has more to do with whether or not those individuals watching it actually believe in the message or not. This particular video has achieved success by pulling the the heart-strings of its viewers, and its ability to spread on social media alone. Watching the video, it is hard not to want to talk about the pain and suffering experienced by many. I personally watched the video and shared it with multiple friends on Facebook and Twitter. After researching a bit, and discussing the issue with a couple of friends, I realized Jason Russell himself was arrested a couple of days ago. Although the actions of Joseph Kony are inhuman and cruel, the arrest of Jason seemed to quickly draw just as much attention. I believe his arrest will increase attention on the issue and video. I am interested to see where the issue is taken from here.