I came across, in my catching up period, an article titled "Ten ways to change the world with Web 2.0" It’s actually a great article, by Marnie Webb of Compumentor, who I think thinks cool thoughts, and does cool things.
I got on Beth Kanter‘s case a while back, when she was posting about "Tagging for social change."
One of the things I said to Beth was:
I have to admit to some hesitance even thinking about a phrase
like "Tagging to make social change." There is no question that
technology in general has created sea changes in the ways in which
organizations get and use information, reach donors and constituents,
create campaigns, etc. But I think the jury is still out, at least from
my perspective, on whether or not this sea change in communication has
actually resulted in very much on-the-ground social change. Are there
actually really any fewer homeless people? Did MoveOn actually manage
to help elect someone more progressive? Is the environment any cleaner?
I do think the jury is still out, and I think that using language which raises expectations about any one single new technology (like Web 2.0) is not a good idea. Yes, let’s talk about how Web 2.0 is doing a great job at bringing people together in ways that are new for this newish media called the internet. But lets not fool ourselves into thinking, without proper evidence, that this is going to be any more effective than lots of old technologies non-profits have been using for years.
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Michelle,
I too think the jury is still out. But I recall that around the 9/11 event when web giving really came into its own, the jury was still out as to whether or not online giving was going to be a viable focus for any organization. I think there is enough concencus now on that issue.
The thing that non-profits need to remember is that it is not the technology but the message that matters. The technology should only be a conduit or medium for disseminating their message. If their message is relvant, it will have the desired impact.
Just my two cents worth. Keep up the good discourse.
First off, glad you liked the article.
Second, I agree that the jury is still out on impact of web 2.0 tools. Here’s the thing I was trying to get across in that article: there’s a whole bunch of stuff — like hiring and designing outreach materials — that folks in social change organizations are doing now. Web 2.0 technologies can help them do those things — mainly by adding decision points. In that way, hiring is hiring and web 2.0 stuff gets added next to “Craigslist” in the bag of tricks.
I agree, though, that the ability to use them effectively for impact is very difficult to measure.
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