There's a massively viral video circulating around the internet right now, begging you to help this group stop Joseph Kony -- a legitimately dangerous man who leads the Lord's Resistance Army, which has committed incredible human rights violations.
Here's the 29 minute video that's been circulating the internet this week:
The "charity" behind the viral (11+ million views in two days) video is called Invisible Children. It seems like a great idea to buy stuff and donate to them after watching the video, but stop and think about what you're doing for a second.
Take a look at this article from The Daily What:
The organization behind Kony 2012 — Invisible Children Inc. — is an extremely shady nonprofit that has been called ”misleading,” “naive,” and “dangerous” by a Yale political science professor, and has been accused by Foreign Affairs of “manipulat[ing] facts for strategic purposes.” They have also been criticized by the Better Business Bureau for refusing to provide information necessary to determine if IC meets the Bureau’s standards.
Additionally, IC has a low two-star rating in accountability from Charity Navigator because they won’t let their financials be independently audited. That’s not a good thing. In fact, it’s a very bad thing, and should make you immediately pause and reflect on where the money you’re sending them is going.
A closer look at their
expenditure report for June 2010-June 2011 is cause for more concern.
Out of $8,894,632 they spent, only $2,810,681 of that went to directly helping people. The rest went to Invisible Children making films, traveling around, paying employees, and whatever else they do that they don't want other people to know about.
Think before you get sucked into the latest viral phenomenon. It's important to help the people of Uganda, but it's even more important not to empower those who are seemingly duping the easily duped.
UPDATE Thu Mar 08, 2012 at 11:16 AM PT:
Invisible Children responds to financial criticisms on their website.
This Guardian article seems to give fair ground to both critics and supporters of Invisible Children.
The Telegraph UK has a story up about the growing anger in Uganda about some untruths in the film.
The Sydney Morning Herald has more information about the criticisms of Invisible Children.
Foreign Policy has another post with some different information.
As to the other criticisms that I'm trying to stop an important movement, or even one that I'm part of a big conspiracy to destroy IC (heh), my point is to be wary of and look into the finances of a business that posts a 29 minute video to appeal to your emotions rather than your brain.
Don't go gung-ho because of one video. Do research. Read stuff. If after doing research you feel that Invisible Children is okay and that this diary and criticisms against IC are wrong, then by all means, I'm not stopping you from spreading the video and buying stickers and wrist bands. The choice is yours...just remember to do research.
Thu Mar 08, 2012 at 12:23 PM PT: The Christian Science Monitor has a good article up about why the "Kony 2012" campaign is flawed by only targeting a Western audience, instead of the people who are actually on the ground in Africa.