If Facebook wants anything, it’s to keep you on the Facebook site for as long as possible. That’s why perhaps it’s not surprising that given the popularity of personal online fundraisers, Facebook is now entering that business, letting people raise money for medical expenses, funerals, education, or any other cause.
In its announcement of the new feature, Facebook explains that there will be six broad categories of personal fundraisers that users can hold. Those are education, medical, pet medical, crisis relief, personal emergencies, and funeral and loss (including living expenses after a loved one’s death.)
Hoping to avoid the fraud accusations that have popped up against other crowdfunding sites designed for personal fundraisers, Facebook will limit fundraisers to those categories for now, and each will be reviewed within 24 hours by a staff member. “As we learn more, we hope to expand our categories and automate more of the review process,” the social network’s vice president for social good explains in the announcement.
Personal fundraisers are not to be confused with the existing program that lets Facebook users hold their own fundraisers on behalf of verified nonprofits. Those still exist, and in a new feature, Facebook will let verified nonprofit groups put donation buttons on Facebook Live, allowing the groups to solicit donations during any broadcast, or even hold online telethons.
by Laura Northrup via Consumerist
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