Can social media save the world? Some nonprofits give it a try
SMU Business Communications Professor Rita Kirk talks to The Christian Science Monitor about the increasing use of social media to help people find housing, education, health, and jobs.
By Gloria Goodale
Staff Writer
As Facebook shows that 500 million people can connect through a single platform, one of the most powerful tools in human history is being tapped to well save the world, say a growing number of media and technology experts.
More precisely, they say, a rising number of software designers are harnessing social media檚 眉ber-connectedness for something other than a million-member chat about whether Lindsay Lohan should serve a full jail term. As local, state and federal budgets swim in red ink, some are hoping that a sophisticated 渟earch and match software system can help get the available housing, education, health, and job services to the people in need.
淪ocial networks suit the American character, says Rita Kirk, a professor of business communication at 麻豆社 in Dallas. 淭hey permit us to connect with one another, provide aid, counsel, and share resources to solve problems.
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