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Commenters seem to be missing the point of this. Go visit the signup page, and right at the bottom you'll see this tagline: If you can spare $50 for a social n

Commenters seem to be missing the point of this. Go visit the signup page, and right at the bottom you'll see this tagline: If you can spare $50 for a social network I'm guessing you can spare $50 to help put an end to slavery. Yeah, it's 2012 and it's still a pretty big problem. That shit is unacceptable. Really. </whiteguilt> Personally, I'm not the fan of the "don't spend money on anything until the world's problems have been cured" style of thinking, but it's certainly a novel idea. Now all they have to do is fix the title of the signup page. Right now it says Signup For App.net. EDIT: Interestingly, the domain name of freetheslaves.net belongs to "Superhuman Ventures, LLC." I don't know enough about how people taking donations work, but I find it pretty strange that Free The Slaves have a long list of directors and staff (https://www.freetheslaves.net/SSLPage.aspx?pid=285 https://www.freetheslaves.net/SSLPage.aspx?pid=285) but no mention of what their corporate structure is. Is this unusual? Should they explicitly be a charitable organisation?

psc 14y ago
According to Charity Navigator, it seems the Free The Slaves is very accountable, transparent, and financially effective, with a maximum 4 star rating: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=11051 http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary... I'm not sure why the LLC owns the site though.
- micro_cam 14y ago
  The registrant is probably an artifact of Superhuman Ventures doing the web work for the non profit on a paid or volunteer basis. Small non profits tend to be pretty disorganized about stuff like this.
citricsquid 14y ago
> Commenters seem to be missing the point of this. Probably because it's the most poorly presented social statement... ever. Requiring users to go as far as to try and sign up (with no indication it's anything other than a developers idea of a dumb joke) is... silly.
- MarvinYork 14y ago
  In my opinion it is brilliant, because the site holds a mirror up to yourself. When you read the message, you were actually willing to spend $50 for a some virtual sh*t (compared to wiping out slavery). That's the best position to get someone in to give a few bucks for something good. Even if it's not the full amount of $50.
  - manaskarekar 14y ago
    I closed the tab, after reading four lines and thinking, wow someone went this far to make a joke out of it? Came to HN to find my answer. I guess that may work given that app.net users will eventually know what's up.
  - sltkr 14y ago
    Except that the website is so obviously a big joke from the start, that the people who “try” to sign up aren't taking it seriously. (Also if you think that $50 can wipe out slavery you're incredibly naïve. At least the return on investment when you spend that $50 on “virtual crap” is more clear. That's why people will continue to spend more money on “virtual crap” rather than charities, however undeniably noble their intentions are.)
    - MarvinYork 14y ago
      I think you underestimate two things: - hipster web people who will sign up for anything without thinking - $50 which are a small lottery win for a 3rd world family I am sponsoring an eight year old boy from Kamrabad Uchcha Vidyalaya (East India) for 20 euros monthly. That includes school material (for the whole class), health insurance (for his whole family) and nutrition support (again for the whole family). And no, I've never seen him personally. But my sister did when she was a volunteering doctor for one year in his area. I really don't want to argue with you, but I believe that it is less naïve to at least try to help with $50 than not to try it at all. Now let's back those awesome 3d glasses on kickstarter...!
    - cdcarter 14y ago
      Mylan Engel wrote a fantastic paper (albeit about childhood starvation) about how we are in fact morally obligated to donate to relief funds based on (in his words) beliefs we already hold. I highly recommend it. "Hunger, Duty and Ecology: On What We Owe Starving Human Beings"
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
eric-hu 14y ago
Their board and staff consist of 27 people, including all directors. The breakdown of their expenditures structure is on the right sidebar of the donation page: 5% Fundraising 11% Administration 84% Programs and Services At the bottom of the same sidebar are links to their past financial documents, up to 2010 ( http://www.freetheslaves.net/Document.Doc?id=251 http://www.freetheslaves.net/Document.Doc?id=251 ). In that are their compensations per-employee on page 7 and 8. Of the 12 employees listed, no one received compensation of more than $36,000, and the total compensation for all of them was less than $80,000. Most received zero compensation. The average hours each work per week are also listed, so one can take an educated guess about the corporate structure. Their total revenue (~$2.9 mil) and expenditure (~$3.1 mil) are listed on page 12. For that year, they operated at a ~$200k loss, leaving them with ~$1.1 mil in assets at the end of the fiscal year. More itemized details are available within. I think it's good to be skeptical of charitable organizations given the corruption that has been exposed in some non profits. As to why 2010 is the last available? The 2011 returns were due in April 2012. Perhaps they're waiting on approval from the IRS before publishing it. Someone else could chime in here with a better reason. As for the "don't spend money on <x> until <y> is resolved" mentality...I see it all the time: "It's such a shame that people spend money on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter when space travel/clean energy/cancer research/etc is such a greater cause..." The communist anti-capitalism rhetoric of the mid 1900s was similar: comparing the luxuries of the rich against the suffering of the lowest common denominator. Perhaps there was a similar pitch on the capitalist side against communism--I just don't see it. I think the beauty of this organization (and most non-profits) is that it's based on voluntary participation. They're not forcing anyone to donate. Their emotional manipulation is on par with the typical commercial for weight loss, beer, cologne, anti-depressant medication, etc...and in my opinion, their cause is more noble.
- manaskarekar 14y ago
  Also clicking on http://ihave50dollars.com/ http://ihave50dollars.com/ > Contact Us > huh?, redirects you to this ted talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_kristine_glimpses_of_modern_day_slavery.html http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_kristine_glimpses_of_modern_da...
- calinet6 14y ago
mkopinsky 14y ago
> Commenters seem to be missing the point of this. A plug for a charity that's three clicks in, and occupies, what, 5% of the copy written for this site, can hardly be considered the main point of the site. The site is a parody of App.net. Simple as that. He also offers an alternative thing to throw $50 at if you have a spare $50 to throw around.
- sangaya 14y ago
  Thank you for this. Perhaps it's early, but the fact that the site is a parody wasn't initially obvious... I was thinking it was just another start-up with a snarky copy writer.
  - lysol 14y ago
    The parody quality of the site is more readibly apparent to someone more skeptical of app.net in the first place.
  - zem 14y ago
    i thought it was pretty obvious from the very name of the site.
tete 14y ago
And 50 dollars to save the rain forest. 50 dollars for starving children. 50 dollars for social problems, like states that still have death penalty. 50 dollars to allow people to get education and make the world better. Oh, if everyone who has 50 dollars spare would spend them, we could transform the world into a global utopia by just using what we have and waste anyway. You know what? It could even be done for free if everyone would spend a little of time and his/her skills. Like really, we could just fix problems by moving things around. Best example: Current (as inefficient as it is) food production could RIGHT NOW feed everyone on this planet THRICE(!) (says the WHO, not some random person). It just needs to get there, which also isn't a huge deal if we simply would use the infrastructure we have RIGHT NOW. I don't know, maybe we could even do it without much effort if we would just take use of what's wasted here anyways (because nobody invests into people using that infrastructure, because of the financial crisis that (in a way) forces people to do nothing). So, if it is that simple, why don't we and change things to finally be able to do something we all want and can be really proud of? Maybe I am a dumb idiot, but I honestly don't know. What about getting together and just try to do it? Anything we've got to lose? I mean most people here I guess know to value the experience you get from failing.
- ctdonath 14y ago
  It just needs to get there Which is an ongoing problem, given perpetual interference by politicians. Consider Sam Kinison's solution: If 10 people pitched in $50 each, they could move one of those people to where the food is.
  - glu 14y ago
    the camera guy has a sandwich
  - DanBC 14y ago
    > given perpetual interference by politicians. ...and war lords.
    - ctdonath 14y ago
      Like I said: politicians.
rythie 14y ago
If that's the call to action, it's the worst I've ever seen. The signup page doesn't even look like it has anything else to scroll down for.
ronbo 14y ago
this was not handled well - the $50 is first and the purpose of the mission is somewhere after that. I was thinking it should have been called 'i had fifty dollars, but i gave it to these people'
meej 14y ago
This tactic is, IMO, a variety of concern trolling. I am also not a fan. Thank you for bringing attention to it.
anewguy 14y ago
Honest question - what does modern slavery have to do with white guilt? According to the wiki entry on modern slavery "Most are debt slaves, largely in South Asia, who are under debt bondage incurred by lenders, sometimes even for generations."
- objclxt 14y ago
  I'm not sure of the source Wikipedia uses - from experience working in South Asia / Middle East, there are certainly many economic 'slaves', people who's pay (or lack thereof) and contractual obligations make them de facto slaves, but outside of that there is a not inconsiderate amount of what you might more traditionally call slavery in countries such as Mauritania.
guscost 14y ago
If you can end slavery for $50 I'd love to hear that plan.

psc 14y ago

According to Charity Navigator, it seems the Free The Slaves is very accountable, transparent, and financially effective, with a maximum 4 star rating: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=11051 http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary... I'm not sure why the LLC owns the site though.

micro_cam 14y ago
The registrant is probably an artifact of Superhuman Ventures doing the web work for the non profit on a paid or volunteer basis. Small non profits tend to be pretty disorganized about stuff like this.

citricsquid 14y ago

> Commenters seem to be missing the point of this. Probably because it's the most poorly presented social statement... ever. Requiring users to go as far as to try and sign up (with no indication it's anything other than a developers idea of a dumb joke) is... silly.

MarvinYork 14y ago
In my opinion it is brilliant, because the site holds a mirror up to yourself. When you read the message, you were actually willing to spend $50 for a some virtual sh*t (compared to wiping out slavery). That's the best position to get someone in to give a few bucks for something good. Even if it's not the full amount of $50.
- manaskarekar 14y ago
  I closed the tab, after reading four lines and thinking, wow someone went this far to make a joke out of it? Came to HN to find my answer. I guess that may work given that app.net users will eventually know what's up.
- sltkr 14y ago
  Except that the website is so obviously a big joke from the start, that the people who “try” to sign up aren't taking it seriously. (Also if you think that $50 can wipe out slavery you're incredibly naïve. At least the return on investment when you spend that $50 on “virtual crap” is more clear. That's why people will continue to spend more money on “virtual crap” rather than charities, however undeniably noble their intentions are.)
  - MarvinYork 14y ago
    I think you underestimate two things: - hipster web people who will sign up for anything without thinking - $50 which are a small lottery win for a 3rd world family I am sponsoring an eight year old boy from Kamrabad Uchcha Vidyalaya (East India) for 20 euros monthly. That includes school material (for the whole class), health insurance (for his whole family) and nutrition support (again for the whole family). And no, I've never seen him personally. But my sister did when she was a volunteering doctor for one year in his area. I really don't want to argue with you, but I believe that it is less naïve to at least try to help with $50 than not to try it at all. Now let's back those awesome 3d glasses on kickstarter...!
  - cdcarter 14y ago
    Mylan Engel wrote a fantastic paper (albeit about childhood starvation) about how we are in fact morally obligated to donate to relief funds based on (in his words) beliefs we already hold. I highly recommend it. "Hunger, Duty and Ecology: On What We Owe Starving Human Beings"

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

eric-hu 14y ago

Their board and staff consist of 27 people, including all directors. The breakdown of their expenditures structure is on the right sidebar of the donation page: 5% Fundraising 11% Administration 84% Programs and Services At the bottom of the same sidebar are links to their past financial documents, up to 2010 ( http://www.freetheslaves.net/Document.Doc?id=251 http://www.freetheslaves.net/Document.Doc?id=251 ). In that are their compensations per-employee on page 7 and 8. Of the 12 employees listed, no one received compensation of more than $36,000, and the total compensation for all of them was less than $80,000. Most received zero compensation. The average hours each work per week are also listed, so one can take an educated guess about the corporate structure. Their total revenue (~$2.9 mil) and expenditure (~$3.1 mil) are listed on page 12. For that year, they operated at a ~$200k loss, leaving them with ~$1.1 mil in assets at the end of the fiscal year. More itemized details are available within. I think it's good to be skeptical of charitable organizations given the corruption that has been exposed in some non profits. As to why 2010 is the last available? The 2011 returns were due in April 2012. Perhaps they're waiting on approval from the IRS before publishing it. Someone else could chime in here with a better reason. As for the "don't spend money on <x> until <y> is resolved" mentality...I see it all the time: "It's such a shame that people spend money on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter when space travel/clean energy/cancer research/etc is such a greater cause..." The communist anti-capitalism rhetoric of the mid 1900s was similar: comparing the luxuries of the rich against the suffering of the lowest common denominator. Perhaps there was a similar pitch on the capitalist side against communism--I just don't see it. I think the beauty of this organization (and most non-profits) is that it's based on voluntary participation. They're not forcing anyone to donate. Their emotional manipulation is on par with the typical commercial for weight loss, beer, cologne, anti-depressant medication, etc...and in my opinion, their cause is more noble.

manaskarekar 14y ago
Also clicking on http://ihave50dollars.com/ http://ihave50dollars.com/ > Contact Us > huh?, redirects you to this ted talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_kristine_glimpses_of_modern_day_slavery.html http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_kristine_glimpses_of_modern_da...
calinet6 14y ago

mkopinsky 14y ago

> Commenters seem to be missing the point of this. A plug for a charity that's three clicks in, and occupies, what, 5% of the copy written for this site, can hardly be considered the main point of the site. The site is a parody of App.net. Simple as that. He also offers an alternative thing to throw $50 at if you have a spare $50 to throw around.

sangaya 14y ago
Thank you for this. Perhaps it's early, but the fact that the site is a parody wasn't initially obvious... I was thinking it was just another start-up with a snarky copy writer.
- lysol 14y ago
  The parody quality of the site is more readibly apparent to someone more skeptical of app.net in the first place.
- zem 14y ago
  i thought it was pretty obvious from the very name of the site.

tete 14y ago

And 50 dollars to save the rain forest. 50 dollars for starving children. 50 dollars for social problems, like states that still have death penalty. 50 dollars to allow people to get education and make the world better. Oh, if everyone who has 50 dollars spare would spend them, we could transform the world into a global utopia by just using what we have and waste anyway. You know what? It could even be done for free if everyone would spend a little of time and his/her skills. Like really, we could just fix problems by moving things around. Best example: Current (as inefficient as it is) food production could RIGHT NOW feed everyone on this planet THRICE(!) (says the WHO, not some random person). It just needs to get there, which also isn't a huge deal if we simply would use the infrastructure we have RIGHT NOW. I don't know, maybe we could even do it without much effort if we would just take use of what's wasted here anyways (because nobody invests into people using that infrastructure, because of the financial crisis that (in a way) forces people to do nothing). So, if it is that simple, why don't we and change things to finally be able to do something we all want and can be really proud of? Maybe I am a dumb idiot, but I honestly don't know. What about getting together and just try to do it? Anything we've got to lose? I mean most people here I guess know to value the experience you get from failing.

ctdonath 14y ago
It just needs to get there Which is an ongoing problem, given perpetual interference by politicians. Consider Sam Kinison's solution: If 10 people pitched in $50 each, they could move one of those people to where the food is.
- glu 14y ago
  the camera guy has a sandwich
- DanBC 14y ago
  > given perpetual interference by politicians. ...and war lords.
  - ctdonath 14y ago
    Like I said: politicians.

rythie 14y ago

If that's the call to action, it's the worst I've ever seen. The signup page doesn't even look like it has anything else to scroll down for.

ronbo 14y ago

this was not handled well - the $50 is first and the purpose of the mission is somewhere after that. I was thinking it should have been called 'i had fifty dollars, but i gave it to these people'

meej 14y ago

This tactic is, IMO, a variety of concern trolling. I am also not a fan. Thank you for bringing attention to it.

anewguy 14y ago

Honest question - what does modern slavery have to do with white guilt? According to the wiki entry on modern slavery "Most are debt slaves, largely in South Asia, who are under debt bondage incurred by lenders, sometimes even for generations."

objclxt 14y ago
I'm not sure of the source Wikipedia uses - from experience working in South Asia / Middle East, there are certainly many economic 'slaves', people who's pay (or lack thereof) and contractual obligations make them de facto slaves, but outside of that there is a not inconsiderate amount of what you might more traditionally call slavery in countries such as Mauritania.

guscost 14y ago

If you can end slavery for $50 I'd love to hear that plan.