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My mind went immediately to "what if it was real life", recoiled in horror at the dystopian-ness of it and then returned in fascination: There are people all o

My mind went immediately to "what if it was real life", recoiled in horror at the dystopian-ness of it and then returned in fascination: There are people all over the world dying right now for lack of some small amount of food or medicine. What if you could click a button and send them a nickel to keep them alive a few more minutes? Like World Vision, but in a Philip K. Dick novel.

ericdykstra 13y ago
Re: Clicking a button to help someone out. This sounds like a project someone I met at a conference this year is working on: http://www.andpeace.com/ http://www.andpeace.com/ It's basically contextual ad-supported donations. Check it out!
- noonespecial 13y ago
  Almost. That's more like "click-tivism". Click a button "make a difference". This game seemed to work because players formed some sort of personal connection with "the girl". Less "do a good deed" and more "we've got to save her!". There's a huge difference. That's why I mentioned World Vision. It would let people forge an actual connection with the being on the other end of it... and mourn when they die.
ricardobeat 13y ago
A bit more involved than a click, but that's the premise behind http://watsi.com http://watsi.com (YC funded).
- scrrr 13y ago
  Thanks for the link. I just donated some money on Watsi. But I can't help but feel a bit uneasy about trusting them. After virtually ALL big Internet companies have been exposed as liars, whom can I trust? I just hope the kid that I sent money to really exists and that he gets it.
  - aidos 13y ago
    Watsi are very transparent about their operations. From their site you can get to the google docs accounts that show where all the money is - progress with each of the different cases. As you say, it's still built on trust but I'd imagine pg is keeping a watchful eye.
granitepail 13y ago
This is reminiscent of "The Hunger Site" which started in 1999. http://thehungersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ths/home http://thehungersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ths/home
- eridius 13y ago
  Also Free Rice, which is quite literally a game that donates rice for every correct answer: http://freerice.com/ http://freerice.com/
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
lifeformed 13y ago
It's like if Zynga made Watsi.

ericdykstra 13y ago

Re: Clicking a button to help someone out. This sounds like a project someone I met at a conference this year is working on: http://www.andpeace.com/ http://www.andpeace.com/ It's basically contextual ad-supported donations. Check it out!

noonespecial 13y ago
Almost. That's more like "click-tivism". Click a button "make a difference". This game seemed to work because players formed some sort of personal connection with "the girl". Less "do a good deed" and more "we've got to save her!". There's a huge difference. That's why I mentioned World Vision. It would let people forge an actual connection with the being on the other end of it... and mourn when they die.

ricardobeat 13y ago

A bit more involved than a click, but that's the premise behind http://watsi.com http://watsi.com (YC funded).

scrrr 13y ago
Thanks for the link. I just donated some money on Watsi. But I can't help but feel a bit uneasy about trusting them. After virtually ALL big Internet companies have been exposed as liars, whom can I trust? I just hope the kid that I sent money to really exists and that he gets it.
- aidos 13y ago
  Watsi are very transparent about their operations. From their site you can get to the google docs accounts that show where all the money is - progress with each of the different cases. As you say, it's still built on trust but I'd imagine pg is keeping a watchful eye.

granitepail 13y ago

This is reminiscent of "The Hunger Site" which started in 1999. http://thehungersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ths/home http://thehungersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ths/home

eridius 13y ago
Also Free Rice, which is quite literally a game that donates rice for every correct answer: http://freerice.com/ http://freerice.com/

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

lifeformed 13y ago

It's like if Zynga made Watsi.