Meta says it’s introducing the ability for users to raise and donate funds through Instagram Reels. The company is encouraging people all over the world who would love to help with the problem of climate change but don’t have the means to do so. “We know that people are worried about climate change and want to take action, but feel that the problem is too big and they’re not sure how to help,” says Meta.
Therefore, by adding fundraisers in Reels, the company is expanding its charity giving options yet more, providing yet another option for users to support causes that matter most to them. Meta says this feature is available in more than 30 countries, and “you can donate and create fundraisers directly in Instagram Reels for more than 1.5 million nonprofits.”
This ability to raise and donate funds has been available in Stories and on IG Live for a few years now. So Meta is just adding the “Donate” button to the bottom of a Reels video, as you can see in the screenshot below. Content creators will be able to include details about funding throughout the Reels creation process, with fundraising links remaining active for 30 days. This is simply a new approach to increase user engagement in public donations, which Instagram has been growing in recent months in response to the pandemic.
Meta introduced the feature as part of their Earth Day celebrations, as revealed in its announcement more than 4 million people have donated more than $150 million to environmental protection and groups that fight climate change through Instagram and Facebook in the last few years”. The Ocean Cleanup, World Wildlife Fund, and (a cause close to my heart) Sheldrick Wildlife Trust are the most popular environmental causes, in terms of overall donation numbers.
Last year, the majority of donations made on Instagram were under $20. The company, however, covers the payment processing fees associated with philanthropic fundraisers, ensuring that every penny donated by users benefits organisations.
Furthermore, Meta has announced the expansion of its Climate Science Center. It will emphasise measures that individuals may take on a daily basis to address climate change. In addition to this, the centre will highlight data visualisations depicting country-level emissions. The Climate Science Center is now available in more than 150 countries worldwide.
The company says it also has stickers and profile frames for Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger to allow users to display their support for environmental causes. It announced the nine organisations that will benefit from a $1 million grant program designed to assist them in combating climate disinformation.
Meta did announce the launch of the Sustainability Media Academy (), a program designed to assist journalists based in Asia in developing experience and authority on sustainability problems.
