Have you ever wanted to support a worthy cause, but wished for a more convenient way to do it? Facebook has added a “Donate Now” button to make it easier for users to donate to non-profits. The button appears next to posts by 19 different nonprofit organizations that partner with Facebook. Users who choose to donate via this method will be prompted to enter the amount of money they want to donate and enter payment information directly through Facebook.
After a user donates, they have the option to subtly make other, less charitable users feel bad about themselves by posting a comment about their philanthropical digital exploits.
This is an extension of earlier initiatives Facebook started during emergencies; during Typhoon Haiyan, the company partnered with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to allow for event-specific donations. Now the Donate Now button will be a permanent fixture on certain nonprofit pages of organizations like UNICEF and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Nonprofits that want to be included in this program can apply for inclusion, and since the initiative seems like it could only benefit an organization, I suspect many will be eager to sign up. Of course, these groups aren’t the only ones benefiting from this new feature. If Facebook ventures into a wider e-commerce plan, having billing information on file will only be advantageous. Would you be willing to trust and donate to a charity more often if there are convenient ways such as this new Facebook initiative? Or are you wary of digital contributions such as this? Let us know in the comments.
