Kony 2012 is going to be cited forever as an example of virality and using media to build awareness about complex global issues. But it will also serve as a warning: as the video became popular, Invisible Children—the organization devoted to finding and capturing Lord Resistance Army Leader (LRA) Joseph Kony—came under increasing scrutiny and criticism for its beliefs and tactics. Since a large part of what they do is make slick videos, Invisible Children has come back with a new video that directly addresses many of the complaints people had with Kony 2012.
Someone you won’t see in this video, co-founder Jason Russel. After his much publicized breakdown on the streets of San Diego, he’s been replaced as narrator by Invisible Children’s CEO Ben Keesey, who takes us through the video, giving the organization’s point of view.
Though he wasn’t involved in KONY2012, the other part of the organization’s original brain trust is also using video to highlight child soldiers in Africa, though perhaps in a less controversial manner.
After a huge success comes the inevitable backlash. You probably watched the Joseph Kony movie yesterday. Now some critics are saying it’s not as good as it appears to be, but Invisible Children is fighting back.
Invisible Children’s mission is to stop LRA violence and support the war-affected communities in Central Africa. These are the three ways we achieve this mission; each is essential:
1: Make the world aware of the LRA. This includes making documentary films and touring these films around the world so that they are seen for free by millions of people.
There is a lot of buzz today about Invisible Children’s #Kony2012 video going viral. But critics of the charity are also beginning to make themselves heard (here is a tumblr with lots of juicy details). This photo purportedly shows the founders of Invisible Children posing with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army.
What’s your take on the Invisible Children campaign?
