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Enterprising Solutions: Local Paper Builds, Benefits from Facebook Boom

Ian Allen

April 13, 2021 |

Grady Newsource |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Oconee, Georgia

The strategic use of social media has helped The Oconee Enterprise increase subscribers, and therefore revenue. When a new issue of the paper is ready, a low-resolution preview of the front page is posted, with essentially only headlines visible, to incentivize people to purchase a paper or subscribe online. Editors also post breaking news directly on Facebook rather than the paper’s website. Its total page likes went up from 3,500 to its current audience of over 7,300, and the number of subscribers is up as well.

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The exchange project uniting young Americans during the pandemic

Stephen Staff

April 13, 2021 |

BBC |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

The American Exchange Project connects high school students from different socio-economic, racial, and regional backgrounds across the U.S, with hopes to become the country’s first domestic exchange program after the pandemic. So far, 175 students at 39 schools in 14 states have connected in weekly online “hangouts” where discussion topics range from favorite music and other commonalities in the lives of teenagers to more serious issues such as racism. Getting to know people from different backgrounds has helped dispel stereotypes and some participants have forged real friendships with one another.

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Citizen-Led Initiative Battles Dangerous ‘Infodemic'

Aline Suárez del Real

April 06, 2021 |

Global Press Journal |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Mexico

Verificovid was started by a group of friends to combat pandemic-related misinformation in Mexico. They work with a group of government doctors to identify, track, investigate, and disprove misinformation. The group posts infographics with updated COVID-19 statistics on social media – mainly Whatsapp and Telegram – and offers medical tips via short audio messages and texts. They prioritize fast-moving misinformation that could cause the most harm and, along with sharing the truth, they investigate the origin of the misinformation and teach the public how to identify and stop fake news.

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In a Pennsylvania town, a Facebook group fills the local news void

Brandy Zadrozny

April 05, 2021 |

NBC News |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chippewa Township, Pennsylvania

In areas with no newspapers, locals are increasingly turning to Facebook groups to share resources and information about local happenings, particularly crime. Many of The News Alerts of Beaver County's 43,000 members praise the benefits of the group, in which members can post and comment on local news, including everything from infrastructure and businesses to lost dogs and suspected criminals on the loose. However, critics claim it is a hub for misinformation and vigilantism. The group is moderated, but the misinformation, which is shared in good faith by neighbors, is hard to spot without training.

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Sanbornton Connect(s) seniors aging in place

Roberta Baker

March 24, 2021 |

The Laconia Daily Sun |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Sanbornton, New Hampshire

Sanbornton Connect is a local information exchange and social network for aging residents who share advice about meeting the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of living out their years independently in their own homes. The network started just before the pandemic, but quickly filled a vacuum left by the community's shutdown. Three dozen residents gather monthly on Zoom to trade tips and hear from experts. The goal is to provide personal connections in a sparsely populated town, and in a way that helps people plan before they're in a crisis as their health declines.

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Gen Z Angels: How A Younger Generation Of Investors Is Getting In On Deals

Sophia Kunthara

March 16, 2021 |

Crunchbase News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Gen Z VCs supports early-career and aspiring venture capitalists who want to become angel investors. The group was founded in November 2020, after the Securities and Exchange Commission loosened the rules about who can invest in early-stage startups and allowed start-ups to raise money through crowd-funding. The group, which has grown to more than 6,000 members, moderates Slack channels where members can post deals, help make connections, and share information to demystify the world of angel investing.

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The plus-size knitters who are solving an inclusivity problem

Mia Sato

March 10, 2021 |

The Verge |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Knitters are using social media, crowdsourcing, and spreadsheets to make the knitwear industry more inclusive of different body types. Designer Sarah Krentz offers patterns using an interactive spreadsheet where knitters fill in key measurements like bust, waist, and bicep circumference and the pattern automatically populates with the correct number of stitches and rows based on a pre-set formula created by Krentz. Fat Test Knits connects designers to plus size knitters who will test the patters. The site also serves as a bulletin board where moderators have vetted and shared over 500 patterns since 2019.

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PPE for the People

Kathrin Yaromich

February 10, 2021 |

Transitions Online |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Belarus

During the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, volunteers across Belarus worked together to collect and deliver personal protective equipment to frontline workers, despite the Belarusian government denying the spread of the coronavirus. Using social media to organize, the volunteers "served as a kind of SWAT team able to bypass the bureaucracy to obtain the necessary equipment."

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N.Y.'s Vaccine Websites Weren't Working. He Built a New One for $50.

Sharon Otterman

February 09, 2021 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Online volunteer assistance efforts in New York have played a crucial role in the dissemination of the COVID-19 vaccine, while city and state appointment systems have caused confusion or created barriers for many. Although these efforts can't address all barriers, such as lack of computer access or literacy, they have been used by thousands of people each day to find available appointment times.

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With Car Heists At Record Levels, Citizen Sleuths Take To Facebook To Find Their Stolen Rides

Bob Chiarito

February 03, 2021 |

Block Club Chicago |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Stolen Car Directory is a Facebook group that helps people find their stolen cars and makes the police aware of abandoned cars that may have been stolen. The recently formed group, with 14,400 members, has helped recover more than 200 cars at a time when auto theft and carjackings in Chicago have risen substantially. While the group's effect on the crime rate is unknown, it has encouraged more aggressive enforcement efforts while reuniting people with their property.

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