Today, March 13, millions of Facebook and Instagram users turned to Twitter to express their exasperation about the social media networks' massive failure.
While many users' observations were farcical in nature, there are very real economic ramifications for two of the world's largest social media networks being offline for a significant amount of time.
We’re aware that some people are currently having trouble accessing the Facebook family of apps. We’re working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
— Facebook (@facebook) March 13, 2019
For many nonprofits, the cascading effect of global network failures may bring back haunting memories of May 2, 2016. Give Local America was a 24-hour online giving day, stringing together the efforts of 50 community foundations nationwide. Thousands of nonprofits around the country had encouraged their supporters to make contributions on this one day -- and when Austin-based crowdfunding platform Kimbia crashed, the company's entire business model took a PR hit it would never recover from. (Kimbia's assets were eventually acquired by Ithaca, N.Y.-based GiveGab in Jan. 2018.)
And while today's sustained outages of Facebook and Instagram certainly will not lead to an acquisition by a competing social network, for a handful of nonprofits around the country, there are some relevant parallels.
Hey @facebook don't you know it's Roanoke Valley Gives Day??!!! We need Facebook up and running!! #rvgives2019 #roanoke
— Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia (@RVGives) March 13, 2019
The Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia is holding its own giving day today, March 13, and according to Michelle Eberly, the foundation's Director of Grants and Donor Engagement, the #FacebookDown issues have led to a creative resiliency out of their local community.
"Well, when (the problems with Facebook) first came down, I would say yes, (we were stressed)," Eberly said. "We were like, 'Oh my gosh, what am I gonna do.'"
But without the ability to share on Facebook, the nonprofits in the western Virginia region took their causes to the streets -- literally.
"A lot of the nonprofits we've worked with, they're going with more of a personal approach," Eberly said. "They're out at local coffee shops, they're out on the phone calling people, they're texting, they're emailing; and also, a lot of our nonprofits are using Twitter."
Orchard Hills Achievement Center in Roanoke, Va., ventured to a local coffee shop to spread the news... [+]
In light of the social networking issues, local news outlets also stepped up their support of the 24-hour online giving day, Eberly said.
"We have a really great relationship with the media, running our stories, going out and visiting the nonprofits," she said. "They've really gone out and shared the stories."
The Community Foundation of Western Virginia Facebook page appeared to be completely offline just... [+]
As 7 p.m. approached in the East, with Facebook's problems still not settled, Eberly said that most of Roanoke Valley's nonprofits have moved on from their worries -- and with nearly $700,000 raised, just $60,000 short of their 2018 total, it appears the Facebook issues couldn't dampen the community's enthusiasm around the day.
"You can't prevent it from happening, and there's nothing you can do about it," said Eberly. "So you just learn to adapt, without the use of Facebook. We've adjusted and we're going to make due."
