Toronto, Canada, is the current host of TED talks today on September 23rd, 2011, and TEDxToronto programmer Darius Bashar is one of the great minds behind the event.
Bashar is a digital strategist, programming lead at TEDxToronto, and co-founder of one of my new favorite websites, DailyChallenge.org. Daily Challenge is a self-described "social network for do gooders." It's modeled around the same idea as Facebook, but boasts that their "mission is to effectively utilize the tremendous power of social media to connect, inspire and mobilize people to create profound change through small and simple daily acts of kindness."
Upon signing up and logging in, users (that means you!) can post daily challenges for others to complete, browse through challenges that others have posted, and set goals for the day by performing good deeds.
Some of the challenges include "[m]ake someone laugh today," "[p]ick up at least one piece of garbage/litter from the ground and put it in the trash/recycling," and "[r]emind your parents you love them."
It's websites like Daily Challenge and people like TEDxToronto programmer Darius Bashar that make a huge difference in the world and especially in restoring our faith in the goodness of people.
What's Driving This Trend
- Social Good Networks
- Creating a social network that connects individuals through small, daily acts of kindness can disrupt the traditional social media landscape.
- Daily Challenges
- Encouraging users to complete small daily acts of kindness through challenges can drive engagement and user retention in a social media platform.
- Inspiring Kindness
- Promoting and inspiring kindness has the ability to create meaningful change, and technology can be harnessed to spread this message on a global scale.
Who This Affects Most
- Social Media
- Digital platforms can leverage social good networks and daily challenges to build a more engaged and positive community.
- Nonprofit and Charitable Organizations
- With the increasing popularity of social good networks and daily challenges, nonprofit and charitable organizations can consider leveraging these platforms to promote their missions and drive donations.
- Education and Training
- Incorporating daily kindness challenges in educational curriculums and professional development programs can promote empathy and compassion, as well as foster a sense of community and teamwork.
