The internet is full of people voluntarily sharing information for the benefit of others. It originated as a means for government and academic researchers to share information (The Online Library Learning Center, n.d.), but this sharing really took off with the advent of social media, which allowed anyone to be a content producer and sharer. It didn’t take long for people around the world to use social media to help those in need. For instance, projects such as the Standby Task Force use a worldwide network of volunteers to gather data and tag interactive maps with information to assist rescuers during a crisis. Similarly, YouTube is full of people like my son’s high school girlfriend, who posts twice-weekly videos on her channel with cosmetics advice for fellow high schoolers.
