How Effective Is the Ice Bucket Challenge in Raising ALS Awareness?

It's more than just #clicktivism

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have been flooded over the past two weeks with an onslaught of #IceBucketChallenge videos. Participation is very simple: Pour ice water on yourself and film it within 24 hours of receiving an invitation, or donate $100 toward ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) research.

The campaign, challenge and hashtag trend were created by the ALS Association on Aug. 6 to raise awareness for the illness, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Despite the movement's clear-cut goal, many have criticized it as a form of "clicktivism" that ultimately delivers more faux-activist pride to the participants than funds to the ALS researchers.

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