The film Kony 2012 launched March 5th on Vimeo and within two days, it registered 7 million views across 150 countries. As of this moment, comments related to the film are overflowing into social networks. The purpose of the film is to make Joseph Kony famous throughout the world to facilitate his arrest and seek justice for his acts with the Lord’s Resistance Army.
The crime has been happening for decades and the organization behind this film, Invisible Children, have been working to stop conflict in Uganda and the abduction of children for use as child soldiers. But because of the lack of interest from foreign authorities and the inability of regional forces in Uganda to fulfill the cause, only minor steps have been taken.
Then on May 2010, President Obama signed a bill aimed at stopping Kony, which was passed by the Senate a few months earlier. This event followed rally groups formed by Invisible Children across cities in the United States whose purpose was to bring on celebrities and political figures to use their voice on behalf of the child soldiers. The rally in Chicago earned the recognition of Oprah Winfrey and had their cause aired on her show. In October 2011, Obama deployed 100 U.S. troops to Africa to provide assistance to regional forces to remove Kony from the battlefield.
Now, the film aims to advance and achieve their purpose once and for all: to find and arrest Kony. Its goal is to ensure the public know and care about the arrest of Kony so that pressure remains to fulfill this objective. The film highlights exactly how the public can support the efforts and, from another perspective, some insights on the wider idea of achieving change in society.
The way the campaign has spread is an indication that people care about achieving positive social change. Yet given the complexity of this specific issue, the crime has been occurring for decades and progress remains minimal. Films such as Crisis In The Congo: Uncovering The Truth have raised awareness on humanitarian issues, but they never managed to garner the same amount of attention as Kony 2012. For social entrepreneurs and change makers alike, the opportunity is there to create change. But similar to the Kony campaign, their supporters need to know the cause and they need to understand how to act for change to happen. At the same time, change agents need to know what they want to achieve. The campaign shows that when good causes are communicated powerfully, in this case through video and with a clear plan, it will generate response because people care.
Comments over the Internet also hinted at the reason that the campaign is so successful is because the film was well done. What is true is that advocates of social change are increasingly using film to communicate their causes. YouTube’s Nonprofit Program has recently implemented new features for filmmakers, online video websites are covering pressing social topics, Participant Media – a production company founded by the Skoll Foundation’s Jeff Skoll – is highlighting social and environmental issues on the big screen traditionally dominated by Hollywood producers, and most recently, a documentary about acid attacks on women called Saving Face won an Oscar. Films are becoming a tool to draw attention to social issues, and it is working. This is especially significant in places where illiteracy is common.
The Kony campaign illustrates that it has never been an easier time than now to magnify social change. Influential figures have become more accessible to the public than ever because of technology. In only two days, Kony 2012 has reached over 150 countries and put awareness on an issue that is said to be unheard of. If those who are trying to remove the most pressing problems in humanity can achieve the same success, this event would indicate their need for new goals.