Basketball cop is another great example of how social media
can be the leading influence on an initiative or a campaign becoming successful
through social media. The fame that Bobby White gained through the viral video
of him playing basketball with local kids that were called in for being too
loud, has created a whole foundation that is aimed to help lower crime within
impoverished neighborhoods. This is an idea that wouldn’t even exist or have
enough support to get started if it wasn’t for the viral video. As we have seen
a theme in class, when there is a problem that is made viral through social
media there is often a go fund me to follow up quickly. In this instance I feel like it is a good thing and that the money is
going to a trusted place. They have posted pictures of Bobby with kids that he
has given new basketballs and hoops on the gofundme page and they even hosted a basketball game just this week
that was between some of the local kids and police officers. I think that this
is a really good campaign because the kids now look up to the police officers
within the area and see them more as allies than as enemies or people to be
afraid of. This is especially important as other media would probably tell
these kids to not only be afraid of the police officers, but that they are
hated from them and they are discriminated against by the police force. The
Gainsville Police Department was quick to jump on the attention that the video
was getting and commented with links to their twitter page, which is actually pretty stellar. I don’t know of
many police departments that have such a strong following base, but because of
the video the GDP has now gotten more attention with other programs that they
have been working on that they wouldn’t have gotten otherwise either.
This is important to establish as good relationships within
communities like that can keep more kids out of growing up in crime and it just
creates a safer environment for everyone. The idea has spread to other police
stations that want to implement similar programs in their neighborhoods, with
the idea that if kids have the resources to play basketball that it will keep
them out of crime and creating a support system in the community.
#hoopsnotcrime was started with the original video and has now gone
internationally viral. I think that this is a good thing that can encourage
other communities to take the same action and positively help better their
community by simply donating basketball hoops and basketballs to neighborhoods that
wouldn’t otherwise have them. I would be really interested to know that if this
viral video didn’t catch the attention of Shaq how the circumstances would
change? Would there be enough attention to get this much support enough to
start a whole foundation? Shaq showing up and playing a game with these kids
significantly changed their lives. He also paid for them to attend an NBA game,
another opportunity these kids would not have had were it not for social media
and the viral video.
Beyond this incredible initiative that has been started I
also think that it is interesting to compare reactions that the public has had
to this viral video versus the viral comment that we had a case reflection on
early this semester with Killroy’s Bar. The gofundme for that received so much
more attention and money that completely passed the amount needed for the
victim’s medical costs. The basketball cop gofundme, which I would argue has
much more of a positive impact and an actual need, hasn’t received nearly the
amount of money as quickly as the other. I think that this is a shame. This
comparison is a good example as to how social media can be disappointing when
people rather support an outrage rather than a positive community program. I
think that this is not a rare occurrence. There are several really important and
deserving causes that receive little attention while other stupid things get a ton of attention and therefore money.
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