I have read a few things this week that pertain to what is actually happening in the world.  You know the whole on going crisis in the Middle East, the Ebola crisis… those slightly larger issues (please note my tone here which is sarcastic in nature and may not come through online)… but I have been consumed with this fundraising campaign and a few issues I’ve had getting it up and running with the Indiegogo platform which is partnered with and should be connected to my Fractured Atlas campaign and therefore the reading of today must reflect my obsession with this particular endeavor.

Crowdfunding sites have revolutionized how money can be raised. It’s great. Yes. Of course, it is still the wild west and though lack of regulation can allow for inventiveness and ingenuity it can also cause problems. When I was trying to research the issues with my campaign I came across this article on the GoBe controversy: As more experts dispute GoBe’s “bullsh*t” medical claims, Indiegogo still refuses to pull near-$1M campaign. Now clearly given the title the author has a distinct point-of-view on this controversy. Nonetheless, it highlights my frustrations with Indiegogo’s lack of responsiveness to my issues – and also my thoughts on how crowdfunding provides incredible potential to those of us struggling to raise funds for projects, and at the same time opens up a huge can of worms and fails to protect well-meaning donors from potential fraud. Author of the article James Robinson points out:

Indiegogo’s no gatekeeper approach allows such a low bar of proof that Healbe is able to make claims on the site that wouldn’t even pass muster in an infomercial. A spokesperson for the FTC said they did not comment on specific companies but confirmed in general terms that, given the levels of proof displayed, the type of claims made by Healbe would not be allowed in traditional advertising.

I could of course expound upon this to no end but, alas, I must go back to reaching out to potential backers and trying to convince them that my project is worthwhile (and actually going to happen with their help). I do not have the clout of a Spike Lee or Zach Braff, another ball of wax, so I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me!

-Jennifer Dean