Using Social Media to Go Silent for a Cause
Sometimes actions are louder than words and in the case of Clark Harris, his actions are to stop talking and to use social media to communicate.
The catch?
He's doing it through the month of May to raise money and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Harris' journey started out as a tribute to his mother, Ruth Harris, who's 10-year battle with cancer ended last February.
Clark can communicate on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn and Google Chat. However, e-mail, talking, writing, text messaging and sign language are not allowed. Not even with his friends, colleagues and not even with his wife.
Recently, Technorati interviewed Harris via Google Chat to discuss his experiment and to discuss what he's learned since he started nearly four weeks ago.
TR: So when did you come to the decision to stop talking?
Harris: It happened when I was sitting at a bar in Atlanta, trying to get people to tweet with me and I was using all types of social media to do it. Then I wondered if I could go a whole month only using social media. At the same time I thought about my endurance challenge fundraiser in 2006 when I did a long bike ride to raise money. I thought, this [social media] would be a creative way to make money.
TR: I've read that you talked to you wife and business partner about this idea. What was their reaction?
Harris: My wife was a little confused, but saw the potential in it and my partner thought it could be really well received. Both encouraged me to go through with it, knowing that they would have to make a lot of sacrifices themselves.
TR: Specifically, how has your wife taken this?
Continued on the next page
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