The Point (www.thepoint.com), a platform for group action that enables people to solve problems that require a critical mass of participation to succeed, announced it has launched its ‘Ultimatums’ application on Facebook to harness the passion of Facebook users to bring about measurable change.
Ultimatums’ is designed to focus participants on taking an action that creates a defined result. Rather than joining notion-based calls to “end global warming” or “fight poverty,” each ultimatum defines a specific situation that can be changed through coordinated group action. An example campaign might be, “Unless ‘Zippy Oil’ stops dumping waste in ‘Lake Cleanwater,’ we will boycott ‘Zippy Oil’ when 100,000 people join this ultimatum.” With ‘Ultimatums’, no one takes action until there are enough participants to achieve the desired result.
“There’s a lot of potential energy building up in Facebook,” said Andrew Mason, founder of The Point. “People want a way that they can actually make a difference. By launching our Facebook application, ‘Ultimatums’, we’re providing a conduit, a channel by which that potential can be converted into activity that is ruthlessly focused on forcing real-world change to occur.”
Any Facebook user can install the ‘Ultimatums’ application in a few clicks by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/’Ultimatums’/facebook/. The user then has the ability to join an active ultimatum and invite their friends to join. If an ultimatum reaches its tipping point, the user will be notified through Facebook that the action is beginning, and a solution to their shared problem is within reach. While a standalone application, ‘Ultimatums’ on Facebook is completely integrated with The Point’s main site at www.thepoint.com, combining the power of the two communities toward a common purpose.
‘Ultimatums’ range from the small and local to the large and international. Examples include an effort by Loyola University students to improve the quality of their health center, and a group of Kentucky Fried Chicken customers seeking to change KFC’s policies regarding treatment of animals.
ABOUT THE POINT
Established in 2007 in Chicago and empowered by tipping point methodology, The Point is a platform that helps individuals organize efficient group action, leveraging the power of the Web to solve problems and catalyze change