KONY 2012 Releases Video Addressing Critics [Video]


The Non Profit Organization Invisible Children answered critics of their organization in the same manner they went viral against Warlord Joseph Kony, they released a video.

Invisible Children released a 8 minute video called, “Thank you, KONY 2012 Supporters”. In the video charity officials answer questions regarding the group’s development model, spending and the intent behind Invisible Children’s campaign to bring reputed Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony to justice.

In the video, Invisible Children CEO Ben Keesey says,

“When we launched Kony 2012, our intention was to share the story of Joseph Kony with new people around the world, but in the process, there have been a lot questions about us, so we want to be as transparent as possible and answer some of those questions right now”

Keesey goes on to state that it was the intention of the group to raise awareness of the way African children are treated by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and their leader Joseph Kony. The videos are meant to be provocative.

Keesey says,

“And then once people care, once they see the movie and they start to care, we ask them to get involved,”

Keesey acknowledges the reputation the charity’s supporters have gotten as “slacktivists,” people who take minimal measures to show support of social cause, but have little or no practical effect on the underlying issue.

“I can understand why a lot of people are wondering is this just some kind of slick, fly-by-night, slacktivist thing, when actually, it’s not at all. It’s actually a really, it’s connected to a really deep, thoughtful, very intentional and strategic campaign.”

Keesey insists that it is baseless to attack the group’s finances as they have published all financial data on the groups website.

He says regarding their finances,

“Any claims that we don’t have financial transparency or that we are not audited every year by an independent firm–that we don’t have financial integrity just aren’t true,”

But some groups do not find that Invisible Children is being accurate with what they say. The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, which reviews charities based on donor requests, said the organization has not supplied the documents they have been requesting since 2006. The BBB said in a press release that they are also concerned that Board Members are also employees and that the group has a real lack of transparency for a charity.

Representatives for Invisible Children did not immediately return requests for comment

Watch the video of Invisible Children defending themselves and the KONY 2012 campaign,

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