The internet seems to have moved on from trends like the ice bucket challenge

Charity trends were a big deal on the social media platforms of the 2010s. Remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which started in 2014? Millions watched people like Bill Gates, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and hundreds of others dump buckets of ice water over their heads in an effort to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The ALS Association, the organization behind the trend, reported that they’ve raised $115 million due to the challenge.

“We had this really kind of seminal moment where, for the first time, more Americans were on social media platforms like Facebook for the very first time than off of it,” said Vox Future Perfect fellow Sara Herschander. “And I think a lot of people felt like there was possibility in that.”

But according to reporting from Herschander, that attitude changed over the decade, in part due to how the social media platforms themselves changed. “We started to see social media platforms like Facebook really prioritize algorithms over those sort of person-to-person connections,” said Herschander.

“Marketplace” host Kristin Schwab spoke with Herschander about her reporting, and whether charity trends might make a comeback.

To listen, use the media player above.