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Facebook Rolls Out Crowdfunding to Everyone

Photo: Facebook

Depending on your perspective, the rise in popularity of crowdfunding is either a fantastic new way that the internet lets strangers help each other out, or emblematic of the decay of institutional safeguards that we’ve relied on in the past. Anyway! The point is that crowdfunding is now big enough that Facebook wants its cut, which is why, starting today, any user on the platform can start a campaign.

Users can launch campaigns in the following categories: education, medical (people or pets), crisis relief, personal emergency, funeral and loss, sports, and community. By far the most concerning of these categories is medical — crowdfunding has turned getting vital health care into the world’s most depressing perpetual episode of Shark Tank.

Facebook Rolls Out Crowdfunding to Everyone