Social media can be compared to a toolbox with multiple tools, each serving different purposes. Like all tools, it can be used constructively, but also misused as a weapon or even as an addictive distraction.
While many access platforms for personal pleasure or to connect with friends, more people are discovering innovative ways to use social media to improve the world. One key benefit is that users can bypass central planning bureaucracies and leap directly from ideas to solutions.
Changing the Playing Field for Businesses and Nonprofits
The rise of social media has reshaped how businesses, nonprofits, job seekers, and donors operate. Today, 80–90% of millennials and Gen Z prefer to work with or invest in companies committed to social impact that aligns with their values.
According to the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), social impact ventures are the fastest-growing business category, with the global impact investing market already valued at $715 billion.
ImpactWayv: A Platform for Social Good
One such venture is ImpactWayv, founded by thought leaders from the business, nonprofit, and technology sectors. Their goal is to create a platform that unites businesses, nonprofits, and individuals to collaborate on social activism and initiatives that drive positive change.
ImpactWayv’s CEO and Co-Founder, Dan Rubino, noted that mainstream social networks, despite their potential, were never built with social good as their primary goal. The team envisioned an ecosystem where the world’s 200 million businesses and 10 million nonprofits could connect with individuals for “doing good” initiatives.
Features and Accessibility
The ImpactWayv app, currently available on iPhone (with Android and web versions in the works), allows:
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Businesses to highlight their social good efforts.
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Nonprofits to showcase their missions and attract supporters.
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Individuals to make informed choices about giving, projects, and companies to support.
To improve navigation, ImpactWayv introduced “Wayvs” – categories of social good causes. For example, users interested in wildlife preservation, disease eradication, or indigenous empowerment can find organizations and individuals aligned with those causes, opening the door to collaboration and collective impact.
Collaboration at Scale
According to Co-Founder and CTO Benji Bernstein, the platform’s structure enables businesses, nonprofits, and individuals to carry out purpose-driven activities while fostering partnerships across communities. The leadership team is confident this digital ecosystem will drive real social action and measurable change.
The Power and Pitfalls of Social Media
Experts stress that while social media is a powerful tool for spreading stories and raising awareness, it is only effective when paired with real-world goals and strategies.
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Andrew Selepak, a University of Florida instructor, describes social media as a way for people and movements to share firsthand stories and reach new audiences. However, he warns against “slacktivism” that stops at awareness without action.
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Rochelle Ceira, Chief Editor at Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication, highlights its role in networking, donor engagement, feedback, and calls to action—all at little cost.
Building a Framework for Positive Engagement
A key challenge for earlier social platforms was managing diverse perspectives. ImpactWayv takes a different approach, embracing disagreement as healthy when guided by collaboration and problem-solving rather than “cancel culture.”
Rubino envisions ImpactWayv as an accelerator for good, enabling organizations and individuals to discover overlaps, pool resources, and amplify their impact in ways that were previously difficult to organize.
A Digital Ecosystem for a Better Future
As more businesses and nonprofits promote their social good efforts through ImpactWayv, donors, potential employees, and the public will find it easier to identify shared goals. By bridging gaps and fostering collaboration, the platform positions itself as a catalyst for multiplying the good that communities and organizations can achieve together.
