In the wake of the earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, social media is proving once again to be a powerful tool for sharing information and raising funds in times of crisis.  Check out these stats:

• Three days after the earthquake, 3% of all blog posts were related to Haiti’s earthquake.
• By January 15, the American Red Cross’ Twitter account had gained more than 10,000 followers.
• By January 22, 42% of Facebook users in the United States had donated money or goods to aid Haiti relief  -  23% of these donors did so via text message.  
• More than $25 million has been raised for the American Red Cross’ relief effort in Haiti through $10-donations made by simply texting HAITI to 90999.

These figures help reinforce the belief that people turn to social media not just to consume information, but also to connect and engage in meaningful ways with organizations and each other.

In 2009, the potential negative consequences of text messaging became a dominant hot topic in tech news.  From the dangers of texting while driving (or even walking!) to the serious implications facing teens who send explicit photos via cell phone, it might seem like this convenient method of communication has been causing more harm than good.

Thankfully, however, some have discovered ways to harness the positive power of the text message.  For example, researchers in New York have discovered that sending medication reminders via text message to young liver transplant patients can improve the rate of adherence thus reducing the chance of organ rejection.  Another study found that people were more likely to wear sunscreen if they received a daily text message reminding them to do so.  And public health programs in California are using text messages to educate teens and young adults about STDs and sexual health.  We’ve even recommended the use of texting to help our clients reach out to Gen Y moms-to-be.

As texting continues to grow in popularity (an estimated 4.1 BILLION text messages are sent/received EVERY DAY, double the number from 2008), I’m hopeful we’ll find more and more ways to use this simple, low-cost technology to encourage healthy habits.