Facebook will soon begin letting users raise money on behalf of themselves and others, as a way to help cover the cost of events like medical bills, tuition, and crises.
The “personal fundraiser” feature will roll out over the next few weeks to users in the US, only for those age 18 and up. Anyone with access to it will be able to set up a dedicated Facebook page with information about the fundraiser, where they can pick a donation goal and receive money through the site.
Facebook will review all fundraisers before they launch
The feature is pretty much a beat-for-beat copy of GoFundMe, which has become the go-to crowdfunding site when raising money for personal causes. Facebook’s twist is that its users will have their Facebook profiles attached, which can let people know who they’re donating to. Being able to share it within Facebook’s social graph ought to help, too.
Facebook says that, at first, it’ll only allow fundraisers to help cover six things: education expenses, medical bills, pets’ medical bills, crisis and disaster relief, personal emergencies, and assistance for families after a death.