GoFundMe has decided not to rob its users after all.
Canadian truckers have been protesting the requirement that truckers be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to cross the Canadian-U.S. border to deliver stuff. There have been miles-long convoys and so forth. Ottawa has been clogged with trucks.
The Freedom Convoy incurs expenses like gas, food, and lodging. Many people are glad to help because they’re sick to death of pointless, destructive Draconian measures to pseudo-combat the virus.
Organizers naively sought to raise funds for the cause through GoFundMe. Alas, this is one of the left-leaning tech giants that selectively enforce their alleged standards in hopes of thwarting ideological opponents.
After consulting with Concerned Canadian Officials, GoFundMe blocked the donations from reaching the intended beneficiaries.
That’s not all.
Instead of then simply refunding the donations, GoFundMe declared that it would redistribute the cash to GoFundMe-approved organizations unless donors specifically requested a refund. Busy, inattentive people would be robbed.
Outcry ensued. The Florida attorney general, backed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, proposed to investigate the proposed theft.
GoFundMe caved. We won’t steal the funds after all, they announced (not in quite those words).
So if you tried to support the protest of the Canadian truckers and GoFundMe blocked you from donating, you’ll get your money back without having to make a special appeal for it. And now you can contribute to Freedom Convoy 2022 via GiveSendGo instead. Hurray!
Thank you, GoFundMe. Thank you. So. Much.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
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2 replies on “Thank You for Not Stealing”
This is not the first time they refused to set up an account with a group they didn’t agree with. But it is the first time I have heard of them essentially threatening to steal the donations.
Personally I have no use for their services.
The reversal should not be regarded as sufficient. Given that resources had to be expended to stop the theft, GoFundMe should be compelled fully to compensate the states that began investigations and each of the people whom GoFundMe attempted to victimize.