Facebook makes it easier to become an organ donor (VIDEO)
An event which attempts to break Guinness World Record for number of people signing up to the organ donor register in one hour at Covent Garden on October 15, 2011 in London, England.
Facebook has helped hundreds of millions of users share photos, videos, status updates, and life events, and soon it will allow users an easier way to share the gift of life as organ donors.
The Associated Press reports that the world's largest social network is pairing up with Donate Life America to make it easier for people to sign up as organ donors in the United States and the United Kingdom. Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the new Facebook tool on ABC's Good Morning America.
About 18 people die each day waiting for organ donations, according to CNN.
Zuckerberg's discussions with his girlfriend, a doctor, and the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who received a liver transplant, helped form the idea, the AP wrote.
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"We think that a lot of people who might just be on the fence about whether or not they want to do this, could be convinced to do that," Zuckerberg said.
"But I think that if people choose to share these stories with their friends, that can make a big difference over time."
"The Facebook partnership is an opportunity for people to share decisions," said David Fleming, President and CEO of Give Life America.
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But health privacy experts raised red flags, according to BusinessWeek.
Deven McGraw, director of the health privacy project at the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington, said, “Consumers need to be hyper-aware about managing their own privacy for this information, as it can be used against them,” McGraw said.
