On Tuesday, May 1, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement that users in the United States and United Kingdom will be able enroll as organ donors through the social networking site.
Anyone with a Facebook account in the U.S. and U.K. can sign-up to be an organ donor through links that redirect the user to official registries. Zuckerberg explained on “Good Morning America” that his inspiration behind this idea came from two places: his friendship with Apple, Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs, who received a liver transplant before passing away in 2011; and from past conversations with his former girlfriend Priscilla Chan, who at the time was a medical student.
Facebook users will also be able to add this information (their organ donor status) to their profile page, now known as the “timeline.” A user will also have the privacy options to control who can see their organ donor status.
This seemingly small update to the social networking site is a major example of how the Internet and social media are becoming more prominent in the medical industry.
CREDITS
story by MIKE JOHNSON, Associate Publisher
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BIO: Mike Johnson comes from 11 years in publishing as the former Ad Director and Publisher of Orlando Weekly. Mike enjoys cycling, swimming, triathlons, yoga, and spending time outdoors with his family. Mike resides with his wife Shannon, a certified personal trainer, and their two children in Lakeland.
