Kony 2012 | How Kony 2012 Took Over the World – And Fell Apart episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 4, 2025 · 1H 22M

Kony 2012 | How Kony 2012 Took Over the World – And Fell Apart

from Things I Learned Last Night · host Jaron Myers and Tim Stone

In 2012, a short film took over the internet. It was called Kony 2012, and its goal was clear: make the world aware of Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The campaign was created by Invisible Children, a nonprofit that wanted to stop Kony and his army from kidnapping children in Uganda. The video quickly became one of the most viral in history, reaching over 100 million views in just a few days. Then, just weeks after the video went viral, the movement collapsed. Jason Russell, the filmmaker behind Kony 2012, suffered a public mental health crisis. A video of him breaking down on a California street spread quickly, intensifying media scrutiny. The “Cover the Night” event, meant to be the campaign’s most significant moment, failed. Fewer people participated than expected, and some took the opportunity to vandalize public spaces instead. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: https://tilln.com/support Episode link: https://tilln.com/kony2012 Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast Watch This Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy1IoQKR_KM&t=431s&ab_channel=ThingsILearnedLastNight Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Kony 2012 | How Kony 2012 Took Over the World – And Fell Apart

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