When Enemies Go Viral (or Not)-A Real-Time Experiment During the "Stop Kony" Campaign

In March-April 2012, using 2 online videos, nonprofit organization Invisible Children initiated a "Stop Kony" campaign to turn Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony into an international enemy. Although the first video was the fastest viral video of all time, interest in the campaign eventually faded away. Might individual-level psychological processes help explain why the campaign was initially successful, and ultimately failed? To test this possibility, we used a combination of experimental manipulations and real-time data tracking responses to the "Stop Kony" videos as they appeared. Integrating and advancing beyond prior theory on enemyship and idea contagion, our findings suggest that when a complex adverse situation is reduced to the actions of a clear enemy, this inspires moral outrage against the enemy. However, if the complexity of the situation becomes clearer, the enemy inspires less moral outrage and determination to act.