2026/03/14 by Benjamin Lartey Nii Badu, Jeremy Snyder, Ashmita Grewal +1 · 1 voice
Business, Management and Accounting · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Social Sciences · #FinTech, Crowdfunding, Digital Finance #Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism #Misinformation and Its Impacts
paper · doi:10.1080/1369118x.2026.2643462
openalex publication_date 2026/03/14 · openalex created_date 2026/03/15 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/15
Online charitable crowdfunding has become a popular fundraising method for people in need of funds to address urgent personal needs such as medical treatment, medical travel, home maintenance while unable to work, and other related expenses. Although platforms like GoFundMe allow campaigners to reach a wide range of donors, little is known about how they make strategic decisions to promote, manage, and withhold personal and sensitive information to attract financial support. This qualitative study explored the informational practices of 36 Canadian campaigners who used GoFundMe between January and December 2023 to fundraise for medical or housing-related needs, either for themselves or on behalf of others. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed to understand how participants managed narrative content. The analysis identified three main practices related to sharing sensitive information: amplifying, refining, and omitting. These practices highlight how campaigners crafted and increased campaign visibility, managed emotionally engaging narratives, and withheld sensitive information to safeguard privacy. Campaigners fundraising for others often prioritized consent to share information, while those fundraising for themselves navigated more direct exposure. Overall, campaigners play an active role in shaping crowdfunding narratives by strategically deciding what information to share, manage, or withhold. These practices reveal efforts to balance fundraising goals with concerns about privacy, platform guidelines, dignity, and ethical responsibility. As online crowdfunding continues to expand, clearer platform guidance, enhanced privacy controls, and public awareness are needed to support campaigners in navigating the complex and emotionally engaging decisions involved in seeking support online.