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Many videos on social media show people pouring a bucket of ice-cold water on their heads for charity. It is part of the Ice Bucket Challenge, the latest viral campaign on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other networking sites. The challenge gets people to dump icy water over themselves or donate $100 to ALS charities. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - also known as motor neurone disease (MND) – makes it difficult to speak, swallow and breathe. Challenge participants post a video online and invite friends to follow suit. More than 1.1 million donors have donated over $53 million.

The campaign is giving the charities valuable global exposure to raise awareness and raise funds. It exploits people's readiness to post selfies of themselves online, while helping charity. A communication and media studies professor said: "You get the message directly from friends and acquaintances. It kind of appeals to the same side of people that wants to post a selfie." The President of the USA did not do the challenge but said he would donate instead. Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually within three to five years of getting the disease.