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Ice Bucket Challenge
The viral charity campaign that swept the internet in summer 2014 — dump ice water, challenge three friends, raise awareness and money for ALS.
Overview
One of the first viral internet campaigns to prove that social media virality and charitable giving could combine at global scale. The challenge raised over $115 million for ALS research in a matter of weeks and directly funded the discovery of a gene variant linked to the disease.
Cultural scores
Editorial estimates of cultural weight — Current Popularity tracks how much people are posting about this now, not historical fame.
Current Popularity = how actively people are posting about this today. Influence = lasting footprint. Cringe = online reception. Brainrot = absurdist energy. How scoring works
Timeline
1
Started in summer 2014 through ALS patient communities, with Pat Quinn and Pete Frates — both living with ALS — playing key roles in spreading the challenge
2
Participants filmed themselves dumping ice water over their heads and challenged three others to do the same within 24 hours or donate to ALS research
3
Raised over $115 million for the ALS Association in weeks — a record for the organization
4
In 2016, researchers announced the discovery of the NEK1 gene variant linked to ALS — funded in part by Ice Bucket Challenge donations
5
Short resurge in 2025 during the USC Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket Challenge campaign
Media
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Additional 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge still — the dunk format that defined the campaign.
Related entries
Culturally linked — not random recommendations.
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Kony 2012
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AMP
PeopleAny Means Possible — the Atlanta-based streamer collective behind Kai Cenat, Duke Dennis, Fanum, and co.
References
Sources behind this entry. Prefer primary reporting and established culture archives over rumor.
- Ice Bucket Challenge — Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org