GoFundMe’s stance on violent crime is clear: If a jury says you’re not guilty, regardless of what the facts appear to say, people can raise money for you.
That’s the case as it relates to the newly acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse, anyway. The popular crowdfunding website posted a clarification of its policies on Friday, stating that fundraising on Rittenhouse’s behalf (for legal fees, living expenses, and so on) would be allowed going forward. This came in the aftermath of Rittenhouse being found not guilty in a highly publicized trial concerning an incident in which Rittenhouse, then 17, shot and killed two men during protests against police brutality in Kenosha, Wisconsin in the summer of 2020.
GoFundMe had previously removed any Rittenhouse-centric fundraising campaigns once charges were leveled against him last year. However, now that the legal system has ruled in Rittenhouse’s favor, the site’s terms of service do not prohibit money going his way as long as the campaign is deemed sufficiently legitimate:
“If someone is acquitted of those charges, as Rittenhouse was today, a fundraiser started subsequently for their legal defense and other expenses would not violate this policy. A fundraiser to pay lawyers, cover legal expenses or to help with ongoing living expenses for a person acquitted of those charges could remain active as long as we determine it is not in violation of any of our other terms and, for example, the purpose is clearly stated and the correct beneficiary is added to the fundraiser.”
It’s an interesting bind for a private, for-profit enterprise like GoFundMe. The fact that Rittenhouse fatally shot two people is not legally in dispute; a court merely found that he acted in self-defense. GoFundMe could theoretically take a moral stand in not allowing fundraising for Rittenhouse, but since tech companies typically aren’t in the morals business, the site decided to take the law’s side and allow it. After all, the alternative might invite a combination of precedent-setting headaches and possible lawsuits.
There isn’t much of a lesson here at the end of the day. If you’re fine with GoFundMe’s decision, keep on keeping on. If you’re not, well, thankfully it’s not the only way to send people money online.
