CSUEB professor explains the #26acts phenomenon

CSUEB Professor Grant Kien being interviewed on KPIX CBS San Francisco about #26acts of random kindness.

CSUEB Assistant Professor of Communications Grant Kien explained the #26acts phenomenon to CBS San Francisco. (sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com) .

December 20, 2012 5:00am

Doing 26 random acts of kindness as a way to honor the 26 victims of the Newtown shootings has gone viral across the Internet. CSUEB Assistant Professor of Communications Grant Kien explained the phenomenon to KPIX CBS 5 reporter John Ramos.

The movement was initiated by Ann Curry of NBC when she tweeted, “Imagine if all of us committed to 20 mitvahs/acts of kindness to honor each child lost in Newtown. I'm in. If you are RT #26Acts.” This single tweet has mobilized a nation this holiday season. Many are keeping track of their acts using social media – specifically tweeting using hashtag #26acts.

This is the real power of social networks, said Kien. “The medium certainly enables us to, in a sense, grieve together and recognize in a ritualistic sense that we all do care; that we are expressing some concern as a society for what has happened.”

Watch Kien's interview with CBS San Francisco.