Over 126,000 people have viewed a new Fluoride Action Network video posted only a month ago and the view count continues to rise. Others in the same series only managed 4-7,000 hits. Below, we ask why this particular video is so popular, and how we might reproduce that popularity with other videos.

But first, here is an update on our annual fundraiser.  Yesterday, we received $286 from 3 donors, bringing our grand total to $72,914 from 132 supporters. To help us move a little faster to our mini-goal of $100,000 by Christmas Eve, the next $1000 donated will be doubled by one of long-term supporters.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated towards our 2019 campaign and we are hoping that more of you will join in today to increase both the $ total and also the number of donors.

Please note that we have another challenge pledge in place which will give us $200 when we reach 200 donors, $300 when we reach 300 donors and so on right up to 1000 donors!

How to make a tax-deductible donation to FAN:

  • Online at our secure server.
  • Or by Check, payable to the Fluoride Action Network. Send your check to:

    Fluoride Action Network
    c/o Connett
    104 Walnut Street
    Binghamton NY 13905

*Please note that some corporations match tax deductible donations made by their employees to some non-profits. We qualify for this. This is the information to provide your corporation finance people: FAN is a project of the American Environmental Health Studies Project, Inc, registered in Tennessee.

Why is this Short FAN Video so Popular?

In 2018, the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) created a new video series entitled “Fluoride Fundamentals” to provide the public and decision-makers with a basic understanding of fluoride, to dispel myths surrounding fluoridation, and answer common questions. The videos are short, engaging, science-focused, and meant to be shared far and wide, which is exactly what happened with all of them, and one in particular.

Our most recent video, Fluoride Fundamentals #4: Sources of Fluoride has been viewed over 125,500 times on Facebook, and an additional 500 times on YouTube (shared on Twitter and in bulletins).  Combined views for our four videos in the series are nearing 150,000 in just a few short months since their creation.

FLUORIDE FUNDAMENTALS VIEW COUNT:
#1       Facebook: 5,600        YouTube: 1,016                    Total: 6.616
#2       Facebook: 6,900        YouTube: 749                       Total: 7,649
#3       Facebook: 4,200        YouTube: 452                       Total: 4,652
#4       Facebook: 125,575    YouTube: 539                       Total: 126,114
                                                                                      TOTAL: 145,031

Below, you can watch again all four videos in our series ‘Fluoride Fundamentals” but first to return to the question we asked at the beginning of this bulletin, why was part 4: Sources of Fluoride so popular?

I believe the success of these videos is due to their short social-media friendly format, the professional videography and editing by FAN Education Director Jay Sanders, their focus on critical issues and popular myths, and because they feature a scientific expert conveying complicated topics effectively for lay people.

Paul suggests the following reasons.

“Most people are shocked when they first hear that the chemical added to water in fluoridation programs is not pharmaceutical grade, like the fluoride used in toothpaste, but a hazardous waste product of the phosphate fertilizer industry. Many simply don’t believe it. Dr. Hardy Limeback didn’t believe it, until he was shown the evidence. Most dentists still don’t believe it. When you don’t believe something, often words are not enough to convince you. That’s where pictures help and that’s where this video comes in. I believe that people on our side of this debate when they saw this video thought, ‘At last, here is the evidence that I can use to convince my friends and colleagues that this is really what is happening’ and sent them the link.”

What do you think? Is Paul correct here or is there another explanation? Please send in your thoughts to Paul at pconnett@gmail.com

Paul added some more questions when he added these thoughts,

“I hope that Jay can conjure up some more magic in 2019 and produce a short video which explains the shocking reality that exposure to fluoride in the womb is associated with lowered intelligence in offspring. What pictures can convey that shocking possibility? What would that video look like?”

FAN isn’t new to educating citizens using videos.  Our YouTube videos have over 1.2 million views, and this doesn’t take into account the large number of our videos that have been duplicated and share by other YouTube pages (likely doubling or tripling the total view count).

We would like to continue educating hundreds of thousands about fluoridation, and have already filmed additional videos for this series to be aired in 2019.  Help us continue producing high-quality educational videos throughout 2019 and beyond.  Please consider making a donation to support these efforts.

Fluoride Fundamentals #4: Sources of Fluoride

Where do fluoridation chemicals come from? In the fourth video of this series, FAN’s Executive Director Paul Connett, PhD addresses why we should be paying attention to the source of fluoride chemicals added to our drinking water.

Share video on: Facebook & Twitter

Fluoride Fundamentals #3: Margin of Safety

In the third video of this series, FAN’s Executive Director Paul Connett discusses the importance of applying a regulatory margin of safety in an effort to protect whole populations from the harmful effects of toxic chemicals like fluoride.

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Fluoride Fundamentals #2: Concentration vs. Dose

The second video in the series discusses the critical distinction between Concentration, Dose, and Dosage as it relates to fluoride science.  This is a critical point to understand as proponents of fluoridation often mislead decision-makers by focusing on concentration rather than the overall dose residents of different sizes with unique medical histories are exposed to over time.

Share video on: Facebook & Twitter

Fluoride Fundamentals #1: Is Fluoride a Nutrient?

The series launched with a short video featuring FAN’s Director Paul Connett, PhD, answering the question: “Is Fluoride a Nutrient?”  Also see our webpage on this topic.

Thank you,
Stuart Cooper
Campaign Director
Fluoride Action Network

See all FAN bulletins online