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A music teacher named Rachel Accurso decided to use her platform for good . She set up a fundraiser for Save the Children ’s Emergency Fund , which digest children in Gaza , Ukraine , the Democratic Republic of Congo , Sudan and other castellated expanse . She called the initiative “ Messages for little to Help Littles , ” and the idea was simple : She would sell500 Cameo videosat $ 100 a pop , then donate all of the money . She sell out tight , then put requests on hold while she caught up with the stockpile of 500 personalized videos .

But on Cameo , if a creator does n’t carry through their video postulation within seven sidereal day , then the person who buy the video recording get a repayment . And for a full - fourth dimension content creator and graduate student in early puerility pedagogy , that ’s not much time to memorialise 500 individualised television . If reputable Maker like Ms. Rachel ca n’t have time to carry through a sudden burst of requests , then is Cameo even an effective weapons platform for fundraising ?

One parent , who reach out to TechCrunch , noted that he was give back with a Cameo credit ; this was specially thwarting because he only buy the Cameo because he guess the money would be going to charity .

But Cameo says that due to Apple ’s policies , any leverage made as an in - app leverage on an Apple equipment can only be return as a quotation .

“ Recently , we have encountered an unprecedented demand for Ms. Rachel ’s Cameo requests , which led to some concerns regarding booking made through our app , ” said Cameo CEO Steven Galanis in a statement to TechCrunch . “ As all purchase made through the iOS app are process directly by Apple , Cameo does not have access to issue refund . If you opt a refund over Cameo credit , you could request it from Apple instantly . ”

When TechCrunch reached out to Ms. Rachel ’s management for remark , they contacted Cameo to rectify the situation . Because of this treatment , all parent who donated to this fundraiser should be getting those personalized video for their nestling . But even though Ms. Rachel and her team were not aware of Cameo ’s seven - solar day fulfillment insurance policy , the confusion could make reputational harm among parent who were frustrated to receive Cameo credit , rather than confirmation of their charitable contribution .

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Cameo ’s policy makes sense in some cases — if a celebrity is dormant on Cameo and someone pays for a video recording that they never receive , they should be reimburse . However , Cameo was mindful of Ms. Rachel ’s highly democratic fundraiser , since Cameoposted about it on X. Often , Divine platforms like Patreon , Twitch or TikTok will cultivate direct relationship with its most popular gift , keeping a closer eye on these high - priority users . give that Ms Rachel specify to fulfill her Cameo requests , it ’s undecipherable why Cameo did n’t grant her extra time to do so in the first place , rather than repay purchaser .

“ Bottom crease ? Cameo was n’t develop for the demand and Rachel ’s stardom , ” a parent who bought a Cameo state TechCrunch . “ Also , do n’t f — with tot parents . ”