Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord that is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection, most commonly affecting children, teens, and young adults. People have used new media technologies like social networking and online petitions to raise awareness about meningitis and communicate their ideas more efficiently by sharing information and forming communities around the issue on a national level. Web 2.0 allows for greater public connectivity and citizen-created media, enabling people to leverage online tools to support causes related to their real-world values, such as creating petitions to draw attention to meningitis.