Before you order a wreath (or break out the bunting) never fear, Ms Kardashian and Gaga are alive and well. However, on World AIDS day (1 December) they will be committing digital suicide  in an usual fund-raising move for the Keep A Child Alive charity.

Kardashian and Gaga will be joined by well known personalities like Ryan Seacrest and Elijah Wood who will close down their public Facebook and Twitter accounts on 1 December 2010, and not reactivate them until the public pledge a total of US$1,000,000 (£650,00).

It's an interesting spin on the usual deployment of social media in fund raising. Where we once had sponsored silences or fasts, it seems that sacrificing your digital social life is a sufficient hardship to endure in a good cause. Those taking part have recorded "last Tweet and testament" video clips to explain their actions, urging their fans to donate. 

Luckily for the celebrities involved, the requisite US$1,000,000 is a group figure - nobody wants to be the last celebrity left without a Twitter account because none of the public care enough to pledge any cash!

The involvement of Lady Gaga alone, with her 7 million followers guarantees the success of what promises to be an short, sharp effective fund raising scheme. More information available on the Keep A Child Alive site.