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Three of the most prominent social media sites have taken steps to help with the coronavirus pandemic: TikTok, Instagram and Facebook have integrated unique techniques into their platforms to raise awareness and money for international COVID-19 relief. They are encouraging their users to utilize the platforms to raise money for their coronavirus fundraisers. Here are a few ways that these social media platforms are helping out with COVID-19 aid.
Facebook has supported coronavirus relief in many ways. One way in which it has helped is through hosting the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization (WHO). Facebook pledged to match donations up to $20 million, and the platform ended up raising over $6 million on its site for WHO’s global efforts to fight the pandemic. They also donated $25 million to frontline healthcare workers.
Another way in which Facebook has helped with the pandemic is through the distribution of information and resources available. They have invested $100 million into the news industry and have supported fact checkers to make sure that coronavirus information is correct and to reduce misinformation distribution. Recognizing that social media and COVID-19 relief ought to work in tandem, they have also allowed global health organizations to utilize advertisement space free of cost to disperse information. Overall, Facebook has taken many steps towards aiding global organizations and providing resources for coronavirus aid.
TikTok
TikTok has been at the forefront of social media and COVID-19 efforts internationally. Content creators, for one, have posted inspirational messages for healthcare workers and spread awareness on resources available to people.
One of the most substantial ways that TikTok has started helping with relief aid, though, is through the concept of donation stickers. These stickers are interactive and embedded straight into videos and lives on users’ channels, allowing them to donate through Tiltify, a charitable fundraising platform. The stickers are currently available in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and Italy.
TikTok has focused on highlighting COVID-19 focused charitable foundations with these stickers. Through the utilization of the campaign #doubletheimpact and the donation stickers, TikTok has matched up to $10 million in donations for these organizations. With these stickers, hundreds of thousands of users were able to raise money for foundations and nonprofit organizations.
As social media and COVID-19 relief can only vary so much, Instagram has also answered the call for action through interactive fundraising on its platform. Similar to the donation stickers utilized by TikTok, Instagram uses a form of donation sticker to allow users to donate towards specific organizations, with over a million to choose from.
Another specific way that Instagram has allowed fundraising is through the live feature. Through Instagram Lives, users are able to interact with comments and encourage donations to organizations right on videos. Previously, nonprofits were unable to fundraise via that platform; during the pandemic, though, Instagram has allowed these organizations to utilize the technology to raise money in this time of need. One hundred percent of all fundraising on the platform goes towards the organizations, with Instagram taking none of it. As the platform is owned by Facebook, the company has promised to match up to $10 million in donations.
During this time, Instagram has highlighted organizations with a focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. Influencers across the world have utilized this platform to give back to everyday people as well, in cash amounts ranging in the thousands. Fitness influencer Katie Sturino and friends pooled together $6,000 to give to those in need during the pandemic.
Social Media and COVID-19
These companies have shown the power of social media platforms and how users and companies can come together to make a real impact on coronavirus aid efforts. With the importance of social media in this day and age, utilizing it to help raise money for COVID-19 is an important role that Facebook, TikTok and Instagram have taken up. Fundraising is still continuing, and contributions towards awareness and funding is a battle that we all can continue supporting.
-Kiana Powers