Earlier today, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its own TikTok account. While TikTok is not really something WHO would be into, the organization aims to share updates using the platform to curb the spread of misinformation surrounding the Coronavirus outbreak.
In their first video, Benedetta Allegranzi, technical lead of infection prevention and control shared the measures people can take to protect themselves from the novel Coronavirus outbreak. “We are joining [TikTok] to provide you with reliable and timely public health advice,” WHO wrote in the description of its first video. TikTok has seen an influx in memes surrounding the outbreak. Some users have taken it a step further and are sharing videos of themselves pretending to be infected with the virus.
@whoWe are joining @tiktok to provide you with reliable and timely public health advice! Our first post: How to protect yourself from ##coronavirus ?
According to the MIT Technology Review, WHO and CDC have spent the last couple of weeks of the outbreak fighting misinformation regarding the virus on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Some experts say that Coronavirus will be the first true test of social media platforms’ ability to censor misinformation and fake news. While companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google have taken measures to control fake news, it’s still not enough. As the outbreak grows, users are accepting and sharing anything and everything which does more harm than good. Facebook has recently taken steps to stop people from selling products as a cure for Coronavirus.