Daily Times

When the recent meeting took place between the Punjab Governor and TikTok influencers, many sneered at the thought of the popular app being utilised as a platform to promote Coronavirus awareness. By next morning, there was a debate on the internet regarding this matter. What the naysayers didn’t realise was the pull of the audience in mass numbers, which were sitting there viewing this platform and following avidly everything these online personalities were saying. TikTok has not been without its controversy as to the type of content it has been known for in the past. However, due to the extraordinary circumstances presented to us by the global pandemic of COVID-19, the app has somehow evolved into something of a conversation.

TikTok has a greater reach and access to the youth than one had imagined. The app has been calculated as the means to target a mass number of people; especially those who were disconnected from having news reach them. A substitute for the more expensive mode of owning a TV and having a subscription to channels, the popularity of TikTok is undeniable. TikTok is the cheapest form of entertainment accessible via a smartphone. And the reach is not just to a teenage or college going generation; a vast majority of the population such as workers, domestic help, and even the greater population of remote villagers are signed on. Maximising the potential and the ability to gauge popular content has been an eye-opener. Research shows that people will not own a television at home but will certainly have access in the form of a smartphone to allow them to link to the outside world via mobile apps. The reason being that mobile companies offer cheaper rates in great competition as package bundles which allow for access to the internet via mobile data.

I have been a sceptic about the app as I do not find a majority of the content funny or appealing. And again that would be because it is geared towards a different audience. However, it is well known that TikTok influencers have had rapid success and an immense following and does have a certain cult following and mass appeal. With over several million followers each, one influencer can speak out during these challenging times and relay vital information about the pandemic to a huge chunk of the population who would hopefully absorb the messages as good information. Something greatly needed especially in terms of creating awareness during the course and different stages of the novel coronavirus. Turning the situation into an advantage to get a hold of the mass population will be a brilliant move.

If the business community took to Zoom and StreamYard for their online meeting and conferences, social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok certainly showed increased engagement

Social media influencers were at one point earning quite a hefty amount in marketing campaigns worldwide. So why not utilise the same type of influencers, be it on different apps as a team for the greater good such as delivering life-saving information. In a country like Pakistan, we do acknowledge there is a vast divide in consumer behaviour due to the income differences. The same goes for the type of content which appeals to the different audience. The one uniting factor the pandemic has brought us with the implemented lockdowns and social distancing is that more people are online. If the business community took to Zoom and StreamYard for their online meeting and conferences, social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok certainly showed increased engagement. TikTok has been downloaded by more than 1 billion people as stats from the Google Play store show. The World Health Organisation (WHO) joined the TikTok platform early this year to create awareness especially amongst teenagers about COVID-19 and dispel misinformation spreading via social media. To date, the WHO TikTok account has 2.4 million followers garnering 8.4 million likes on its posts (and the numbers are increasing daily).

TikTok has turned out to be one of the more democratised of all apps. And the masses are tuned in. The ordinary person can log in and become a star within minutes; without having to use expensive equipment other than the usage of their mobile phones. They have taken this opportunity to do so as it allows them to not only be entertained but to put themselves out there by connecting to the rest of the world. Again, whether we as individuals like or dislike the majority of the content it puts up online, the app has reached different segments of society. One thing to note, it has a strict policy on anything “unsavoury” as well so any untoward content can be reported and accounts attempting to do so can be suspended.

Besides, utilising this app by giving millions educated and regularised content delivered not only by bloggers and influencers about the pandemic but now also using doctors and health care professionals to propagate this information is proving successful. If the correct messaging and awareness reaches the mass population in a creative form, it would and could be a lifesaver for millions out there. Social media, as a whole, given its target audience, can be effectively utilised to disseminate information that could be vital in an easily accessible form and in the way it is better understood. The answer lies in utilising the wealth of information given to us, formatted in a way that reaches the maximum number of people to make a change and create a positive impact.

The writer is known for her articles on socio-cultural impact