In an effort to support community well-being, the popular social media platform TikTok is launching refreshed policies and features. The platform is fighting misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines with public health experts answering commonly asked questions in a dedicated in-app coronavirus resource hub.
The TikTok COVID-19 hub can be accessed from the Discovery page, search results, or through the banners on videos related to the pandemic. Alongside the new resource, the platform has also refreshed its Community Guidelines, resources, and tools to support the well-being of the community "in areas like harassment, eating disorder content, and self-harm." The new features include updated resources to support people who may be struggling, op-in viewing screens for videos that are graphic or disturbing, and text-to-voice to make the app more accessible.
Refreshed Social Media Guidelines
TikTok Supports Community Well-Being with Refreshed Policies
Trend Themes
1. Misinformation Combat - TikTok's refreshed policies and COVID-19 resource hub demonstrate an opportunity for combating misinformation surrounding the pandemic through social media platforms.
2. Community Well-being Support - The refreshed Community Guidelines and new features on TikTok highlight the potential for social media platforms to prioritize and support the well-being of their communities.
3. Accessibility Advancements - TikTok's text-to-voice feature is an example of how social media platforms can make their apps more accessible, indicating potential disruption in the area of digital accessibility.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media Platforms - The refreshed policies and features on TikTok showcase opportunities for other social media platforms to implement similar measures to combat misinformation and support community well-being.
2. Public Health and Medicine - The COVID-19 resource hub and collaboration with public health experts present opportunities for the public health and medicine industry to leverage social media platforms in spreading accurate information.
3. Technology and Assistive Devices - TikTok's text-to-voice feature highlights the potential for advancements in technology and assistive devices, creating disruptive innovation opportunities in the field.