In the age of social media, it is crucial to combat misinformation and provide reliable health information to the public, especially during a global pandemic like COVID-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) has partnered with Kuaishou Technology, the parent company of social platforms SnackVideo and Kwai, to reach vulnerable populations and provide mental health tips to cope with the effects of the pandemic.
With over 4 billion users worldwide, social media has the power to reach millions of people with critical health information, especially when delivered in local languages. In August 2021, WHO and SnackVideo launched a campaign in Indonesia to promote mental resilience and provide tips on COVID-19 prevention. The campaign generated over 24 thousand user-generated videos and over 30 million views, showcasing the effectiveness of using social media for health messaging.
Later on, Kwai and WHO collaborated to launch a COVID-19 Fact Centre to debunk myths and provide accurate information about the pandemic. This initiative has reached hundreds of thousands of users in South America and Indonesia, helping to reduce the spread of misinformation.
Liu Zhen, Vice President of Kuaishou Technology, expressed excitement about the impact these campaigns will have on their user communities. Andy Pattison, Team Lead of Digital Channels at WHO, praised the collaboration with social media companies like Kuaishou Technology for promoting better health and well-being.
This partnership between WHO and Kuaishou Technology is just one example of WHO's broader initiative to work with technology companies to fight misinformation and ensure people have access to accurate health information on COVID-19. By leveraging social media platforms in local languages, WHO is able to reach vulnerable populations and provide essential health resources during this challenging time.