I have been talking about media manipulation and fake news by introducing a rather new threat called deepfake in my first blog. Now that I consider we broke the ice, I actually want to open up and talk (somewhat shamefully) about a recent addiction of mine: TikTok.
Cue the gasp
Well … you heard and as much as I did not and still do not want to accept it, it is true I am addicted to watch the videos on the app; I find myself watching videos on TikTok when I am taking the train, before falling asleep, during the breaks I take at work.
But let’s pause for a moment and run the tape back!
..
Hmmm, was it not me only five months ago finding TikTok silly? Was it not me who did not understand it at all? Was it not me thinking it as a complete waste of time when my 16-year old sister learned TikTok dances?
Well, to explain what has changed and how have I downloaded the app and how have I become addicted, 1) might be a little too embarrassing for me to expose and 2) we might need to go into the details of “slot machine” alike system of social media.
Nope, I am not here to do those, at least not today!
Knowing that in my first blog, I took a cautious stance about a new technology, I would like to choose to be optimistic on this blogpost. While completely being aware of its side effects (which in itself can and should be discussed), I want to talk about TikTok for good.
When I downloaded the app, it was in the lockdown period. It was actually when TikTok grew the range of its audience tremendously. Then, the new semester of my master’s Communication for Development began and I started to think about potential topics for the blog writing assignment.
TikTok as a topic was coming across my mind as I was somehow drawn to the app, I was indeed wanting to explore if good can come out of it. Then I started to search, honestly not knowing what to find, I just typed TikTok and international development, TikTok and NGOs and I did found a ray of hope.
TikTok for good is an initiative
Organizations, NGOs, charities can use TikTok to receive to more audience and to make their audiences engage for specific causes. I believe, most importantly, TikTok, maybe more than any platform gives the opportunity for organizations to connect with Gen Z.
TikTok’s Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, TikTok for good aims to help charities
to develop their digital strategies and benefit from TikTok’s global reach by gaining exposure to drive awareness for their causes
TikTok offers charities guidance for account management, advanced analytics and promoted hashtags.
Charities can use hashtag challenges to activate the audience. Users can contribute to these challenges by creating their own content and thus, they can support campaigns.
The key for campaigns to be successful is to be #creative, #fun, #spontaneous and #authentic as it is for any other content in TikTok.
It is possible to find many examples of campaigns TikTok partners with:
- #DanceForChange: World’s largest dance challenge that The United Nation’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) launched to help people in rural areas of Africa and other developing countries. 33K videos & 81M views
- #rednoseday: Red Nose Day launched the biggest Joke-Ha-Thon on TikTok, asking users to tell their best joke, as well as a red nose AR filter. For every video created, TikTok donated $2 to help fight child poverty. 22K videos & 20M views
- #TheRealChallenge: UNICEF and the European Union launched the campaign as unbranded to challenge the children to share their views on their rights.
These are only few of the successful challenges with many more to be found on the website.
Let me just clarify this, as it is in the case of TikTok, I believe social media is a double-edged sword. However, finding these kind of initiatives and success stories gives me hope for its potential. Good can come out of it.
If charities, NGOs can tap into the potential of TikTok, they can unleash enormous opportunities to raise awareness and engage with rather diversified audiences.
What’s your take on the topic? Do you use or plan to use TikTok? Have you ever contributed to an awareness raising challenge? Please share your thoughts in the comment!
