Snapchat Details Its Efforts During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The messaging application said in a blog post that it rolled out creative tools to enable Snapchatters to share best practices approved by the World Health Organization with friends and family members, including a worldwide filter with advice on staying safe and links to the WHO website.

Snapchat said it is working closely with the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure that its users receive the latest information via the two organizations’ official accounts on the platform, and it also developed custom content with the WHO to answer questions from its user community.

The Covid-19 crisis prompted Snapchat to speed up the debut of its Here for You feature, which went live in February and surfaces when Snapchatters search for topics such as those related to anxiety, depression, stress, grief, suicidal thoughts and bullying.

A new section was added to Here for You with content from the Ad Council, CDC, Crisis Text Line and WHO on anxiety related to the coronavirus.

Snapchat also reiterated that its Discover content platform is curated, and the company only works with a select set of partners.

More than three-dozen of those partners are producing constant coverage related to the coronavirus, including Brut India, Le Monde, NBC News (Stay Tuned), Sabq, Sky News, The Telegraph, VG and The Washington Post.

And Snapchat’s news team is also regularly producing content and updating Discover with tips and information related to Covid-19, including question-and-answer sessions with medical experts.

Snapchat wrote, “We believe that Snapchatters play a critical role in stopping the spread of the virus. Our community can help by using the full power of technology while physically distancing—whether to communicate with loved ones, play games with friends or stay informed.”