New Snapchat Features Help Eradicate Myths About COVID-19

Photo illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, not a few people have taken advantage of this situation to their advantage. There have been many crimes, such as selling fake masks and hand sanitizers, as well as committing disinformation or myths related to the virus. Looking at this, the Snapchat short video app has a new step.

Launching Digital Trends, Sunday March 29, Snapchat has introduced a new filter that serves as a trivia game to prevent the spread of misinformation around about COVID-19. Dubbed the COVID-19 Myth Busting game, this is an interactive filter that allows players to answer wrong questions and provide correct information about COVID-19.

In this game, the user must take a selfie from the application and apply the COVID-19 Myth Busting game filter in it. After applying the filter, users will be asked to answer about COVID-19 and be given a choice between fact or myth.

When choosing the right answer, the app will show you the correct one and give the right answer too. If you choose the wrong answer, the application will tell you that you are wrong, and the reason why you are wrong.

Users can share the results of the game via Snap updates or share them on other social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. At the same time users can also invite their friends to play games.

To date, the COVID-19 Myth Busting game only has 10 questions. But Snapchat claims going forward there will be more questions like "Thermal scanners can detect that someone has COVID-19," the answer is "myth."

However, Snapchat also has to ensure that any questions asked are not mere things, so as not to cause disinformation or hoaxes on its platform. For your information, Snapchat gets all this information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and not from unverified sources. With this game Snapchat aims to entertain its users as well as educate them.

In fact, this is a unique way of spreading awareness about the pandemic. Although other platforms, such as Facebook have taken different steps from Snapchat. Mark Zuckerberg's social media network has its information center which provides users with a number of credible information on their "Home" tab.

The information center has compiled articles, videos, suggestions and posts containing credible information about the COVID-19 outbreak. There is also Google Maps which helps spread awareness, especially in terms of what to do if you have symptoms of COVID-19.

For example, when people search for hospitals or other medical facilities on Google Maps, they are told how to help stop the spread of the virus by not leaving the house empty-handed, aka having to wear closed clothes, masks and other supporting tools to prevent physical contact.

Following in the footsteps of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, Google, Apple and other tech giants have also made steps to spread accurate information about COVID-19 on their respective platforms by filtering out fake news or information.