Lockdown conditions imposed due to the coronavirus crisis have had a huge impact on various areas of society – including social platforms.With people all over the world forced to stay indoors because of the pandemic it has led to a major shift in the way we live our lives.As lockdown conditions begin to be eased in some countries despite the virus continuing to be spread – cases are rising once more in parts of the United States – it will be fascinating to see if changes in lifestyle prove to be permanent or temporary.
So what has happened to social platforms due to the pandemic induced lockdown?
Conspiracies and misinformation spreads via social media
One of the big impacts of social media on the coronavirus crisis has been the way these platforms allow people to spread conspiracies and misinformation.Right from the start of the pandemic, some people have consistently claimed that the virus was deliberately released in China, while others have claimed it has links to 5G technology.Debunking these myths is difficult and the misinformation can spread alarmingly quickly on social media, giving weight to theories that have no scientific basis to them.
At long last, Twitter has now started to provide labels or warnings on some posts that include misinformation.The platform, which has typically shied away from deleting messages, has also started to remove some posts altogether, which feels like a big step towards combating ‘fake news’.
A study by King’s College London and Ipsos MORI released in the UK recently showed conspiracy theories about COVID-19 are more likely to be believed by those who get information from social platforms including Facebook and YouTube.”Even the more extreme conspiracy theories around COVID-19 are thought to be true by a large section of the public – with one in five people saying they believe at least one from there being a link to 5G radiation, or that the pandemic is part of a global forced vaccination programme, or that there is no evidence the disease actually exists,” said Professor Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London.Professor Duffy added that people who use social platforms to get news about coronavirus have also been found by the study to be more likely to break lockdown rules during the pandemic.
Online casinos become a new social platform for individuals
The coronavirus crisis has also led to some new social platforms springing up, with online casinos surprisingly among them.Bricks and mortar casinos in the United States and other countries were forced to close their doors early on in the crisis because of the possibility of the virus spreading in those locations.This meant that people who wanted to place a bet had to go online, leading to a spike in the public’s interest in online casino sites, which have been booming due to the lockdown.
Some online casinos provide a very social experience for their users, too. Live casino games like roulette and blackjack are available on a lot of casino sites these days. Players who choose the live casino option have the chance to chat with fellow players while at the table.Social slots have also emerged as a great option for people using online casinos. The difference between social slots and demo slots is nicely summed up by Dogslots.com. Demo slots are a fantastic way to test out new games as players do not have to risk any of their own real cash.Casinos have been given the green light to open in certain areas of America, but it seems likely online casinos will continue to grow in popularity – especially as regulations continue changing.
TikTok emerges as the year’s in vogue social platform
While the likes of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube battle against the spread of misinformation during the coronavirus crisis, an up and coming social platform has made its name – TikTok. The Chinese video-sharing social networking service, which is owned by Beijing-based internet technology company ByteDance, has exploded in popularity during the global lockdown.Across iOS and Android devices, TikTok has now passed two billion all-time downloads. TikTok dance challenges regularly go viral across other forms of social media. The platform is also used by fitness enthusiasts, which has helped to explain its popularity in recent times.
Particularly popular with younger people, TikTok users were even credited with the low attendance at a recent rally organised by United States president Donald Trump in Oklahoma. Millennials are joining TikTok in their droves right now, but it is the huge number of Gen Z-ers who post on the platform that is driving its growth all over the world.
It is unclear right now whether TikTok will be able to establish itself among the elite when it comes to the world’s top social platforms. Perhaps services like Facebook will take inspiration from the app and launch their own rival versions, similar to what was seen with Snapchat. For now, though, TikTok has been one of the big winners of the pandemic induced lockdown.