Apps

4 ways you can use TikTok to help during the COVID-19 crisis

You don’t need to dance sexily to help

Published

March 25, 2020

MJ Jucutan

As the coronavirus pandemic hits a fever pitch, the amount of TikTok users has been ballooning. A lot of people are currently stuck at home due to a quarantine and forced self-isolation, leading people to download the short-form video app to ease their boredom.

TikTok may be known for goofy and humorous videos but just like any other social media platform, it has other sides catering to different niches and personalities. From cooking, photography, and journaling, to sexy dance challenges, thirst traps, viral memes, and cringe-worthy videos bordering between silly and insanity.

And just like any social media platform, TikTok is also contributing to the fight against coronavirus, in its own, unique, entertaining way. If you spend a lot of time watching and/or uploading on TikTok, maybe it’s high time you participate in TikTok’s efforts seeing how you have a lot of time to do so.

Arm yourself with information

When somebody asks you about your ‘contribution’ in your government and your country’s fight against the coronavirus, you can always slap the taxes you pay, and the criticism and flaws you point out so the system can improve. But if you find it difficult to answer, you can respond with how you’re armed with information — which came from verified and trusted sources.

If you’re unsure where to access accurate and timely information, TikTok created a special page within the app for all things coronavirus — advisories, preventive measures, and Mythbusters debunking fallacies to fight misinformation. Yes, even as a TikTok user, you should be able to discern what is news and what is misinformation.

Don’t forget to wash your hands properly

If Mimiyuuuh can remind us to ‘drink your water’, you can be your own influencer and remind others to wash their hands properly. TikTok creators are using the platform to promote handwashing while singing their favorite songs for 20 seconds.

@tjmusicmonterde ##HandWashChallenge ##handwashtunes ♬ original sound – TJ Monterde

In Vietnam, the Ghen Cô Vy (English Version) was released to inspire hand sanitation. Through its groovy choreography, people have become cautious of the coronavirus. If you want to be an influencer, you can join TikTok’s #HandwashTunes challenge so you can encourage people to wash their hands properly. Remember, an influencer influences.

Spread love and happiness

This challenging time encourages us to spread positive messages of love and hope, not toxic positivity. Our social media feeds are always bombarded with news and the reality we live in.

If you find yourself scrolling on TikTok more often, take part in the #LoveInTheTimeOfCorona challenge instead of just dancing sexily. If you’re musically-inclined, you can bring some hope and compassion in your videos by using a new collaborative song entitled “Forever Beautiful: All for One Version”. The song features Eric Chou, Ben&Ben, and 13 artists across Asia.

@kuyaching ##loveinthetimeofcorona Good deeds should be done with intention, not for attention.@Swerab Smith @Keanne Go ##chingsters ##teamramen ##laughingjackz ♬ Someone You Loved – Lewis Capaldi

Keep your distance, but stay connected

If you’re reading this and you have a mobile phone, access to the internet, and you’re inside a house where you can sleep safe and sound, then congratulations! You’re blessed and you’re privileged enough compared to people who need to step outside for work so they can put food on their plates.

Use this privilege to stay at home because that will be your major contribution (if someone ever asks you again). Use this time at home to catch up with friends and family via social media, in case you’ve been ignoring them for weeks now. You can also try to improve yourself. Perhaps, you can learn a new language, a new recipe, develop new hobbies, and maybe do a home workout.

Whatever it is, don’t forget to share good vibes and entertain people, especially those who can’t handle self-isolation well. Maybe it’s also a good time for you to create more TikTok videos (which you can save as a draft for future purposes).

Let’s remember that we can maintain our distance to keep others safe while maintaining connections through social media platforms. Until then, stay safe!

As general rules, the CDC or The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed these to help with preventing the spread of COVID-19:

Stay home when sick
Cover coughs and sneezes
Frequently wash hands with soap and water
Clean frequently touched surfaces

Related Topics:coronavirus Covid-19 TikTok

Apps

Disney+ launches a TikTok-coded vertical feed called Verts

Published

March 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

TikTok has changed how we consume media. Everything is now vertical. Even the most established streaming services, often a bastion for traditionally horizontal content, is adopting the different format. Now, Disney+ is getting a vertical feed called Verts.

Like its contemporaries, Verts presents a continuous feed of content but tailored to show the plethora of titles from the Disney+ library. This might include the first scenes of shows or notable highlights. The hope, of course, is to direct users to the longform content.

Directly from the Verts feed, users can easily add the respective title to their watchlist or go straight to the title’s page. In turn, the feed is accessible from the homepage since it has its own tab.

According to Disney, early experiments with the feature have driven engagement to available content. Right now, the feed is mostly for clipping enticing content from shows. However, the platform will experiment further with the format for new ways to tell stories.

Though Verts surely stands for “verticals” in this case, “adverts” might fit better as its full government name. Still, it might be a useful tool if you’re figuring out what to watch for the night.

Currently, Verts is available for Disney+ subscribers in the United States. Disney also has plans to expand the feature to ESPN for sports-related content.

Apps

Google Maps is finally getting a 3D mode

The app will also have a Gemini chatbot baked inside.

Published

March 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Some of today’s navigation apps are living in the future. Instead of a two-dimensional map, these apps render the user’s surroundings in 3D. It’s a nifty upgrade that helps drivers more accurately visualize directions on the fly. Finally, Google Maps is getting a much-needed upgrade and will take navigation to the third dimension.

In a new update rolling out today, the new Immersive Navigation feature will bring your surroundings to life. The 3D view creates a render of the surrounding buildings, overpasses, and terrain around the car. It takes the guesswork out of navigation by showing precisely where to turn and what landmarks to look out for.

In the same vein, you can now use Street View to preview your destination before you arrive. Google Maps will also highlight your destination’s entrance, side of the street, and nearby parking.

Outside of how the map is visualized, Google Maps is also infusing its service with Gemini. The new Ask Maps feature will let you engage with the app in a conversational manner. For example, if you’re in the middle of a long drive, you can now ask Maps where the best place is to stop over and have a coffee break. Ask Maps will provide directions, a potential itinerary, and even helpful links to book a reservation ahead of time.

Now, availability for both of these features is still a bit limited. Immersive View is rolling out today to compatible devices and vehicles in the United States. Further, availability will expand over the coming months.

Meanwhile, Ask Maps is available now in the United States and India for Android and iOS. A desktop version is coming soon.

Apps

Apple Music, TikTok launch Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience

Rolling out worldwide exclusively through Apple Music

Published

March 12, 2026

GadgetMatch

Ever came across a viral 15 or 30-second music snippet on TikTok that instantly became your jam on repeat?

For years, TikTok has been a regular source of songs that have become part of our playlists. And together with Apple Music, listening to the music you discover has just gotten even easier.

That’s through Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience, which launches exclusively though Apple Music.

With the new feature, Apple Music subscribers can now enjoy full-length tracks that they discover on TikTok. That’s without ever leaving that popular streaming app.

Fans who discover a song that they love on their For You or Sound Detail page can simply tap the Play Full Song button to open up an Apple Music player and enjoy the song in its entirety.

From there, subscribers can continue listening to a personalized stream of recommended songs. That means no more need to switch apps and search separately.

The new Play Full Song experience helps music fans move seamlessly from the moment of discovery to deeper listening. It’s also designed to be instant and all within the same environment.

Moreover, users can also save their favorite songs to Your Music and add them directly to their Apple Music playlists.

Built using Apple’s MusicKit, full-length song playback takes place on Apple Music. This way, streams are paid within the Apple Music service, supporting artists and rights holders while giving fans a smooth, uninterrupted experience.

Listening Party also launched

The feature builds on the success of TikTok’s Add to Music App. This was previously launched to help artists and fans convert discovery on TikTok to a playlist save in Apple Music and other streaming services.

To cap the announcement, TikTok and Apple Music are also introducing Listening Party. This new feature is designed to bring artists and fans together around music.

It creates a shared environment where fans can listen to songs from their favorite artists in real time, interact with each her, and engage directly with the artist during the session.