As the world goes into social isolation amid the coronavirus pandemic, social media platforms are jumping in to help their users in any way possible. Getting rid of fake news and offering accurate information about the COVID-19 illness is probably on top of their lists. Snapchat owner Snap is now rolling out a new search tool, which was previewed in February this year, called Here For You. The search-based tool is aimed at providing relief to Snapchat users who may be feeling anxious over the coronavirus pandemic while staying isolated from their friends and family.
Snap announced Here For You back in February this year. The tool was supposed to roll out a bit later, but the company feels now is the right time for it. Here For You now features a specific section on coronavirus. Snap has teamed up with the World Health Organization (WHO), Ad Council, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and several others to offer accurate information to its users.
The new Here For You tool appears when Snapchat users search for terms such as anxiety and depression. The Here For You section is rolling out globally to all users over the coming few days. When the company initially announced the tool, it was presented as a safety resource for Snapchat users. Some of the other topics that the tool covers are stress, suicidal thoughts, bullying, and grief.
Snap had earlier cancelled its annual partner summit which was scheduled for early next month and asked all its employees to work from home to avoid the coronavirus-led COVID-19 illness. Snapchat is rumoured to be working on a massive redesign that may roll out later this year. Earlier, Snapchat had started offering its users relevant information regarding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.