‘Second’ Thought

It is often said that the internet is a boon and a bane. On one hand, it grants access to a whole new medium of communication and information. On the other, it breeds a community of trolls and fake news peddlers. The primary reason behind this paradox is that people take this platform of free speech for granted, but what most fail to understand is that it comes with its own set of responsibilities. We saw this phenomenon with Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and very recently the rage that has caught every social media enthusiast’s fancy is Tik Tok. Naturally, the users went wild and that called for all kinds of trolls on people’s posts. Hence, in a bid to sensitise and educate users about responsible online behaviour, the short-format video app has rolled out a new campaign for the Indian market called #WaitASecToReflect.

As the tagline suggests, the campaign talks about how thinking just for a second before posting can make all the difference. “It only takes that long to inspire love or seed hate. So, we want the audience to think before they post anything online,” says Rohit Raj, co-founder and chief creative officer at The Glitch.

Tik Tok’s campaign comprises three films, a radio jingle and an in-app challenge through a culturally relevant phrase - Bura na post karo, Bura na share karo, Bura na comment karo [Post no evil, share no evil, comment no evil]. The first film shows how, one should think about replacing negative comments with constructive criticism. Another film addresses the growing concern of youngsters attempting dangerous stunts under the impression of being “cool”. Meanwhile, the third film shows that there is a thin line between being connected and being addicted. Each film hinges on a slice-of-life situation that is narrated in an entertaining manner, and ends with a simple, yet important message — safe and responsible internet usage.

“The campaign was designed keeping in mind our diverse user portfolio and varied audience across the length and breadth of the country,” says a company spokesperson. At a time when internet use as well as misuse is spiraling, this Tik Tok campaign ticks all the right boxes!