By Sean Kim, Head of Product, TikTok US 

In recent weeks, the world’s leading minds in technology and medicine have come together to imagine solutions and solve challenges related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. There's a role for every single one of us in the fight against COVID-19. As a global technology platform, we've put a great deal of focus into supporting our community by partnering with public health officials to provide trusted resources to help our users stay informed in this uncertain time. 

Today we're continuing this work by joining Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Giphy, and more for the COVID-19 Global Hackathon – a united industry effort that invites developers to build technologies and working prototypes that deliver impact and address key needs identified by the World Health Organization.

Developers have the opportunity to address a variety of needs, including ideas for our front line health workers, digital tools that keep us informed and vigilant, solutions for vulnerable populations, alternative learning environments, new opportunities for small businesses, and creative ways to stay connected with our broader communities. We're excited to see what the developer community will create in order to respond to the needs identified by the World Health Organization, being sure to develop technological innovations that are timely, helpful, and relevant. 

Project submissions open on Devpost this Thursday, and the deadline to submit is Monday, March 30 at 9:00 AM PT. To find out how you can participate, visit here for submission guidelines and more details. 

Update (April 10):

We’ve seen an incredible response to the #BuildforCOVID19 Global Hackathon, with 18,000 innovators having joined the effort and contributing 1,560 projects addressing challenges related to the COVID-19 crisis. The hackathon produced standout ideas that we were proud to help review. You can explore the highlighted projects here. 

In fact, one of the highlighted projects incorporated TikTok as part of its solution: a social distancing game hosted on our platform that encourages viewers and players to stay at home and help flatten the curve. We love seeing people use our platform in creative ways, and projects like these are a great example of how communities are using TikTok for good, while also having fun.

Congratulations to all the innovators who worked together to share imaginative solutions and make a difference.