In the wake of Coronavirus, it has never been more important to call on Generation Z (Gen Z) to combat a mounting global crisis. Gen Z is the generation approximately born between 1997 and 2010, accounting for 32% of the global population ( Bloomberg). This amounts to ~2.5 billion people on Earth, surpassing the population size of both Baby Boomers and Millennials. Gen Z was born into a complex and digital world, cultivating a well-informed and proactive generation. Now known as “Philanthroteens”, Gen Z individuals can harness their digital aptitude and passion for world change to have an impact at scale.
Gen Z taps into the power of social media to increase community consciousness and make a sweeping, aggregate change. According to Cone’s CSR study, 81% of Gen Z believe that they can have an impact on social and environmental issues through social media. In an increasingly digital world, Gen Z’s voice is only becoming more influential. Videos using the hashtag #coronavirus are up to 14 billion total views on TikTok as of Thursday (3/19). Similarly, there have been over 100 million Twitter mentions of Coronavirus in the past seven days (3/11–3/18), and Gen Z accounts for approximately 50% of them. In turn, those mentions have resulted in over 500 million Twitter engagements. To put that in context, there are 330 million people in the United States. Gen Z’s online confidence leads to viral momentum, which can be harnessed for far-reaching social good.
