Facebook says that it saw a 70 percent increase in video calls on Messenger week-over-week due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The social media giant notes that the amount of time spent on group video calls has doubled globally, according to data obtained by CNET.
Further, voice and video calls on WhatsApp have more than doubled in areas that have been most impacted by the virus.
This isn’t exactly surprising because people have been shifting the way they work and socialize, and are relying on technology a lot more to practice social distancing. Video calls are the best way to keep in touch during self-isolation and quarantine.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has noted that although there has been a surge in activity, the social media giant can still handle the traffic. He said that the company is ready to respond if traffic increases even more.
Further, Facebook recently announced that it is partnering with global health organizations to help them push out credible information about COVID-19 via Messenger.
Source: CNET
