Facebook Inc has played an “important” role in Taiwan’s epidemic prevention efforts, which has contributed to a stable domestic economy, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.
Speaking at the virtual launch of the Facebook Made by Taiwan 2020 program, Tsai said that it has been five years since the US company established its Taiwan headquarters.
During that time, Facebook has become an “important partner” of the government and an “indispensable part” of many people’s lives, Tsai said.
Photo: Bill Chen, Taipei Times
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began late last year, Facebook has “not only assisted the Central Epidemic Command Center by providing users with accurate information, but also provided big data on population mobility to help Taiwan analyze its epidemic prevention strategies,” she said.
The company’s social media platforms have helped promote Taiwan’s epidemic prevention model abroad and “let people all over the world know that ‘Taiwan can help,’” she said.
Domestically, the company has not only helped people keep in touch amid fewer face-to-face meetings, but it has also played a vital role in the digital economy, contributing to economic stability, Tsai said.
The launch of Facebook Made by Taiwan 2020 follows a talent cultivation initiative — Made by Taiwan, Loved by the World — which the company launched in 2016.
The new program is an “investment” to assist with Taiwan’s digital transformation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on the development of “new economies, new technologies and new talents,” Facebook said.
The company said it plans to establish Facebook Shops and Instagram Shops, and is rolling out augmented reality advertisements that would offer “more creative and interactive” ways for businesses to reach potential customers.
It also plans to hold workshops in Taiwan’s six special municipalities as part of its Instagram Academy program to teach young entrepreneurs how to use the platform effectively, it said.
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