The COVID-19 pandemic has turned people's lives upside down around the world. While social distancing has become the new normal, the role of social media has grown increasingly important for those at home who are in desperate need of expressing themselves and communicating with others.

In the first episode of CGTN's new livestreaming program, "The Chat Room," influencers from China and the U.S. who have made their names known by creating original online content shared their ideas on the topic. 

How has social media changed our lives during the pandemic?

Chewie Qu and Oscar Liu are a couple living in Beijing. After graduating from college, both had been working in the film industry until the pandemic shut down cinemas across the country. They turned to content creation on social media instead.

Oscar's hometown is in Wuhan City, the epicenter from January to April. He had to cancel his flight back home before the Spring Festival due to the pandemic. However, with all his relatives there during the lockdown, Oscar was depressed and concerned for a long time. 

Social media has brought changes to his life. When he started to create content with his girlfriend Chewie, he found that their videos become popular among followers. The success gave him encouragement as well as consolation.

Kelsey Matevia has over 300,000 followers on Instagram, where she shares pictures and videos of her two cats. This has become an opportunity for her to adjust her life and make some real changes. She said that during the pandemic, she started to eat healthily and work out in order to look good on camera. She lost 30 pounds.

Will has been sharing English learning tips on Sina Weibo, and has become popular for it. He has traveled around the world interviewing his idols because of his popularity on social media. But now, with traveling almost impossible, he has shifted to learning cooking and healthy eating. Meanwhile, spending more time with his parents also brings him new inspiration and guidance. He invited his parents to join him in filming videos, and unexpectedly, his parents are now even more popular than he is, among his followers.

Sharing not only content, but also emotions

Staying at home alone might be the new experience shared by a large portion of the global population during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Chinese and U.S. influencers attending "The Chat Room" said that the interval has also brought them opportunities to reflect on their own personal lives and careers.

Some have started to make changes to their content.

Kato Kaelin is the host of "Wizarding World," which focuses on traveling with celebrities around the world. However, his career in television was disturbed by the pandemic. It is social media that opened the door of a new world for him.

He said that many people recognized him from social media and that made interviews easier for him. Kato is a comedian, and now, with social media, he wants to spread happiness to everyone who watches his videos.

"Life is very short, like a semester in college. Before you realize it, it is ending," said Kato, who believes that everyone should cherish the moments and enjoy their lives.

Lerenzo Cipollo, who mainly shares workout content online, has shifted to introducing new ways to exercise for people who have been kept at home. With gyms shut down across the U.S., he wants to show that it is still possible to keep a healthy life and work out every day. 

Meanwhile, Lerenzo said he has paid more attention to the details of his content, for instance, how to choose the cover image for his video, and how to make the videos more attractive to audiences.

Will has also been updating his content creation.

"People wanted more than just content during the pandemic. They want to share emotions as well, like speaking out your feelings," he said. 

As a result, Will now shares more about his life.

He added that what the pandemic has taught him is that the good content can always touch the audience deeply, and by sharing positive energy and hearing the voices of everyone, social media has a carved a significant enough place in today's world.

(Cover image designer: Du Chenxin)