The UN Is Using Facebook's Augmented Reality Tool to Let Aid Workers Tell Their Stories

A powerful new campaign for the United Nations is harnessing Facebook's recently-launched Camera Effects Studio tool to let civilians and humanitarian workers in conflict zones tell their story direct to the audience. The "Not a Target" campaign, by VML, uses Facebook Live and the Camera Effects tool (which lets users add filters and augmented reality features) as an interactive teleprompter, allowing people such as doctors and aid workers to record and share their on-the-ground stories -- which are often harsh and shocking -- straight to camera. As they speak, the text of the words scrolls down the screen in front of them. The target audience of this technology-led approach is millennials, whom the UN aims to to educate and engage to push for change. The campaign launched on Saturday (Aug. 19), World Humanitarian Day, with some of the clips being featured on digital billboards in New York's Times Square. It also includes a TV and online film, seen here, that features clips of words spoken by different civilians in conflict zones accompanied by some powerful black and white reportage. All activity will drive viewers to a website, WorldHumanitarianDay.org, where people can sign a UN petition asking world leaders to protect civilians caught in armed conflict.

The UN Is Using Facebook's Augmented Reality Tool to Let Aid Workers Tell Their Stories

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