• by Colin Kirkland , Yesterday

As first-time college students prepare for their freshman year, TikTok is rolling out a new feature designed to help them connect with their classmates, while providing advertisers with more specific Gen Z targeting options. 

The social media company’s “Campus Verification” is a localized feature that invites students to meet other students on their campus by adding their graduation year and entering their academic email address.

Once they have proven their enrollment at a specific college or university, a page will appear dedicated to their school with a list of other verified student users in their same year. TikTok says that to help enforce proper verification measures, the platform has partnered with UNiDAYS, a student-centric verification service. 

Within their school group, students will be able filter their search by their graduation year and seek out possible friendships as they transition into college life. 

The feature is reminiscent of other platforms like “Facebook Campus,” which Meta launched five years ago but shut down in 2022 due to verification concerns and student safety. 

Fizz is another similar platform currently growing across the U.S. that brands itself as a hyperlocal app where verified college students anonymously share thoughts with their fellow classmates, discuss campus life, and sell goods like furniture, books and more.

Fizz’s co-founder Teddy Solomon told MediaPost in May that due to its college-focused approach, brands are able boost their click-through-rates when advertising on the app, compared to running ads on TikTok or Meta.  

Depending on the success and safety of Campus Verification, TikTok may eventually try to help brands secure the attention of specific students at specific universities across the country. According to the company, the feature will be immediately available in 6,000 U.S. universities.