A recent investigation by CBS News revealed that TikTok's algorithm readily delivers extreme and potentially harmful weight loss content to accounts simulating underage users, despite the platform's stated community guidelines. The probe, which involved creating a fake 15-year-old girl's account, quickly exposed the user to a wide array of content promoting unhealthy eating and body image. This included videos advocating for 500-calorie diets, "empty stomach" fetish content, and the glorification of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic.
According to the investigation, the account was swiftly inundated with such material. Content featuring captions like, > "I’d rather die hot than live ugly," and promotions for cosmetic surgeries and "before-and-after" body transformations were easily accessible. Once the simulated account interacted with a few of these videos, TikTok's "For You" feed intensified its recommendations, pushing even more extreme content.
TikTok maintains that it has firm policies prohibiting such behavior and proactively identifies and removes content violating its guidelines. A spokesperson for the company stated that searches for terms like #Anorexia would direct users to relevant support and eating disorder helplines. However, the CBS News findings suggest a significant gap between policy and algorithmic enforcement, particularly concerning underage users.
The prevalence of "skinnytok" and similar trends on the platform has drawn criticism from health experts and regulators, leading TikTok to ban certain hashtags associated with extreme weight loss. Despite these measures, content promoting restrictive diets and unrealistic body standards continues to circulate, raising concerns about the platform's impact on the mental and physical health of its younger demographic. This investigation underscores ongoing challenges for social media companies in moderating vast amounts of user-generated content and protecting vulnerable users.