TikTok blocks #SkinnyTok: a hashtag associated with the RHP
TikTok is no longer displaying search results for the hashtag #SkinnyTok, another step in the platform's fight against content that may encourage eating disorders and unhealthy diets.
Here's What We Know
Activists and politicians have long called on TikTok to take action against videos that promote "extreme thinness" as a standard of beauty.
One of the main critics was Clara Chappaz, the French Secretary of State for Digital Affairs. She has been speaking out against #SkinnyTok since April, together with EU regulators, stressing that videos glorifying sickly thinness are not only unacceptable but also dangerous. According to her, social media should be aware of their responsibility, because in the wrong hands, digital tools can do serious harm.
However, experts doubt that blocking one hashtag will have a long-term effect. Cornell University Professor Brooke Erin Duffy notes: "Users are sophisticated. They know how to bypass algorithms and content moderation."
This is not the first step TikTok has taken to counteract harmful content. Back in 2020, the platform introduced restrictions on advertising for fasting and weight loss apps. In 2021, it began working with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and later revised the algorithms of the For You page to reduce the impact of repetitive videos on sensitive topics.
Source: The New York Times
