TikTok has become a cultural phenomenon with over 2 billion downloads since its launch. But as the platform gains popularity, concerns about how it may affect young women’s mental health in particular are becoming more prevalent. A recent study by two Australian researchers has highlighted concerns about TikTok’s potential harmful impact on young women’s body image. According to the study, women who spend time on the platform, particularly those who see pro-anorexia information, are more likely to dislike their bodies and feel bad about their appearance.
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Study Findings: The Effects of Pro-Anorexic Content
273 women between the ages of 18 and 28 were surveyed for the study between July and October 2021 by Rachel Hogg and Madison Blackburn of Charles Sturt University. Ten to eight minutes of TikTok videos depicting disordered eating behaviors were shown to one group of participants. In contrast, the other group watched neutral content including animals, cooking, and natural settings. Those who watched the “pro-anorexia” content experienced a significant decline in body image satisfaction and an increase in the internalization of beauty standards and the risk of orthorexia, a set of restrictive diets and eating patterns aimed at cleansing oneself of “impure” or “unhealthy” foods or behaviors. These findings suggest that even brief exposure to such content can have a profound psychological impact, reinforcing harmful appearance ideals.
The Role of TikTok’s Algorithm
The study’s conclusions were centered on the “For You” page algorithm on TikTok, which selects content depending on user interactions. Someone who has viewed or interacted with disordered eating content before is more likely to see it again since the algorithm is designed to present content that is similar to what they have already engaged with. According to the study, 64% of the women surveyed have seen disordered eating content on their “For You” website. This exposure can have an immediate detrimental impact on body image, raising questions about the platform’s influence on young women.
“One of the saddest realities I can think of is that the algorithm’s blunt nature means that users who search for body positivity content could end up exposed to pro-anorexia content”
Rachel Hogg
When a person searches for anti-anorexia content to aid in their eating disorder recovery, they could come across damaging diet content, which is the exact opposite of what they were looking for.
Broader Concerns About Social Media and Body Image
This study contributes to the expanding collection of research that shows the possible negative effects of social media on the mental health of young women. Organizations like Common Sense Media and the Center for Countering Digital Hate have also voiced concerns about how platforms like TikTok contribute to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors.
These concerns are not new. In 2021, Meta, the parent company of Instagram, faced scrutiny after reports revealed that the company was aware of its platforms’ harmful effects on teen mental health. Lawsuits have been filed against social media giants like Meta and TikTok, accusing them of contributing to the mental health crisis among youth.
Response of TikTok
TikTok has implemented algorithm changes and updated community guidelines to curb content promoting disordered eating and dangerous weight loss. The platform modified its algorithm in 2023 to diversify video suggestions and reduce recurring exposure to hazardous content. The study shows that users may still utilize slang or creative language to get around filters despite these attempts. Moreover, there are still worries regarding the long-term consequences of this kind of information, which the study did not investigate.
In conclusion, while TikTok has taken steps to mitigate the risks associated with disordered eating content, the platform’s algorithm and the broader social media environment continue to pose challenges to young women’s mental health. Additional study is required to understand and solve these challenges completely.
