I've Recovered From My Eating Disorder, But I Still Can't Escape SkinnyTok

The European Commission has said it will assess a wave of “SkinnyTok” videos promoting sometimes-unhealthy weight loss on the social media platform because of the “public health risk” it may pose. France’s digital minister Clara Chappazrecently posted about the trend with a TikTok video of her own, claiming: “These videos promote extreme thinness. Protecting minors online is one of my priorities.” TikTok’s community guidelines say the app does “not allow showing or promoting disordered eating and dangerous weight loss behaviours,” and a TikTok spokesperson tells us, “To protect teen viewers, we age-restrict content with harmful body ideals.” Entering “SkinnyTok” into the app’s search bar results in a message reading: “You are more than your weight.” Pressing it will lead you to eating disorder resources. Nonetheless, my phone reveals #SkinnyTok videos (including some creators “body-checking” their appearance and mentioning very low weights) right under that banner.Four years into my own eating disorder recovery, my attempts to avoid weight loss content seem to be increasingly futile. All my social media seems abuzz with the topic; not even my search engines provide refuge. If I’m honest, some of the harsh, irresponsible messaging out there has gotten to me a little. It hasn’t reversed my recovery, but it’s certainly not helped.So, I spoke to Tom Quinn, eating disorder charity Beat’s director of external affairs, to see whether I’m alone.My TikTok results for "SkinnyTok"The trend has been growing over timeEating disorder content has been available on social media for years now, with research linking social media usage to eating disorders in young people.One study found social media “creates risks of social comparison and promotes the idea that it is vital to be thin or fit” and that trends, access to pro-eating disorder content and social media platforms that focus on appearance also compound the problem.The study’s author said based on the scale of social media usage amongst young people, “this issue is worthy of attention as an emerging global public health issue”.With 1.5 billion monthly users now using TikTok, and approximately half a million posts labelled #SkinnyTok, charities are concerned over the impact such content, which glorifies restrictive eating, overexercising and disordered behaviours, can have.A TikTok spokesperson tells HuffPost UK: “We want everyone to feel confident expressing themselves on TikTok exactly as they are.“We offer a number of well-being resources and ways to connect with experts right in our app, and have strict rules against body shaming and dangerous weight loss behaviours. To protect teen viewers, we age-restrict content with harmful body ideals.”It’s “incredibly alarming”Quinn told HuffPost UK that “creators promoting extreme thinness and sharing dangerous diet advice” is “incredibly alarming”.“Fitness and nutrition advice should only ever be given out by trained professionals,” he continued.That’s not to say that apps are solely to blame for eating disorders, Quinn added. “Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions which are always caused by a variety of factors, so harmful content alone won’t cause them to develop,” he explained.“However, we know it can make things worse for those who are already unwell or disrupt recovery.”In 2022, Beat surveyed people with eating disorders about their experiences online. A staggering 91% of respondents said they’d encountered harmful content which could fuel eating disorder thoughts and behaviours.The expert stressed, however, that “some people who create this kind of content may be unwell themselves, so it isn’t intended maliciously”.Social media companies need to do moreAs part of the UK’s Online Safety Act, social media companies now have to block children’s access to harmful content completely – including that relating to eating disorders. If they don’t, they will risk fines.Quinn said such companies “have a responsibility to regulate content glamourising eating disorder behaviours and protect their users”.“And whilst some welcomed improvements have been made, an alarming amount of dangerous content is still slipping through the net,” he added.“Further steps need to be taken to ensure social media platforms are safe for all users.”Help and support:Beat: Adult Helpline: 0808 801 0677 and Youthline: 0808 801 0711, or email [email protected] (adults) [email protected] (youth support) Samaritans: Open 24 hours a day, on 116 123Mind: Open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393 Related...TikTok’s Packing Peanut Trend Isn’t Just Gross – It’s Bad for Your Guts, GP WarnsFrom Minecraft To Barbie And Minions – Like It Or Not, Gen Alpha's TikTok Trends Are Shaping CinemaIs Self-Diagnosing ADHD From TikTok So Bad? I Asked A Psychotherapist

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