TikTok is cracking down on the spread of misinformation about eating disorders on its platform after a report recently revealed a concerning amount of pro-anorexia and dangerous dieting content was ending up on people's For You Pages.
In conjunction with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and coinciding with National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, TikTok has rolled out a new set of resources providing support and information for those struggling with an eating disorder. Starting this week, potentially triggering tags, like #edrecovery and #proana, will automatically direct users to NEDA's helpline where they will be able to find help and information on treatment options as well as experts tips on identifying negative self-talk, self care and ways to support others that might be struggling.
In addition to providing resources, TikTok will also be rolling out permanent PSAs in some of the highest offending tags like #whatieatinaday and #emotionaleating in an effort to disrupt the cycle of harmful content and spread awareness to a wider audience. The platform will also be hosting conversations surrounding issues related to food, exercise, body image and the systemic biases that perpetuate eating disorders and reinforce negative self-thought on their discover page throughout the week.
In a statement announcing the new initiative, TikTok said "People come to TikTok to express themselves authentically and find community. We're constantly inspired by stories of our community members lifting up one another and supporting those who are affected by body image and eating disorders. To aid these conversations, we're introducing new resources to provide access to help from expert organizations directly from our app."
National Eating Awareness Week runs February 22-26, with TikTok users encouraged to use the #NEDAwareness to join the conversation.
If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237.
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