TikTok bans #SkinnyTok after EU regulators raise concerns

TikTok has suspended search results for the hashtag #Skinny-Tok, after facing pressure from European regulators, in the company's latest effort to counter criticism that the app fuels body image issues among young people.

- SAPNA MAHESHWARI

The company said Tuesday that it “blocked search results for #skinnytok since it has become linked to unhealthy weight loss content,” but did not specify when it made the shift. SkinnyTok used to surface videos on the platform about extreme weight loss tactics, including restrictive eating.

The European Commission investigated the #SkinnyTok trend after an April push from France's digital minister, citing concerns that TikTok was promoting extreme thinness and glamorising anorexia.

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, and apps like Meta’s Instagram have long faced criticism that their algorithms, which identify and cater to users’ interests, can inadvertently target vulnerable young women with videos and images that promote eating disorders and unhealthy body image.

The apps have sought for years to block and redirect terms like “thin-spo” to mental health resources, but critics say they have not done enough.