United Nations — Today's digital age is centered around TikTok, the short-form social media platform that hosts around 1 billion global users. Sensationalized or reductive videos often get the most engagement with young audiences, leading to the spread of misinformation on a global level.
On September 26, the World Health Programme (WHO) and TikTok announced a year-long collaboration, for which they plan to provide users with reliable and researched health information. WHO's affiliated network, Fides, employs healthcare experts and fact-based content creators to dispel inaccuracies, promote transparency, and encourage healthier practices.
According to studies from the nonprofit health policy group KFF, TikTok users that actively search for health information are more likely to be exposed to false information around gun safety, reproductive healthcare, and COVID-19 vaccines. While approximately forty percent of TikTok users trust videos about health information, only thirteen percent of users will follow up with a medical professional.
"The algorithms work in a way that if you're following people who put out misinformation, then you're consistently getting bad information, and if you're getting all your information from there then there is a big percentage of people who are not getting fact-based information", said Katrine Wallace, PhD, epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago.
This is of great concern to health officials around the world as younger audiences are more likely to use TikTok for advice for serious health issues that require professional medical evaluation.
A study led by Mackin Loveland, MD, an internal medicine resident at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, reported that 40 percent of TikTok videos tagged with the terms "liver disease" contained misinformation. These videos advocated for alternative practices, none of which have been verified by professionals.
"Even though inaccurate posts were less popular, they still represent a high volume of misinformation on the platform, leaving people with liver disease susceptible to false claims," said Loveland. "Given the high mortality associated with liver disease, the impact of spreading inaccurate claims on such a popular social media platform could have serious clinical ramifications."
Mental health topics report the highest levels of misinformation on TikTok. Due to symptoms of mental conditions being linked to emotional well being, many users feel compelled to provide advice and conduct diagnoses on themselves or others. For instance, many videos advocate for deep breathing as a cure to anxiety, and rely on pseudoscience and astrology to explain certain behaviors.
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"Diagnosing a mental illness is actually pretty complicated, and there's a lot of different factors that go into it. People -- particularly young people -- may be believing that they have a diagnosis that doesn't really apply to them", said Jackie Nesi, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University.
Nesi adds that social media has the ability to minimize the severity of certain conditions through the use of humor, leading to users not taking mental health as seriously as they should. It is important to note that TikTok can be a positive first step for those seeking advice about their health. Nesi states that the humor of the platform fosters an environment with less stigma, allowing for people facing similar conditions to find support. This is why WHO and TikTok are optimistic about their collaboration as it allows for the same levels of community building while encouraging safety and critical thinking.
"This collaboration can prove to be an inflection point in how platforms can be more socially-responsible. The intersection of health and technology presents an opportunity to reach people of all ages, where they are, when they want to access," said Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO Chief Scientist. "By working with TikTok and others, we are helping people access credible information and engage in scientific discourse that collectively helps shape a healthier future for all."
IPS UN Bureau Report
