TikTok Blocks #SkinnyTok Hashtag Amid European Concerns Over Harmful Content

TikTok has halted search results for the hashtag #SkinnyTok following concerns raised by European regulators, as part of ongoing efforts to address criticism linking the platform to body image issues among young users.

The company announced on Tuesday that it had blocked search results for #SkinnyTok due to its association with unhealthy weight loss content, though it did not specify the exact timing of this change. Previously, the hashtag was used to share videos promoting extreme weight loss methods, including restrictive dieting.

This action followed an investigation by the European Commission, which was initiated after France’s digital minister raised alarms in April about the trend encouraging dangerous thinness and glamorizing anorexia.

Owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance, TikTok, alongside platforms like Instagram, has faced longstanding criticism that their algorithms, designed to tailor content to users’ preferences, may inadvertently expose vulnerable young women to material encouraging eating disorders and negative body image.

For years, these platforms have attempted to filter out and redirect searches for terms such as “thinspo” to mental health resources, but many critics argue these measures fall short. The scrutiny around #SkinnyTok comes just over a year after European regulators launched a broader inquiry into TikTok’s compliance with online content regulations aimed at protecting children, an investigation that remains active.

Brooke Erin Duffy, a communication professor who researches social media’s cultural impact, described the move as a positive step given the harmful content prevalent on these platforms. However, she noted that savvy users often find ways to bypass moderation systems to continue accessing restricted topics.

With approximately 170 million users in the U.S., TikTok has been combating content linked to eating disorders for several years using a combination of machine learning, human moderators, and partnerships with organizations focused on eating disorder awareness. Its guidelines prohibit videos that encourage disordered eating or dangerous weight loss behaviors, and such content is excluded from personalized user feeds.

The platform also aims to disrupt repetitive content patterns related to weight loss and extreme exercise to prevent susceptible users from falling into harmful content loops.

While some experts commend TikTok’s initiatives, including recent restrictions on certain beauty filters for teenagers, others remain skeptical, suggesting that social media companies ultimately prioritize user engagement to drive advertising revenue.

Currently, searching for “SkinnyTok” on TikTok directs users to resources from the National Alliance for Eating Disorders and displays messages offering support for those concerned about body image, food, or exercise. Nonetheless, the challenge persists as young users often employ creative misspellings or alternative terms—sometimes called “algospeak”—to evade content filters and access sensitive topics.

France’s minister in charge of artificial intelligence and digital affairs, Clara Chappaz, welcomed the hashtag’s removal on social media, emphasizing her broader objective to restrict children’s access to social media until they reach 15 years of age.

This development underscores the continuing challenges TikTok faces with content moderation, beyond the larger debates regarding its future in the U.S. The platform faces a mid-June deadline to resolve regulatory concerns related to its ownership structure or risk being banned under recent federal legislation.