TikTok is compelled by French authorities to ban the hashtag #SkinnyTok, yet problematic content remains a prevailing issue.

TikTok is compelled by French authorities to ban the hashtag #SkinnyTok, yet problematic content remains a prevailing issue.

Headline: TikTok's Ban on #SkinnyTok: A Step Towards Protecting Minors Online, but the Fight Against Harmful Content Continues

Experts warn TikTok's threat to youth mental health persists, despite the ban on controversial hashtags.

In a move to address growing concerns over TikTok's impact on young users, the platform has banned the hashtag #SkinnyTok, a trend linked to the glorification of extreme thinness and unhealthy weight-loss advice. This decision, led by pressure from the French government, is a significant step towards protecting minors online, but it's not the end of the story.

A Temporary Victory: The Ban on #SkinnyTok

The now-banned hashtag had amassed over half a million posts, many of which glamorized extreme thinness and shared guilt-inducing messages. The content overwhelmingly featured young women, often filtered to appear thinner, reinforcing toxic body standards for millions of viewers worldwide. Yet, despite the removal of the hashtag, concerns persist. Typing "SkinnyTok" into the app now redirects users to wellness advice, indicating that TikTok is attempting to tackle the issue head-on. However, similar harmful content still thrives under altered or misspelled hashtags.

Validation and Frustration: The Perspective of Health Professionals

For Charlyne Buiges, a nurse specializing in eating disorders, the ban on #SkinnyTok is a moment of validation. "It's a great victory, I was very happy... I immediately reinstalled the TikTok application and went to see if it was really real. Once I saw the hashtag was banned, I told myself I didn't do all this for nothing," Buiges said.

Meanwhile, Ella Marouani, a 22-year-old nursing student who has battled an eating disorder that she believes was fueled by social media, feels frustrated by the lack of action from the platform. "I made several reports to TikTok about videos that were problematic and each time I was told that the rules of the community had not been violated," Marouani shared.

Concerns and Action: The Role of EU Regulators

Regulating harmful content on TikTok, especially concerning body image issues among young users in Europe, remains a complex and evolving challenge. The EU is investigating TikTok for amplifying trends like "SkinnyTok," which glamorize rapid weight loss and low-calorie diets, often targeting minors. The EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) is at the heart of these efforts, mandating platforms to police harmful content more rigorously and providing mechanisms for accountability. However, enforcement is often reactive rather than proactive, with regulatory bodies questioning the effectiveness of TikTok's measures.

A Need for Coordinated Effort: Enforcing EU Tech Rules

France, along with several other European countries like Belgium and Switzerland, have taken steps against the platform, circumventing Brussels. French Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte, who leads a parliamentary commission investigating social media's role in spreading harmful content, is calling for a coordinated European response and tougher penalties for platforms that fail to act. "We need to stop the digital giants from setting up dangerous and flawed algorithms that ultimately aggravate mental disorders," he said, suggesting the possibility of even banning the platform if necessary.

Keywords: TikTok, teenager, mental health, body image, Social Media, EU, Digital Services Act, age verification, algorithmic transparency, data privacy, enforcement, regulatory challenges.

References:1. EU Produces Draft Data Act to Restrict Big Tech’s Use of Personal Data2. [European Parliament: Proposal for a Regulation on a Framework for the Use of Personal Data](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-training/en/document/proposal-for-a-regulation-on-a-framework-for-the-use-of-personal-data)3. EU Investigates TikTok Over Data Privacy Concerns4. EU Probes TikTok for Amplifying Harmful Content5. TikTok's Algorithm Is a Major Factor in the Mental Health Risks It Pose to Teens

Enrichment Data:Regulating harmful content on TikTok, especially concerning body image issues among young users in Europe, remains a complex and evolving challenge. The European Union has intensified its focus on TikTok due to concerns about harmful content and data privacy. The platform is under investigation for amplifying trends like "SkinnyTok," which glamorize rapid weight loss and low-calorie diets, often targeting minors. The European Commission has highlighted TikTok’s algorithmic recommendation system as a potential driver of problematic content, raising alarms about its impact on the mental health and well-being of young users. The EU is also pushing for stricter rules to protect minors, including proposals requiring parental consent for children under 16 to access social media apps. This move is in response to the ineffectiveness of current age-verification tools and concerns that platforms like TikTok rely heavily on younger audiences. The Digital Services Act (DSA) is central to these efforts, mandating platforms to police harmful content more rigorously and providing mechanisms for accountability, but the pace of regulatory adaptation is often slower than the spread of harmful trends.

1. The ban on #SkinnyTok by TikTok is a step forward in combatting harmful content related to health and wellness, but mental-health professionals are still concerned about the persistence of such content, especially as it pertains to women's health.
2. The European Union (EU) is investigating TikTok for its role in spreading potentially harmful content, particularly in the area of fitness-and-exercise and nutrition, often targeting minors.
3. The EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) is an essential tool in these investigations, aiming to make platforms like TikTok more accountable for policing harmful content and enforcing stricter rules to protect minors.
4. Experts in the field of mental health advocate for proactive rather than reactive enforcement of these rules, as the impact of harmful content on social-media platforms like TikTok can have long-lasting effects on general-news and politics.
5. As the EU continues to address these regulatory challenges, many are calling for a coordinated European response, including stricter penalties for platforms that fail to act, to protect the health and well-being of young users.

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