Tiktok: half of the videos on these sensitive subjects diffuses from disinformation and it is worrying

SO that young people dream of a world without the Internet in the face of damage to social networks on mental health52 out of 100 videos contain false information on Tiktok. We speak of serious subjects such as trauma, neurodivergence, anxiety or even mental disorders.

52 out of 100 videos contain disinformation

The advice is doubtful: videos recommend eating an orange in the shower to reduce anxiety, offer food supplements without benefits approved by science such as saffron, magnesium glycinate or sacred basil.

David Okai, neuropsychiatrist consultant and researcher in psychological medicine at King’s College in London, examined videos on anxiety and depression. The expert finds that videos divert therapeutic language and use the terms well-being, anxiety and mental disorder with confusion “On what mental illness really implies”.

Many videos are based on personal experiences and anecdotal evidence “which may not be universally applicable”he adds. Contents reflect how “Short and catchy extracts can sometimes eclipse the more nuanced realities of qualified therapeutic work” on social networks.

Dan Poulter, former Minister of Health and Psychiatrist of the British National Health Service, analyzed videos concerning serious mental illnesses. According to him, some “Pathologize daily experiences and emotions, suggesting that they are equivalent to a diagnosis of serious mental illness”. This approach “Provides disinformation to influenced people and can also trivialize the life experiences of people with serious mental illnesses”.

Amber Johnston, psychologist accredited by the British Psychological Society, examined the videos on trauma. If most have “A grain of truth”they tend to over-generalize while minimizing the complexity of post-traumatic stress disorder or symptoms of trauma.

“Each video suggests that everyone lives the same experience of post-traumatic stress disorder with similar symptoms easily explained in 30 seconds. The truth is that the symptoms of trauma are highly individual experiences that cannot be compared between people and require a trained and accredited clinician”she explains.

Tiktok propagates disinformation which suggests that there are “Universal secret advice and truths that can actually make a spectator even feel worse, as a failure, when these advice does not simply heal”Amber Johnston continues.

Chi Onwurah, Labor MP, indicates that the technological committee that she chairs in investigation into the disinformation of social networks. Of the “Significant concerns” were raised during an investigation into the effectiveness of the online security law for “Fight against false and/or harmful content online, and the algorithms that recommend it”.

“The content recommendation systems used by platforms such as Tiktok amplify potentially harmful disinformation, such as these misleading or false mental health advice”she adds. “There is clearly an urgent need to tackle the gaps in this law to ensure that it can protect public security from the public and their health.”

Victoria Collins, liberal democratic deputy, qualifies these discoveries as“ACCABLANTS” and press the government to act to protect Internet users from “harmful disinformation”.

Paulette Hamilton, Labor MP who chairs the health and social care selection committee, believes that disinformation on social networks about mental health is “worrying”. “These ‘advice on social networks should not replace professional and properly qualified support”she underlines.

Bernadka Dubicka, head of online security for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, thinks that social networks are able to raise awareness, but health information must be based on reliable evidence and sources. Mental illnesses are only diagnosed by “Complete assessment of a qualified mental health professional”she says.

Tiktok defends himself in the face of the accusations

Tiktok has since answered. A spokesperson for the Chinese social network believes that this is“A place where millions of people are expressed, come to share their authentic mental health courses and find a united community”. The company highlights “Clear limitations of the methodology of this study, which opposes this free expression and suggests that people should not be allowed to share their own stories”.

Tiktok says “Work proactively with health experts from the British National Health and National Health Service Organization to promote reliable information on our platform and delete 98 percent of harmful disinformation before it is reported to us”.

A spokesman for the British government indicates that the ministers “Take measures to reduce the impact of disinformation content harmful online” With the online security law, which requires platforms that they attack this content if it is illegal or harmful to children.

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