The findings come from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, which created TikTok accounts for fictitious young people living in the U.S., Britain, Canada and Australia.
Researchers at the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate created TikTok accounts for fictional teen personas in the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. The researchers operating the accounts then "liked" videos about self-harm and eating disorders to see how TikTok's algorithm would respond.
Social media algorithms work by identifying topics and content of interest to a user, who is then sent more of the same as a way to maximize their time on the site. But social media critics say the same algorithms that promote content about a particular sports team, hobby or dance craze can send users down a rabbit hole of harmful content.
"All of these harms are linked to the business model," Golin said. "It doesn’t make any difference what the social media platform is." "We regularly consult with health experts, remove violations of our policies, and provide access to supportive resources for anyone in need," said the statement from TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance Ltd., a Chinese company now based in Singapore.The families of a 9-year-old Wisconsin girl and an 8-year-old Texas girl have filed wrongful death lawsuits against TikTok, claiming their daughters died after participating in TikTok challenges.
Ahmed noted that the version of TikTok offered to domestic Chinese audiences is designed to promote content about math and science to young users, and limits how long 13- and 14-year-olds can be on the site each day.
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