Users searching for the controversial #SkinnyTok tag are now met with mental health resources instead of glorified thinspiration content.
In a major content moderation move, TikTok has officially blocked search results for the hashtag #SkinnyTok, a term that had become a disturbing hub for videos glamorizing extreme thinness and disordered eating.
Now, instead of being redirected to low-calorie meal plans and obsessive workout routines, users are pointed toward mental health resources and eating disorder support.
TikTok’s crackdown comes amid growing global concern about how social media algorithms may exacerbate body image issues, particularly among teenagers and young adults. The company told the BBC that the term had “become linked to unhealthy weight loss content,” prompting the ban as part of its evolving safety measures.
“We continue to restrict videos from teen accounts and provide health experts and information in TikTok Search,” TikTok said in its statement.
The decision was praised by Tom Quinn, director of external affairs at the UK-based eating disorder charity Beat, who warned that SkinnyTok-style content can have “devastating” impacts on already vulnerable users.
But he also cautioned, “We know that users will very often find workarounds to content blocks,” adding that harmful material often appears under other innocuous hashtags or within “what I eat in a day” videos that sneakily endorse extreme calorie deficits.
The #SkinnyTok Takeover
With over half a million posts, #SkinnyTok had carved out a dark corner of TikTok that promoted disordered eating under the guise of wellness. While some content presented itself as fitness inspiration or meal tracking, experts from the National Alliance for Eating Disorders say the reality was far more dangerous.
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The trend wasn’t isolated to one region either. In France, nutritionists like Carole Copti expressed frustration over how pervasive and persuasive this content has become. Speaking to AFP, she said, “The patients are completely indoctrinated—and my 45-minute weekly consultation is no match for spending hours every day on TikTok.”
Following growing pressure from European regulators, France’s digital minister publicly celebrated the hashtag block, crediting coordinated lobbying efforts for the platform’s decision. In his words: “#SkinnyTok is over.”
Blocking one hashtag is progress, but it’s not a panacea. Social media sleuths often develop coded language to evade moderation, and content promoting similar ideals continues to thrive under less conspicuous tags like #fitspo, #lowcal, or even #wellnessjourney.
TikTok has previously removed or limited features that raised concerns about body image. Back in March, the platform blocked viral “chubby filters”, a tool that artificially inflated users’ appearances for laughs—and, many said, body shaming.
Other platforms have faced similar challenges. In 2022, Instagram came under fire after internal documents leaked, showing it was aware of the app’s negative effects on teen girls’ mental health but did little to address it. The outcry sparked the Instagram for Kids controversy, ultimately delaying the launch of the app.
For now, TikTok is promising to regularly review its safety features and continue routing users to expert advice when they engage with potentially harmful topics.
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