TikTok announces today that it is taking some small steps to try to help people affected by eating disorders. To this end, it is partnering with the National Eating Disorder Association (or NEDA) to hold a week of awareness about eating disorders and implement two new resources that aim to provide resources and support to those in need.
If a user searches on TikTok for terms like “proana” (short for “pro-anorexia”) or “eating disorder”, the app will now show support resources, along with the NEDA phone number. Currently, the search for terms shows only the support number, but the new interface will also provide users with advice on how to deal with an eating disorder.
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The company also plans to place a PSA on hashtag pages that may contain trigger content, such as the #WhatIEatInADay page. The PSA will include a link to the NEDA helpline, as well as a number of users who can send text messages for support in the event of a crisis.
TikTok is facing the same problem as many other social media apps: how do you prevent your users from posting or finding potentially harmful and harmful content? TikTok has tried to deal with the content of eating disorders in the past, but users report that it still appears. While today’s announcement doesn’t mention moderating content, I hope it can help make it easier for people who need help getting it.