TikTok carried out a variety of new initiatives in an announcement on Wednesday, including one that bans ads on its website for fasting applications and weight loss supplements. The new regulations further ban advertising and content that promote a body image that is misleading or derogatory. A recent New York Times research shows that more than a third of TikTok’s regular users in the US are 14 years of age or younger, which suggests that the app has a very high scope for an incredibly impressive audience. In addition to the outright ban on such ads, TikTok would impose “serious limitations” on ads that make statements about weight loss. The organization would also restrict consumers above the age of 18 to advertisements advertising weight loss items. The optimistic, inclusive, and secure experience we aim for on TikTok is not sponsored by these types of advertising, “the company said in its statement.” Weight bias and body shame as a culture face both human and societal issues, and we recognize that if left unregulated, the internet has the potential of exacerbating those problems. That’s why we concentrate on working to defend our culture from negative imagery and actions while fostering an atmosphere that is welcoming and body-positive. Again, these are significant elements given the younger skew of the TikTok audience-and certainly, those weight loss supplement ads have been tricky, with many individuals reporting within the app the flood of such campaigns. There is still a way for TikTok to protect its users, but this is a positive move that could have a significant impact.
