TikTokBy: Tara Wadhwa, Director of Policy, TikTok
At TikTok, we want every single member of our community to feel comfortable and confident expressing themselves exactly as they are. Being true to yourself is celebrated and encouraged on our platform, and we're rolling out new features to encourage body inclusivity and support anyone who may be struggling with an eating disorder.
New in-app support resources
People come to TikTok to express themselves authentically and find community. We're constantly inspired by stories of our community members lifting up one another and supporting those who are affected by eating disorders. As these conversations happen, we're introducing new resources to provide access to expert help from our app.
Starting this week, when a user searches for #edrecovery #proana or other phrases related to eating disorders, we'll provide access to the National Eating Disorder Information Centre where they can find help and information about treatment. We'll also provide tips we developed with eating disorders experts on how to identify self-talk, think about one's own positive attributes and strengths, or support a friend who may be struggling.
Promoting eating disorder awareness and body inclusivity
Earlier this month from February 1-7, we partnered with the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) (@thenedic) to commemorate Eating Disorder Awareness Week, a national week of action in Canada focused on educating the public about eating disorders. Throughout the week, NEDIC was highlighted on TikTok’s Discover Page, and their videos promoted to users across Canada, to foster a conversation on issues related to food, exercise, and body image.
To support our community all year, we're introducing permanent public service announcements (PSAs) on hashtags like #whatieatinaday #emotionaleatingtips #bingerecovery and others aimed at driving awareness or fostering support around recovery and those affected by eating disorders.
Celebrating our community
We're proud to recognize creators who are sharing their stories and lifting up others along the way.
Always striving to improve
It's important to recognize moments like Eating Disorder Awareness Week and that we continue this work all year, too. We aim to bring compassion and support to survivors and others who may be struggling or looking for support on our platform. We will keep working to refine our policy against content promoting or glorifying eating disorders, improve our ability to identify harmful content so that it can be quickly removed, and develop creative ways to advocate for our community. We're grateful to learn from experts and our community along the way.
