The European Commission has said it will assess a wave of “SkinnyTok” videos promoting sometimes-unhealthy weight loss on the social media platform because of the “public health risk” it may pose.

France’s digital minister Clara Chappazrecently posted about the trend with a TikTok video of her own, claiming: “These videos promote extreme thinness. Protecting minors online is one of my priorities.”

TikTok’s community guidelines say the app does “not allow showing or promoting disordered eating and dangerous weight loss behaviours,” and a TikTok spokesperson tells us, “To protect teen viewers, we age-restrict content with harmful body ideals.” Entering “SkinnyTok” into the app’s search bar results in a message reading: “You are more than your weight.”

Pressing it will lead you to eating disorder resources. Nonetheless, my phone reveals #SkinnyTok videos (including some creators “body-checking” their appearance and mentioning very low weights) right under that banner.

Four years into my own eating disorder recovery, my attempts to avoid weight loss content seem to be increasingly futile. All my social media seems abuzz with the topic; not even my search engines provide refuge.

If I’m honest, some of the harsh, irresponsible messaging out there has gotten to me a little. It hasn’t reversed my recovery, but it’s certainly not helped.

So, I spoke to Tom Quinn,

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