"EU regulators probe SkinnyTok trend on TikTok", 22 April 2025

...EU regulators are looking into a wave of social media videos promoting extreme thinness under the hashtag “SkinnyTok” to assess whether TikTok is doing enough to protect kids online...

The Commission opened a probe into TikTok's algorithm and how it affects minors last February under the bloc’s content moderation rulebook, the Digital Services Act. As part of that investigation, the Commission is also investigating how TikTok’s algorithm promotes content around eating disorders...

The investigation remains at an early stage, a French regulatory official said. Talks between Arcom and TikTok are being set up, and discussions with the platform’s trust and safety teams in Dublin are expected shortly, they said...

TikTok said it does not allow “body shaming” and that the platform limits “access to content that presents harmful body ideals.” It has added a disclaimer on the content — users searching for the hashtag “SkinnyTok” now see a platform-generated message that reads “Your weight doesn’t define you” above the dieting tips.

The latest scrutiny adds to TikTok’s broader dispute with the European Commission. Last year, the company was forced to backtrack on the launch of a new app, TikTok Lite, in several European countries including France and Spain. The app offered users financial rewards for spending more time scrolling but was considered to carry a high addiction risk that could be harmful to mental health. TikTok ultimately ditched plans to roll out the service across the EU.