Can we imagine our lives without social media? For many, such a possibility is out of the question. From checking Instagram in the morning to scrolling through TikTok before sleeping, the lives of millions revolve around social media. But behind the glitz of likes, comments and shares lie a quicksand-like quagmire - once within, it is often difficult to escape. TikTok is not to be left behind. With more than 1 billion active monthly users in September 2021 itself, the application also accounts for much damage done to young, impressionable users. Bridget Todd, a representative of women’s advocacy organization UltraViolet, described TikTok as even more dangerous than Instagram - because of the sheer population using it. What begins with a video with the hashtag, “#whatIeati- naday” triggers an algorithm that eventually leads users to videos with hashtags such as, “#thinspo”, “#cleaneating”, “#ketodiet”, “#iwillbeskinny” - drawing young girls into a world of anorexia, mental health issues and other problems. While words like ‘clean eating’ seem harmless at surface level, videos on both platforms have depicted women relying on only-juice diets for weeks, starving themselves while carrying out intense physical activities. All it takes is a glance at one video - and the rabbit hole appears. CS Mott Children’s Hospital in Michigan released a report revealing an alarming rise of children admitted for eating disorders. The cases grew during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, as phones became a source of enter- tainment for people locked up in their homes. The hardest part is not the recovery but for young girls to stay away from social media. Incidents of young girls recovering from disorders only to fall back to their old ways because of social media are rampant - and a major cause of concern for parents. Parents described how videos on Instagram and TikTok showing what people and ‘health influencers’ eat in a day are disturbing - for they just eat less food in the name of being “healthy”. Both platforms are cracking down on accounts and posts that may trigger eating disorders and mental health issues in teenagers while attempting to guide them to sources where they can receive help for such issues. But with 1 billion TikTok users and about 1.4 billion Instagram users - removing all the harmful content on the platforms is a mammoth task. It is ironic how content on the platforms that seem-ingly encourages users to live a healthy lifestyle - does the exact opposite.
Recently, Facebook whistle-blower Frances Haugen exposed shocking malpractices of the social media giant. Her accusations revealed how Facebook was aware of Instagram’s detrimental effects on teenage girls - especially posts and videos of “clean eating” and “losing weight”. While Facebook representatives refuted the claim, numerous families have come forward and narrated how Instagram ruined the physical and mental health of girls in their families.
While Instagram and TikTok have acknowledged these issues and promised to prevent further incidents, the damage has been done.
10 Jan 2022
Krishna Barot
