On Wednesday, the Belgian government issued a warning to the European Commission regarding the proliferation of TikTok videos that promote extreme thinness, stating that the measures taken by the social media platform are “insufficient” against this significant risk to teenage girls.
Belgian Digital Affairs Minister Vanessa Matz expressed that TikTok’s algorithm, by trapping youth in a cycle of extreme content, poses a serious threat to their mental and physical health.
This centrist politician, who speaks French, believes intervention in this area is necessary, especially with summer approaching, a critical period for self-esteem.
Matz specifically targets TikTok posts that are associated with keywords such as “Skinny” or “Skinnytok”. Despite warnings being issued about such content, it continues to reach hundreds of thousands of users on the platform.
These videos, which primarily feature young women, often provide tips on weight loss and sometimes suggest that beauty is tied to visible skeletal features.
Many accuse these videos of “promoting” eating disorders. In Belgium, approximately 15% of girls and women aged 10 to 64 suffer from suspected eating disorders (compared to 11% among males), according to the Sciensano public health institute.
In response to an inquiry from AFP, TikTok affirmed its commitment to combatting “dangerous behaviors related to weight loss” on its platform.
A spokesperson for the platform stated, “We offer a wide range of health-related resources and ways to connect with experts directly from our app.”
The Belgian minister has reached out to the Belgian Regulatory Authority for Communications (BIPT), which is tasked with forwarding her complaint to the European Commission and to the Irish regulatory authority that coordinates European digital platforms. Like many other major companies in this sector, TikTok’s European headquarters is located in Dublin.
Belgium is following the lead of other EU countries, including France, which has urged greater pressure from Brussels on major digital platforms to comply with user protection regulations mandated by the Digital Services Act.
This European regulation, which will be fully implemented in February 2024, requires online platforms to adhere to existing national or European laws, with severe penalties for non-compliance.
In February 2024, the European Commission announced it would initiate an investigation into TikTok over allegations of failing to adequately protect minors.