TikTok Bans #SkinnyTok After European Regulators Raise Concerns
TikTok has suspended search results for the hashtag #SkinnyTok, after facing pressure from European regulators, in the company's latest effort to counter criticism that the app fuels body image issues among young people.
The company said on Tuesday that it 'blocked search results for #skinnytok since it has become linked to unhealthy weight loss content,' but did not specify when it made the shift. SkinnyTok used to surface videos on the platform about extreme weight loss tactics, including restrictive eating.
The change came after the European Commission probed the #SkinnyTok trend, after an April push from France's digital minister, citing concerns that TikTok was promoting extreme thinness and glamorizing anorexia.
TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance, and apps like Meta's Instagram have long faced criticism that their algorithms, which identify and cater to users' interests, can inadvertently target vulnerable young women with videos and images that promote eating disorders and unhealthy body image.
The apps have sought for years to block and redirect terms like 'thinspo' to mental health resources, but critics say that they have not done enough. The probe into #SkinnyTok emerged just over a year after European Union regulators opened an investigation into TikTok over potential breaches of online content rules aimed at protecting children. The investigation is ongoing.
'Superficially, at least, this is a positive move, especially given the quite harmful content that circulates on these sites,' said Brooke Erin Duffy, a professor of communication at Cornell University who studied the role of social media in work, culture and society. 'At the same time, users are savvy. They know how to work these platforms and how to evade their content moderation systems.'
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNET
12 minutes ago
- CNET
French Open 2025: How to Watch, Stream Boisson vs. Gauff Free From Anywhere
Home-turf wildcard Lois Boisson is on a fairytale run at the French Open, but she'll have to pull off another shock to keep it going today, as she faces world No. 2 Coco Gauff. Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the match as it happens, wherever you are in the world, and how to use a VPN if it's not available where you are. The Dijon-born 22-year-old is currently ranked 361st in the world, but is just one win away from a Grand Slam final after wins against top-10 stars Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva. Standing in the way of another giant killing is 2022 finalist Coco Gauff, who reached today's semifinal after coming through her biggest test so far this year at Roland Garros. She beat fellow American Madison Keys, 6-7, 6-4, 6-1, on Wednesday. This semifinal clash takes place on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros in Paris on Thursday, June 5. The game is set to get underway no earlier than 6 p.m. CET local time in France. This makes it an 12 p.m. ET or 9 a.m. PT start in the US and Canada, and a 5 p.m. BST start in the UK. For tennis fans in Australia, the match is set to get underway at 3 a.m. AEST. Lois Boisson has reached the semifinals in her French Open to watch Lois Boisson vs. Coco Gauff in the US The French Open will be shown across TNT Sports channels -- TNT, TBS and truTV. You can also watch every match shown on TV, plus hundreds of others not available, on the TNT channels on Max. Four of the five major live-TV streaming services include the TNT Sports channels (every one but Fubo), but the cheapest way to watch the French Open is by signing up for a month of Max. Max Max Every match for $17 per month You need the $17 a month Standard plan to watch live sports on Max. You could also opt for the $21 a month Premium plan that adds 4K streaming. Max will show 900 matches from the French Open, including more than the 800 that are exclusive to Max and won't be shown on TNT Sports networks. You'll be able to watch up to four matches at once with Max's multiview feature. Read our Max review. See at Max How to watch the French Open free from anywhere with a VPN If you find yourself unable to view the tournament locally, you may need a different way to watch -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic. It's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this. Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions. Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now. Sarah Tew/CNET ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month. Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. See at ExpressVPN How to watch or stream Lois Boisson vs. Coco Gauff in the UK Tennis fans in the UK will need to subscribe to Eurosport or the streaming service Discovery Plus to watch the French Open. Sarah Tew/CNET Discovery Plus Carries the French Open in the UK A subscription to Discovery Plus in the UK costs £7 per month or £60 for the year. The service is available on a wide array of devices and also includes access to all Eurosport TV channels. See at Discovery Plus How to watch or stream Lois Boisson vs. Coco Gauff in Canada Canadian tennis fans can watch the tournament via streaming service TSN Plus. Existing TSN cable subscribers can watch at no extra charge using the details of their TV provider. You also watch the French-language broadcast on RDS. How to watch or stream Lois Boisson vs. Coco Gauff in Australia free Good news for sports fans Down Under. They can watch the French Open without paying a cent, thanks to free-to-air broadcaster Channel 9. That also means you'll be able to watch the tournament live online via its streaming service 9Now. Aussies also have a second option for streaming the action from Roland-Garros via pay TV sports network Stan Sport, which is livestreaming every match on every court without ads. A Stan Sport subscription costs AU$15 per month on top of a AU$12 Stan subscription. Quick tips for streaming the French Open using a VPN
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Israeli Finance Minister says banks should not obey EU sanctions on settlers
By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Thursday condemned the country's banks that have refused to provide services to Israeli settlers sanctioned by the European Union and warned they may have to pay compensation to them. The EU last year imposed sanctions on five Israeli settlers for violence against Palestinians and Smotrich said there were reports of sanctions being considered against other settlers. But in a letter to the banking supervisor, he said Israeli banks should not follow a "zero risk" policy since it leads to the abandonment of Israeli clients "under the guise of compliance with foreign sanctions." In a statement quoting his letter to the regulator, Smotrich called on banks to use their legal, economic, and international strength to fight "unjust sanctions". "The banks' enormous profits enable them to take measured risks on behalf of their clients — especially when it comes to a national moral injustice," Smotrich, who leads the far-right Religious Zionism party, said. Should banks continue to comply with sanctions and harm clients, Smotrich said he intended to promote immediate legislation that would require banks to pay substantial compensation to affected customers. He also intends to require the Bank of Israel itself to offer banking services to citizens targeted by sanctions. Responding to the letter, the Bank of Israel said that while banks must comply with international sanctions to avoid an array of risks, a draft directive it published on Thursday aimed to ensure appropriate banking services were available for the affected customers. "Circumventing foreign sanctions regimes through the Israeli banking system exposes banking corporations to multiple risks, including compliance risks, anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing risks, legal risks, and reputational risks," the central bank said. But it said it has taken steps to comply with sanctions "without banks resorting to blanket refusals to serve such customers." While the sanctions in question concern Israeli settlers, the EU is reviewing its broad pact governing its political and economic ties with Israel in the face of mounting international pressure on Israel amid complaints about the lack of humanitarian aid reaching Gaza in the wake of the war triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack.
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Red Sea marine traffic jumps by 60% in wake of Houthi, US ceasefire
The number of merchant ships using the narrow Bab al-Mandab strait increased after missile and drone attacks by the Houthis slowed. Red Sea marine traffic has increased by 60% to 36-37 ships a day since August 2024, but is still short of volumes seen before Yemen's Houthis began attacking ships in the region, according to the commander of the EU's Aspides naval mission. The number of merchant ships using the narrow Bab al-Mandab strait increased after missile and drone attacks by the Houthis slowed and the US and the rebel group signed a ceasefire deal, Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis said in an interview in Madrid. But shipping traffic, which reached a low of 20-23 ships daily in August last year, is still short of an average of 72-75 ships a day seen before the Houthis began attacks in the Red Sea in November in 2023 in support of Palestinians over Israel's war in Gaza, said Gryparis. The mission, which was established to safeguard navigation in the strategic trade route linking the Mediterranean with the Gulf of Asia through the Suez Canal, was extended in February when it was also tasked with tracking illegal arms shipments and monitoring vessels carrying sanctioned Russian oil. The last attack on a merchant ship took place in November 2024 and the Houthis have also narrowed their objectives, saying their targets are Israeli ships and ships that have a connection with Israel or have docked at an Israeli port, Gryparis said. "If you have a vessel that does not correspond to this criteria... there is a huge possibility - more than 99% - that you're not going to be targeted by the Houthis," Gryparis said. Still, Gryparis said he could not guarantee that merchant ships won't be attacked. Some companies have been deterred from using the route because of the mission's lack of ships, which can cause delays of as much as a week for those seeking to be escorted through the area, he said. He said the mission has between two and three ships operating at one time and has requested the EU provide it with 10 ships to increase its capacity for protection. The mission has provided close protection to 476 ships, shot down 18 drones, destroyed two remote-controlled boats used to attack ships and intercepted four ballistic missiles, he said.
