TikTok has announced that it is focussing on safeguarding its community from harmful content and behaviour while supporting an inclusive, body-positive, environment. TikTok is doing this by improving its ad policies on weight loss and dieting products and will be banning fasting apps and weight loss supplements in addition to increasing restrictions on ads that promote a harmful or negative body image. Additionally, TikTok is introducing new ad policies to combat problematic and exaggerated claims in diet and weight loss products and placing stronger restrictions on weight-loss claims and references to body image. 

Tom Quinn, Beat's Director of External Affairs, commented: "We welcome TikTok’s new measures to limit the amount of harmful advertising on their platform and look forward to seeing the results of these changes. Weight loss products can be very attractive to people affected by eating disorders. We know that the spread of these damaging weight-loss claims, particularly the spike in fasting adverts shown on social media platforms, has caused great distress and risked triggering eating disorder behaviours in many of those sufferings. Using social media can be a helpful way of finding supportive recovery communities, but also has the potential to be a trigger. We would encourage anyone struggling to report harmful content wherever possible, but also consider taking a step away and instead focusing on other positive sources of support like Beat."