CLEVELAND — With so much misinformation circulating on the internet and social media platforms, TikTok decided to team up with Cleveland Clinic and the National Institute of Mental Health to lead users to verified and accurate information.
When TikTok users search for mental health terms, the app will link them to online articles from Cleveland Clinic and NIMH.
Terms include depression, anxiety or trauma. By the end of the month it's expected to cover 40 neurological conditions and mental health illnesses.
Social media, including TikTok, has long been studied regarding its impact on mental health, especially among young people. Second to YouTube, TikTok is the leading social media app among 12-17-year-olds.
According to the World Health Organization one in eight people around the world are living with a mental health disorder and in 2021, one in seven adolescents ages 10 to 19 struggled with mental health challenges.
According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) TikTok has become a new coping strategy for teens and the app has shined a light on people with a variety of mental health conditions. Which may help minimize stigma.
There are hundreds of influencers who specifically discuss mental health issues and according to Ryn Linthicum, TikTok's Global Lead for Mental Health Policy, #mentalhealth has over 100 billion views. They welcome users to join the conversation and say there are safety center resources within the app as well.
This comes at the same time the state of Utah launches a lawsuit against TikTok. The suit, which brings claims under the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act, alleges that prolonged TikTok use interferes with Utah children’s mental health and well-being.
And more and more states and countries are banning TikTok, mainly from government devices, because of cybersecurity concerns connected to its parent company ByteDance, which has ties to the Chinese government.
As for the mental health links, they will initially be in English, TikTok hopes to expand to different languages for different parts of the world over the next few months.