Move over, Ozempic: There’s a new TikTok-related drug panic in the spotlight. According to a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), content featuring “steroid-like drugs” has been watched 587 million times by U.S. TikTok viewers over the past three years.
The CCDH that the majority of those views — up to 420 million of them — have come from viewers under the age of 25. Pharmaceutical companies are also teaming with TikTok creators to boost sales of steroid-like substances. According to the CCDH, those drugmakers have reached 1.8 million followers through influencer marketing partnerships.
The influencers who push steroid-like drugs focus on their bodybuilding potential while ignoring significant side effects, the CCDH says in its report. The Food and Drug Administration previously published a warning about selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), which some TikTokers use to improve their musclature. “SARMs, which are chemical substances that mimic the effects of testosterone and anabolic steroids, are not FDA approved,” the government agency wrote. “Online vendors and social media influencers are using social media to make SARMs seem safe and effective.”
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The CCDH report also noted that steroid-using creators prey on the bodily insecurities of young men. A similar connection has been made between weight loss influencers and young women with body image issues. TikTok has pledged to raise awareness about disordered eating, but some critics have accused the platform of inaction. The CCDH is a frequent critic of TikTok’s algorithm, and its report argues that For You Page recommendations perpetuate “toxic ideas of masculinity, strength, and misogyny.”
“Ultimately, this is a story of TikTok’s stark failure to govern their own platform and enforce their rules,” said CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed. “TikTok must start enforcing its own rules prohibiting the promotion and sale of potentially dangerous drugs for profit — and it needs to be much more transparent about how many children and teenagers are routinely exposed to this content through the platform’s algorithms.”
The full CCDH report can be downloaded from the organization’s website. U.S. lawmakers have already expressed qualms about TikTok’s impact on young people, and this latest investigation will only raise more concerns.
