TikTok can be entertaining, controversial, educational, or all three at once – depending on your point of view about the social media platform. For some of Generation Z, it also serves as search engine and a major source of news and health information.
Fun, sure, but factual? How does TikTok stack up on health information? Medical experts watched thousands of posts in two research projects to find out, specifically videos on Crohn’s disease and liver diseases such as cirrhosis.
In one study, three medical residents reviewed 81 TikTok videos identified by a search for #crohnsdisease. All were posted since January 2021. They found of the 25% that were educational, 80% were accurate.