TikTok spreads myths about sexual health

According to a study presented at the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) National Conference 2025, more than 20% of TikTok videos on sexual health contain misleading or dangerous information.

Particularly troubling is the fact that a significant portion of the platform's audience is young people actively seeking answers to their concerns on social media.

As part of a study titled "Digital misinformation and public health: a cross-sectional analysis of sexual health content on TikTok", experts created an account mimicking a 15-year-old user. Using this account, they analysed the 100 most popular videos selected for 10 keywords related to sexual and reproductive health.

The results were alarming: 21.4 per cent of videos produced by non-medical professionals contained misleading information. In comparison, only 3.4 per cent of videos produced by doctors and other specialists contained false information. Abortion-related information was particularly dangerous: 26.7 per cent of videos on this topic contained inaccurate or misleading advice, including advice on abortion.

The study's lead author, Angeli Sirilan, a student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix, emphasised that a platform with a huge teenage audience should not become a source of potentially dangerous advice:

"With school sex education varying from region to region, teens are increasingly turning to TikTok for answers. This creates a serious need to improve both the quality of education and media literacy," said Sirilan.

She added that social networks have a responsibility to protect users, especially minors, from harmful information. In addition, the researchers called on the medical community to be more proactive in countering misinformation, helping patients find reliable sources and debunking myths.

The study was not externally funded and was conducted solely for scientific purposes.