Famous video-sharing app TikTok has announced a set of features to help people struggling with mental health issues and those having suicidal thoughts, according to BBC.
The new features include guidance on wellbeing and support for people who are struggling with eating disorders, per the news outlet.
The app has also included a search intervention feature that directs users to support resources if they look up terms such as “suicide.”
TikTok said in a statement, “We care deeply about our community, and we always look for new ways in which we can nurture their well-being. That’s why we’re taking additional steps to make it easier for people to find resources when they need them on TikTok.”
The company said it will roll out the new features in the next few months.
Like other social
media platforms, TikTok has come under intense scrutiny for its impact on users’ mental health of its users, especially teens.
Earlier this year, a report by the Education Policy Institute and The Prince’s Trust found that the mental health of teenagers was being damaged by the heavy use of social media platforms. The report said these platforms are linked to negative wellbeing and self-esteem, with more girls experiencing feelings of depression and hopelessness.
TikTok has been studying the impact of its app on the mental wellbeing of younger users for at least two years.
Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that Instagram has repeatedly found that its platform could be harmful to the mental health of its teenage users, according to BBC.
In a statement, Instagram acknowledged the findings of The Wall Street Journal report, but the app said the story “focuses on a limited set of findings and casts them in a negative light.”
The social media company also said it stood by the research and “it demonstrates our commitment to understanding complex and difficult issues young people may struggle with, and informs all the work we do to help those experiencing these issues.” The story appeared on BBC.
