TikTok's Algorithm Sends Kids Suicide Content | Bloomberg Investigates

TikTok’s secret algorithm has been blamed for sending young users content that pushes some into a spiral of self-harm, disordered eating and suicide.
In this episode of Bloomberg Investigates, we meet a 13-year-old girl recovering from anorexia nervosa and a former TikTok employee who reveals the warnings he gave colleagues about the app's algorithm.
And we see what TikTok continues to send a 16-year-old boy who, according to his parents and their attorneys, killed himself because of the disturbing content that kept landing in his "For You" feed.
Read the story: www.bloomberg.com/news/featur...
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[@shamohabibi]

I am so grateful that I never made an tiktok account.

[@twist777hz]

There should be MUCH more regulation on use of social media in general. They're literally no different than alcohol, cigarettes, drugs etc.

[@annadeamaral8266]

Kids don’t need phones - and kids MOST definitely do not need ANY social media!

[@EEE-1409]

I wouldn't recommend a handheld device until at least 7 I guess. KZbin should be alright as long as comments are inaccessible and the content is regulated and monitored by the parent. There are a lot of educational channels here.

[@houstonlady1]

It's up to the adult in the family to explain to children and young adults why this app should not be used. People (adults) at my work will stay on this app instead of doing work.

[@suiteharley]

So glad this is brought to light and able to share with parents. It’s the job of parents to do something

[@KiefEriksson]

Don’t be mad the internet isn’t raising your kids the way you like. Take the iPad away. Stop handing it off and considering your job done.

[@mhasisetuobelho2086]

a very addictive tool + teens with little self contro == Disaster

[@somerandomfella]

I read once that tech & pharma are the only industries that refer to their customers as "users"

[@user-il9qo4qc4n]

So sad. Since TikTok is all user generated content, I'd love to see an investigation into why these young people are actually creating pro-anorexia content in the first place.

[@JenniferBeeston]

Views they are doing it for views

[@zfqhdjgyb2222]

well don't we already all know about peer pressure. it just materialized into videos to match this age's progress.

[@somerandomfella]

These worthless attention seekers are equally responsible..

[@KiefEriksson]

Don’t be mad the internet isn’t raising your kids the way you like. Take the iPad away. Stop handing it off and considering your job done.

[@user-il9qo4qc4n]

@@KiefEriksson My kids have colouring books. But they'll have phones when they're teenagers.

[@pulungnanang1632]

The Social Dilemma by Tristan Harris shows us how ALL social media can do to users.

[@Mindy.Phillips]

I’m sick just watching this!! What a scary, scary world these kids and young adults are growing up in. Something must be done

[@KiefEriksson]

Just stop letting iPads raise children? Always funny to me when parents ignore their kids and are angry the internet isn’t sheltering them. Wait till they’re older to have tablets and smartphones instead of taking it all away for adults too.

[@Davethreshold]

I have been on KZbin almost since its inception. For many years you could search for how to commit suicide or painless ways, etc. I did it because I could not believe it was allowed on here! There were HUNDREDS of people talking about it and giving advice. answers to that question were accurate, and GRAPHIC. Glad to see KZbin FINALLY grew up!!

[@lollypop2413]

Irresposible to allow unsupervised access to internet

[@adrian.8829]

Blaming the tool and not the user is a typical sign that they do not understand the main issue.. The problem are their parents, simple as that..

[@KiefEriksson]

Don’t be mad the internet isn’t raising your kids the way you like. Take the iPad away. Stop handing it off and considering your job done. As a non-tiktoker I still think it’s dumb to “burn a book” if it makes you uncomfortable.

[@mentalhealthawarenesswithg8178]

This creates such a negative towards positive channels about mental health and those such as myself who try to help & educate about mental health awareness.

[@Reylas]

Take the phone from the KID. Problem solved

[@user-zp6dz9jw3g]

父母在看这些传统媒体洗脑没时间😂😂

[@Cballin]

Funny how all these concerns are not being pointed at reels by fb and instagram, literally the exact same app and same content, same creators.. Why isn't anyone going to congress to ban reels?

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Odd they have a version that isn't malignant for their own population. Just saying.

[@CyclopsToppingWolverine]

Now do the dark side of Meta

[@sacvideo1998]

Meta has had a lot of negative impacts, but I don't think there are a lot of kids or teenagers addicted to using its products on the same level as TikTok. Kids certainly aren't using Facebook, and I think even Instagram is kind of irrelevant to a lot of younger people

[@giovannicastiglioni4084]

Sadly, Meta is already pushing instagram reels, which are pretty much similar to tik tok KZbin is pushing shorts These social media are getting out of control

[@giovannicastiglioni4084]

I found myself very close to be addicted to instagram reels (1h30m/2h per day of scrolling) and uninstalled. I modded youtube to remove shorts They won't get me, and I will be able to take a walk in a park without looking at family guy or subway surfers

[@gleitsonSalles]

META was like sued a ton of times, and had to settle at least three times in Civil Actions. And Istagram Reels is less adctive than TikTok

[@allthewayfrom]

Capitalism (in its current form) incentivizes this horrific behavior. Social media companies want you using their app as much as possible because it makes them money. If it didn’t make money, they wouldn’t do it. Until this changes, human beings will continue to harm other human beings (and the biosphere) in order to “win” in the marketplace and/or stay employed. In our current system, your job is tied to your ability to meet basic needs, like food and housing. We need a system where your job isn’t tied to getting your needs met. That way, if you see immoral behavior in the workplace, you say something immediately because you no longer fear losing your job. We need a system that incentivizes healthy, life-affirming behaviors instead of the sh*t show we’re in now.

[@slypear]

Nothing to do about capitalism. Everything to do about communism unleashed in the greater world.

[@_thresh_]

I always stayed away from TikTok because I prefer longer videos but shorter videos, even if not shorts, tend to get more attention. Also TikTok came with windows 11 so i just uninstalled it when I saw it

[@_thresh_]

Also those quotes at the end are TikTok just deflecting the problem "It wasn't our fault that we recommended videos that caused somebody to die, it was their fault for watching it"

[@sabir_raiyan]

oh, so that's why tiktok added that "Hey, you've been watching for an hour now" feature

[@zachsimmons1860]

It really sounds like parents need to learn how to communicate with their kids and maybe just not let technology raise your kids

[@annadeamaral8266]

Couldn’t agree more!!!

[@shzdable]

Pretty ironic that we are watching this on youtube, which has youtube shorts. I mean why is it always tiktok. Why not others trch forms like instagram reels. Not that I use any of these extensively. But it does make you wonder why though.

[@matthewrivers8153]

💯

[@glassmuxxic]

Because TikTok's users are disproportionately much younger than average users of other platforms, and the impact of engagement loops or hooks on young/developing brains are not well understood. Similar scrutiny of Instagram was common when it skewed younger some years ago. I have worked in tech product development/strategy for a decade - I would not give my kids unmonitored access to social media or the internet as it exists today.

[@alwayslearning8365]

KZbin shorts are extremely annoying and mind numbing. I dismiss them immediately and will unsubscribe from content providers who use shorts. They are not worth my time and attention.

[@TyroneLT]

It's because they need a scapegoat. KZbin and IG are guilt of the same things because they all follow the attention-based business model. Until that business model changes, these problems will continue to show themselves regardless of thr platform.

[@antoeckhart]

Because TikTok is owned by China, an authoritarian regime! Don't be so naive!

[@cringycook9597]

Never downloaded it and never will so not infected by it.

[@IamTonyStark1]

Ur on yt

[@Cballin]

no one cares

[@masteroogway9060]

Lol me too I am using KZbin mod apk just to avoid KZbin shorts and any short form contents 😅😅

[@eyeofthetiger7]

Don't use KZbin shorts, because it's the same thing. Reduce KZbin as well.

[@user-zp6dz9jw3g]

@@masteroogway9060 他自己说话时有没有考虑自己是人类啊😂😂很奇怪的发言，告诉医生，药量加大，不要再放他出精神病院。

[@saketkulkarni1238]

even instagram, facebook,snapchat, youtube also.... arguement stays the same

[@leogomez1077]

The documentary forgot to mention (or maybe they’re not aware), that Tik Tok has software, algorithms, or whatever it is, that allows them to hear your conversations and they based their content on whatever they hear you say or talk about.

[@leogomez1077]

If you are using Tik Tok while engaging in a conversation with someone, or if you have the app open in your phone while not in use or even if you don’t have it open, they still have access to your microphone. The app can listen to what you are talking about. Then they feed you content related to the conversation you were having or heard you say.

[@leogomez1077]

In other words, Tik Tok is not based on what you search, but in what they hear.

[@N8_DoubleYou]

Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. I wonder why that could be. Very strange, don't you think?

[@leogomez1077]

@@N8_DoubleYou Not familiar with Douyin. Though I believe they are both belong to Bytedance.

[@N8_DoubleYou]

@@leogomez1077 Exactly my point Leo. Why doesn't Douyin have these issues?

[@KiefEriksson]

“They’re developing harmful dependencies” says that 100lb overweight woman. It’s not normal to trick your body into thinking you’re surviving by eating 4 McDonald’s meals per sitting.

[@dynasty108]

this deserves more views.

[@mandachipateniinnocent8011]

Don't parents have control over what their kids are exposed to ?

[@imagines9688]

to many have phones these days so i would say it'd be hard/cant

[@Mefaso09]

By that logic we might as well make liquor and cigarettes legal for children. ""Don't parents have control over what their children drink and smoke?""

[@dailymeowion]

smartphone is like magic. could use it everywhere anytime without parents seeing it. and how kids these days react to their parents.......

[@Barb.u]

Even if parents didn’t give their children phones, friends and classmates could show them content anyway. A parent can’t control the outside world but they can give children tools to protect themselves from harmful content.

[@user-zp6dz9jw3g]

@@Barb.u 抖音有青少年模式，请问你给自己的孩子打开了吗？如果没有，请打开它，顺便告诉朋友邻居给他们的孩子也打开。内容都是科学知识……😂😂

[@Alicealice903]

Surprising how self control issue is blamed on the object itself

[@vedantkumar2874]

Agreed

[@GendefectX]

It's the same with smoking or alcohol

[@dobrindobrinov6370]

This is why I don’t have any social media accounts !!!

[@ratave6472]

More action must be taken by the U.S. to stem this depressing activity

[@this_is_mac]

Okay but they said their goal was maximizing DAU, instead of screen time, right?

[@rantzntirades1104]

I'm am greatful I never made a tiktok account. I sometimes go on it to conduct osint but when I do, I connect from the tor network. I literally cannot be there long without feeling the brain rot.

[@slypear]

Great reporting. TikTok is China's vision of fentanyl online. Both are illegal in PRChina but come from there.

[@LG215x]

Imagine that

[@pierbover]

Maybe I missed it, but I was surprised they didn't investigate the difference between the content TikTok promotes in the US vs China.

[@joselyncrespo8128]

Excellent video

[@HelloAwesome94]

I mean Tiktok is made by ByteDance a CCP company. Yeah not owned but you should see how positive the China version of Tiktok is. It’s that saying “the call is coming from inside the house.” What better way to take down your enemy then to have them do it themselves. Yes an AI is for optimization but seeing what one version has compared to USA/Wests tiktok is ludicrous.

[@moreFUNmoreLIFE]

Like Instagram - just on steroids

[@JewishKeto]

I want it banned!

[@samhassan683]

This is awful I find some of the contnet disturbing at 30 yo I can only imagine if I was exposed to it as a teenager

[@JenniferBeeston]

Delete it now. It is entertainment that can cost your children’s life

[@AlgoNudger]

The Dark Side of Big Tech? 🤭

[@michaelturner4457]

I did have a look at TikTok, and I just thought, meh!. KZbin is much better.

[@q3itachyon209]

If tiktok was an american app, this video wouldn't be made in the first place

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Odd they have a version that isn't malignant for their own population. Just saying.

[@abbylauren7837]

I’m a ranked tik toker tik tok we need help

[@IamTonyStark1]

parents don't put controls on their phones

[@luizchagasjardim]

Weird editorial choice of singling out of TikTok. I'm sure you find the same things with all other major social networks.

[@N8_DoubleYou]

Curiously, you don't find these issues with Douyin.

[@stupidfanboyph]

Wumao are you?

[@AbdallahBotan]

A kid who is 16 killing himself because of a videos he saw on Tiktok. 16 years old.

[@LeeCurrid]

TikTok didn't ruin (the old happy) TikTok, toxic people ruined TikTok.

[@oceanwave4502]

Unpopular opinion: the 100% best way to prevent this is to abandon Internet completely and live in a cage in a basement...

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Just saying.

[@LeeCurrid]

@@N8_DoubleYou Probably down to societal differences, USA just way out there tbh

[@slypear]

@@LeeCurrid TikTok is banned in communist China.

[@posthocprior]

Was any data provided that TikTok is any more harmful or addictive than any other social media platform? If it was, I don't remember seeing it (I watched it while I was cooking). Was there any data on how many people have attempted suicide because of TikTok? Was there any data, of any kind, presented? If not, why? Without this data, it's impossible to tell the difference between a reporter who has a bias and a social media platform that's manipulating users for profit.

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Just saying.

[@slypear]

Collect your 50 cents

[@susie2251]

@@N8_DoubleYou your talking about an app based in China. Exactly where are you supposed to get accurate, non doctored data on it.

[@N8_DoubleYou]

@@susie2251 You could try r/china for starters. Its not really a secret they limit the usage of the app for their youth and promote beneficial (for the state) content. These reports are not someone's anecdotal experience either, it's explicitly their policy. Their version of the app is repressive, but ours is in my opinion deliberately harmful. Can't really get data on the motives of the CCP Susie. Just an observation/opinion.

[@lnilin8810]

😅this isn’t really a TikTok problem, it’s the fact that no one really informs or educates kids enough about “problems” as a whole. Eating disorders, depression, etc. Parents don’t know how to educate them and leave it to the school, the school passes a surface level class with an under-waged teacher. So obviously kids start looking for answers somewhere else, anywhere else. TikTok (and all similar platforms) need to become addictive to outpace competition. They are just doing what capitalism wants them to do. “Sell more” So you have a curious teen looking for answers that adults don’t really want to discuss, they stat looking anywhere for answers. Even without TikTok, the internet at its early age was/is the place to look things up. In any case with or without TikTo or the internet people (kids/teens) end up in echo chambers, all because no one really wants/can inform them properly

[@TyroneLT]

👆 👆 👆 This right here sums it up!

[@cactusp00p]

The "recommended" feeds and monkey brain capability to swipe away content in exchange for fresh content instantly is just harmful. It's addicting. I can sit on the toilet for 45 minutes just scrolling and finding cute cat videos and people hurting themselves. Let alone having kids have unlimited access is like having coke, candy, and pizza rolls in your kitchen at all times. Not everyone has the discipline to just "stop".... It's tough to really control it. Edit: when I say people hurting themselves, I'm talking about in a skateboarder accident type way, not like self-harm un-alive themselves type way.

[@stupidfanboyph]

It isnt a Tiktok problem, but a political problem. Remember who is ruling China right now and what is being done to take over the US. With the help of Russia.

[@fuzer4047]

@@cactusp00p And also the danger of TikTok as a platform and how it handles people data its like Meta but worse because the CCP can always get peoples data and maybe even that on kernel level

[@jhormanteran1431]

Well, yo can quite the phone fron your addicted daugther in this situation.

[@Nick-pc9tf]

Not the platform issue. It's the whole industry. Trying to scapegoat TikTok is a political narrative. Instagram is worst. TikTok is genuine. This is just my personal take. Didn't get any weight or depressing vids. Sometimes... I wonder if the content made in that continent is being delivered more. Like if you lived in Germany and it'll show you more of content made there.

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Odd they have a version that isn't malignant for their own population. Just saying.

[@stupidfanboyph]

It isnt to scapegoat as a political narrative. It is a political issue, a soft power issue. Remember, we live in a time Xi-nnie the Pooh is alive and will be happy to rule the world in all ways possible.

[@user-zp6dz9jw3g]

@@N8_DoubleYou 是国家自己社会问题，平台不是原创，怎么样的人民创作怎么样的作品。抖音有青少年模式，如果用它，会学到很多知识。可惜评论区的长辈们思想太过保守，不想让孩子接触抖音。搞笑的是yt自己也在做同样的短视频程序。唯一不同的是，抖音能看到真实的美国，yt 就不一定了！抖音告诉大家社会有问题，同样也有好的地方，所以坐在办公室的政府工作人员没那么舒服，竞争对手同样恐慌，两者联合在打压抖音。越来越多人不相信传统媒体，他们垄断个人信息，如果一个突发事件，我在看传统媒体时也会结合自媒体判断一个事物，尤其结合当地人拍摄的内容，而不是由这些传统媒体牵着我们鼻子走。所以传统媒体，保守父母，官员，竞争对手反对它，而未来社会的主人年轻人喜欢它，抖音真实。❤

[@mareksbesprozvannijs3463]

I'm not big fan of it, but it can be also useful

[@footballhighlights7222]

How are Facebook and the toxic Twitter app different from Tiktok>?

[@sacvideo1998]

For one thing, the For You feed actually works on TikTok, unlike Twitter's broken mess of a feed. Facebook is different from TikTok in that it struggles to attract users under the age of 50

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Odd they have a version that isn't malignant for their own population. Just saying.

[@ssuwandi3240]

I dont. Maybe those lousy parents being ignored by their children

[@Heyokasireniei468sxso]

This is PsyOps thats what tiktok is aside from a propaganda machine

[@dgarrisynn784refixtingz6]

In my opinion btw but I feel that the topic shouldn't be about tik tok but more about the entire social media platforms including Instagram, Meta, and the community such as the LGBTQ+ for what they're programming our children with, but thank you tik tok you're now the punching bag and have taken all the attention away from those groups & platforms. Well you're a none united state huge organization so you're the escape goal

[@sacvideo1998]

escape goal?

[@skata0sta0moutra0sas]

@@sacvideo1998 escape goat he/she meant

[@dgarrisynn784refixtingz6]

We all know it's a typo and the word should've been Scapegoat but go ahead and get kicked out of it🙏🏿

[@N8_DoubleYou]

@@dgarrisynn784refixtingz6 *Get a kick out of it

[@slypear]

@@skata0sta0moutra0sas Simply use "they"

[@anamamer2600]

U know something is wrong when a company has to repeatedly say that d user protection is their number 1 responsibility

[@TJMartinek]

Heyyyyy a bunch of middle-age parents complaining about the newest perceived danger. If only we had learned from the satanic panic, DnD, Skateboards, Comic Books...

[@dreaming_fox163]

sue a company because you cant control yourself/parents cant control you. its like blaming marlboro for selling cigarettes even after its proven that its cancerous

[@user-zp6dz9jw3g]

传统媒体和保守长辈，再加垄断公司，垄断政府官员们的迷幻操作😂😂

[@dreaming_fox163]

@@user-zp6dz9jw3g यह अक्षम माता-पिता का मामला है।

[@KaleighMacKay]

China doesn’t need to physically invade a country if they can make its citizens crumble from manipulating its mental health and feelings. Rage, sorrow, adrenaline, belonging, loneliness….. they got something for everyone

[@reis1185]

nice

[@rohitsakalle]

So report is prepared by searching on Google 😂😂 How about addiction of KZbin 😊 And it's funny that I get tick Tock advt on this video

[@didyoumissedmegobareatersk2204]

😂😂

[@moblue2899]

This video is sponsored by US

[@sklepgekon]

its rather obvious

[@sacvideo1998]

Replies are sponsored by the CCP, seemingly

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Odd they have a version that isn't malignant for their own population. Just saying.

[@moblue2899]

@@N8_DoubleYou its because china government controls their everything, thats why douyin is tame, do u want all governments to control the media?

[@sxybasturd]

INVESTIGATION OVER ... PARENTS FAULT ...TAKE THE DEVICE AWAY

[@xgobigorgohomex]

Haha

[@SN-zu9nm]

How about insta reel addiction

[@kielvostro]

Chinese propaganda tool lolz

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Odd they have a version that isn't malignant for their own population. Just saying.

[@mhasisetuobelho2086]

well insta and facebook are the same here but ig tik tok is chinese so ? lol

[@dentheplodder]

US mass media are properly in it for tiktok. But of course, those big moneymen have to preserve those large institutionally owned assets (eg. meta, ggl etc.) 😉

[@ytoh6408]

Oh its the lady with the weird accent again

[@LeeCurrid]

It's called Australian!

[@sunside7]

It's a New Zealand accent. (I was born there)

[@ermazepba8280]

And the dark side of Facebook, KZbin, instagram, WhatsApp ??????????????????¿???????????

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Odd they have a version that isn't malignant for their own population. Just saying.

[@yeahnah773]

I don’t mind you saying you don’t like tik tok. Just be honest and say “here is your propaganda today”

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Just saying.

[@guff9567]

I blame being an American

[@AkashSingh-uk5ub]

All SHORTS are worse than Covid-19

[@happyatheists9361]

responsible parents never ever let download that cringe app😅

[@fishiestify]

Typical America when you lost a business competition, you try to get rid of the competitor by unscrupulously framing your competitor with all kinds of faulty accusations. That's downright immoral and unethical. So evil.

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, I hear Douyin doesn't have these issues. Sounds like these wolf warriors are doing it on purpose.

[@zavrick]

@@N8_DoubleYou I hear that they have more draconic censorship laws in China. Might be why they don't have such content?

[@flyoutchase]

@@N8_DoubleYou they don't have the issues because china passed laws reducing the time spent on the app and made byte dance show more educational content....I don't know, maybe america officials should follow suit but they are too busy funding zelensky

[@marckscapela2220]

like instagrem?

[@archiey2k1]

I wonder how much Meta group pays bloomberg for this hatchet job

[@N8_DoubleYou]

To be fair, Douyin doesn't seem to have these issues. Odd they have a version that isn't malignant for their own population. Just saying.

[@HeinKyawHlaing-ubesy]

🙂🧏Ko Hein🧏🙂