‘It spreads like a disease’: how pro-eating-disorder videos reach teens on TikTok

Although the platform bans content promoting dangerous weight loss, hashtags such as #skinnycheck can still be found

Instagram has attracted a firestorm after whistleblower Frances Haugen revealed internal research showing the platform downplayed proof of its toxic effects - including the rise of eating disorders - on children.

But such issues are not limited to the Facebook-owned social media company. The Guardian has found a variety of harmful pro-anorexia hashtags remain searchable on the popular video-sharing app TikTok, where corresponding videos have billions of views combined.