"Jennings's article focused on people using TikTok gain a more in-depth knowledge of ADHD. "Arguably no part of mental health TikTok is as omnipresent or as fraught as ADHD TikTok," Jennings wrote - and addressed one of the biggest challenges that arose from its prominence, namely: at what point does getting advice from an app overtake getting actual medical advice?"
"What the Post's team learned is that the TikTok algorithm appears to handle different topics differently. Showing a lack of interest in certain subjects might not be enough to remove them from your feed as quickly as certain others. The word the authors use is "stickier" - and subjects like mental health and skincare have a higher level of stickiness than politics or Taylor Swift."
Many TikTok users turn to the platform to learn about mental health, with ADHD content particularly widespread and intense. The platform’s recommendation algorithm treats topics unevenly, making mental-health and skincare videos more persistent or 'stickier' in feeds than other topics. This persistence can cause users to keep seeing mental-health content despite disinterest, increasing the risk that app-based advice replaces professional medical guidance. A study of TikTok ADHD videos classified 52% as misleading, 21% as useful, and 27% as personal experience. The platform has challenged characterizations of how its recommendation system operates.
Read at InsideHook
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