TikTok has announced new features intending to help users struggling with mental health issues and thoughts of suicide.
The new features of TikTok will provide guidance on mental issues related to fitness and eating habits. There has also been a change in the features of the search feature, which will provide mental health resources to users searching for a word like suicide.
The announcement of these features by TikTok comes at a time when the rival platform of TikTok, Instagram, is under scrutiny for the mental state of its users. Announcing the new features, TikTok management says that we care a lot about our customers. And we are always looking for new ways to enhance their well-being.
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The company said the features would be released globally in the coming months. These features include an extended guideline on eating habits. And if they search for a word like suicide, the features will lead users to local support like Crisis Text Line.
It is to be noted that TikTok, like its rival social media platform, is under scrutiny for its impact on the mental health of teen users. A report by the Education Policy Institute and The Princes Trust earlier this year found that overuse of social media was harming young people’s mental health.
The study found that social media is associated with negative well-being, regardless of the mental state of young people, leading to more girls suffering from feelings of depression and hopelessness.
