More than 20% of TikTok videos on sexual health share inaccurate information, study finds

In the digital age where social media platforms serve as primary sources of information for younger generations, a recent study exposes a concerning trend about the reliability of sexual health content available on TikTok. Presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 National Conference & Exhibition in Denver, this research meticulously analyzes the accuracy of sexual and reproductive health information circulating on one of today’s most influential social media outlets, shedding light on the implications for public health and digital information dissemination.

TikTok’s meteoric rise as a social media platform among adolescents offers unique insights into how youth consume health information. According to a 2024 survey, four in ten young adults frequently use TikTok as a main resource for health-related queries, notably on topics as sensitive and complex as sexual and reproductive health. This high usage rate is juxtaposed with the platform’s largely unregulated environment, resulting in widespread dissemination of content whose veracity varies dramatically.

The study, “Digital Misinformation and Public Health: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Sexual Health Content on TikTok,” was spearheaded by Angeli Sirilan, a medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. The researchers created a TikTok account resembling a typical 15-year-old user to simulate the authentic youth user experience. This novel methodological approach allowed for the examination of the top 10 videos generated by TikTok’s algorithm for ten distinct keywords concerning sexual and reproductive health. Collectively, one hundred videos were analyzed by two independent reviewers to assess their accuracy, creator credentials, and the promotion of unsafe behaviors.

Analytic precision was ensured through rigorous procedures, independent reviews, and statistical reliability measures. Cohen’s kappa test indicated a 98% inter-rater reliability in the classification of video content as accurate, inaccurate, or neutral. This high level of agreement underscores the robustness of the categorization process and lends confidence to the study’s findings. Further statistical testing, including Chi-square analyses performed via Stata software, elucidated significant associations between the accuracy of content and the credentials of the creator.

Striking differences emerged between videos produced by healthcare professionals compared to those by non-medical individuals. Of the analyzed content, 58% originated from healthcare professionals, and these videos overwhelmingly delivered accurate information, with an inaccuracy rate of only 3.4%. In stark contrast, 21.4% of videos by non-healthcare creators contained inaccurate information, highlighting a substantial disparity in the quality of sexual health content based on creator qualifications. This sharp contrast reveals a critical need for greater visibility and reach of medically sound content within TikTok’s vast ecosystem.

The research also highlights the unique challenges posed by misinformation surrounding abortion-related topics. Abortion-related queries yielded 26.7% inaccurate videos, a rate significantly higher than the 4.3% inaccuracy observed for other sexual health topics. In addition, these videos were singularly associated with the promotion of unsafe practices, a concerning finding with profound implications for adolescent health and well-being. Misinformation ranged from factually incorrect claims to dangerous advice, such as self-induced abortions, underscoring the severity of misinformation’s potential harm.

These findings arrive against a backdrop where school-based sexual education varies widely across regions and curricula, often leaving adolescents to seek out alternative information sources online. With institutions failing to uniformly provide comprehensive and accurate health education, platforms like TikTok inadvertently become critical venues for sexual health knowledge acquisition, further amplifying the risk of exposure to misinformation.

The responsibility to address this misinformation extends beyond content creators and consumers to the social media platforms themselves. TikTok, with its powerful algorithmic curation and extensive youth audience, has a pivotal role in implementing guardrails—mechanisms that can identify, flag, or limit the spread of inaccurate or harmful content. This includes the development of content moderation tools, partnerships with credible medical organizations, and proactive educational campaigns that promote verified information.

Health professionals must also adopt a proactive stance, recognizing the prevalence of digital misinformation and equipping themselves to guide pediatric and adolescent patients toward trustworthy sources. Pediatricians, adolescent healthcare providers, and educators must intervene by clarifying misconceptions, encouraging media literacy, and supporting decentralized efforts to amplify accurate sexual health information. Their influence is essential in counteracting the narratives shaped by unreliable online content.

Moreover, this investigation spotlights the necessity for enhanced digital literacy education, empowering youth to critically evaluate the health information they encounter on social platforms. Educators and parents should collaborate to cultivate analytical skills that enable young users to discern credible sources, thereby mitigating the impact of misinformation and fostering informed decision-making.

The study’s cross-sectional design provides a snapshot in time but invites further longitudinal research to monitor evolving trends in social media health content, particularly as platform policies and user behaviors adapt. Future studies may also explore interventions’ efficacy in improving content accuracy and how technological innovations—such as AI-driven content verification—could reshape the social media landscape.

Ultimately, TikTok’s potential as a disseminator of vital reproductive health information is considerable but currently overshadowed by the risks posed by misinformation. Targeted efforts to elevate medically accurate content and restrict dangerous advice are imperative. The digital ecosystem must strive for a balance that harnesses TikTok’s reach while safeguarding adolescents’ health through reliable, vetted information.

The presentation of this research by Angeli Sirilan at the Colorado Convention Center underscores the urgency and relevance of these findings within pediatrics and public health disciplines. It illuminates the intertwined challenges of digital media, adolescent health, and education, advocating for a multi-faceted response that integrates healthcare, technology, and policy to protect vulnerable populations.

As social media continues to shape the landscape of youth health education, acknowledging and addressing the prevalence of misinformation is not merely academic but a public health imperative. The insights from this study compel stakeholders across sectors to act decisively in fostering an informed, healthy generation capable of navigating the complexities of sexual and reproductive health with evidence-based knowledge.