TikTok Banned A Popular Influencer For Promoting "Eating Disorders"

“Weight is a touchy topic, but that’s what the viewers want”

Filip

• Published in Interesting
• September 28, 2024

TikTok recently banned Liv Schmidt, a 22-year-old fitness influencer, for violating community guidelines, labeling her content as "dangerous and harmful." Schmidt had garnered nearly 700,000 followers, predominantly teenage girls, with videos centered around extreme dieting tips.

Her content focused on promoting an ultra-thin physique, often at the expense of health, which raised concerns among health experts and viewers alike. Despite these issues, Schmidt denies causing harm, arguing that she was simply catering to her audience's desires.

“Weight is a touchy topic, but that’s what the viewers want,” Schmidt stated in a recent interview. She defends her content as a reflection of personal preference.

However, it is noticeable that her background contradicts her authority on such matters. She is not a certified health or fitness expert, but rather a coordinator for a private family office in New York.

So, critics argue that influencers like Schmidt, who lack professional qualifications, cannot talk about healthy diets because they lack the proper knowledge. They could mislead impressionable audiences, particularly young girls, into unhealthy behaviors.

As TikTok cracks down on harmful content, Schmidt’s case highlights the ethical responsibility of influencers in shaping public perceptions of body image and health.

A fitness influencer was banned from TikTok for encouraging "disordered eating"

Experts claim that her content was steering young girls toward anorexia

"Lectins are making you fat"

One of her popular series, titled “What I eat in a day to stay skinny as someone who works a 9 to 5,” showcased a diet of a protein bar, a small piece of bread, a bowl of pasta, and a couple of bites of ice cream, totaling just 800 calories.

Despite experts warning that adult women should not consume less than 1,600 calories per day, her followers continue to defend her advice, even after she was banned from the platform.

She defended her content by claiming that maintaining a thin figure was a personal choice

Despite her widespread popularity, TikTok chose to shut down her account

TikTok decided to shut down her account for violating their community guidelines, particularly the Mental and Behavioral Health rules, which prohibit the promotion of "disordered eating."

However, her followers switched to Instagram after her TikTok account was deleted, and still describes her content as “helpful” and “inspirational,”. Critics argue that it encouraged dangerous behaviors, especially among women and teenage girls who are particularly vulnerable to issues surrounding weight and self-esteem.

Schmidt expressed confusion and frustration over her account being banned

She says she had not received any prior warnings about violating body image policies. She insisted that her intention was to "build something authentic" and that her content was not meant to harm anyone.

According to Schmidt, her advice was geared toward professional women with sedentary jobs. “For me, it was easier to reduce 300 calories from food than burn them through exercise, especially with a demanding job and limited free time,” she explained.

Schmidt defended her diet advice also

She said that it was more balanced and less restrictive compared to popular diets like the “keto” or “carnivore” diets, which remain allowed on the platform despite their limitations. “I think my success comes from not eliminating any specific foods,” she explained.

“I’m not dairy-free, vegan, or gluten-free. I’m not obsessed with health.” Instead of accepting her ban, Schmidt created a new account with a more provocative tagline: “saving America from obesity one person at a time.”

However, this account was quickly removed as well. Experts caution that just 10 minutes of exposure to weight loss content on TikTok can negatively impact women's self-esteem, urging the platform to take stronger measures.

Experts point out that a hallmark of pro-ana movements is the formation of exclusive “support groups,” which often act as spaces for sharing extreme dieting methods, exchanging tips on inducing vomiting or using laxatives, and even advising on how to hide anorexia symptoms from family and doctors.

Schmidt ran one such group called the “Skinny Group Community Chat,” a subscription-based service where her Instagram followers paid $9.99 per month to discuss their weight-loss journeys. While some celebrated her removal from social media, others were disappointed.

The followers argue that her "skinny girl" content was no more harmful than “fat acceptance” messages

“For me and my personal aesthetic, I like to be skinny and there’s nothing wrong with that”

“I’m trying to build a genuine thing”

“I want better for our youth"

Here's how TikTokers reacted to Liv's content

Useless, said one user

And something along with it

People should be smarter

Choose a side

Appaling

It's not healthy to be fat either

It can be dangerous

Another user agreed

Cancel culture going strong

Fitness influencer Liv Schmidt was banned from TikTok for promoting disordered eating through extreme dieting advice. Despite running an exclusive group encouraging harmful weight-loss practices, some followers defended her content.

Critics warn that her influence contributed to unhealthy behaviors, especially among vulnerable teenage girls, which prompted her removal from this social network.

Filip