TikTok has announced a range of initiatives for Mental Health Awareness Month, including new in-app support resources, additional training for partner organizations, and ad credits to boost exposure for support tools in the app.
First off, TikTok’s launching a new #MentalHealthAwareness hub to provide more direct info and assistance to users in the app.
The new in-app hub will provide insights into a range of health and well-being topics, along with direct connection to support organizations, and other resources.
As per TikTok:
“To access the hub, go to the #MentalHealthAwareness hashtag page and tap on the link in the description of the hub to explore. It will be continually updated throughout May to highlight new educational and inspiring videos, mental health and wellness-centered creators, and organizations dedicated to raising awareness about mental health.”
Direct, in-app access could be a big help for those in need – and with studies showing that TikTok itself can impact users’ mental health, having those resources available in app could be a big benefit.
TikTok’s also launching a new ‘Mental Health Media Education Fund’ to help improve mental support messaging, while it’s also donating over $2 million in ad credits to organizations working on well-being, including Crisis Text Line, The National Alliance on Mental Illness and the National Eating Disorder Association.
The added support will help these organizations boost their messaging in the biggest social app of the moment among vulnerable youth. That could be a big benefit in reaching people in need, when they need it.
TikTok’s also hosting a series of TikTok training sessions to equip these partner organizations with tools to help boost their messaging in the app.
“This collaboration represents just one part of our continued efforts to advocate for positive mental health and reach people in need of support, and we’re grateful that nonprofits and advocacy groups choose TikTok as a platform to share their knowledge and to reach a wide audience.”
Mental health is a key focus for all social media apps, but for TikTok in particular, given its reach to younger audiences, it can arguably have an even bigger impact on broader perceptions and attitudes towards such conditions.
Though as noted, TikTok itself can take users down dark rabbit holes, by showing them content related to certain topics that can worsen mental health. TikTok is working to address this, but there are concerns, as there are with any social app, that exposure to such can lead to worse mental health outcomes and impacts.
Again, TikTok is well aware of this, and has been working for years to improve its processes – and with a potential ban on the app still looming in the US, you can bet that this is a top focus for the app in ensuring that it meets any and all requirements on this front.
