We Shared the Evidence. TikTok Took It Down.
Why health misinformation spreads freely while qualified voices get silenced, and why that needs to change.
A few weeks ago, we posted a reel on TikTok about Melanotan II, the injectable 'tanning peptide' that's been circulating online. We explained how it works, what the published evidence and case reports say about its risks and side effects, and why it isn't approved for use in Australia.
TikTok took it down. The reason given: it violated their community guidelines.
We appealed. Several times. The video was never reinstated.
Meanwhile, content promoting and selling these same products is still easy to find on the platform.
We have a problem with that.
This isn't a free speech argument
Let's be clear about what we're asking for, because this conversation can get muddied quickly. We're not calling for anyone to be silenced. People should be able to share their opinions and their personal experiences online, and that includes experiences with medicines.
What we're asking for is smarter moderation. Platforms that say they protect their users from harmful misinformation should be able to tell the difference between a pharmacist explaining the risks of an unapproved drug and an account selling it.
How does this happen?
TikTok and other social media platforms rely heavily on automated moderation to enforce its community guidelines. With the sheer volume of content on their platforms – it kinda makes sense. We don't know exactly how TikTok’s system works, but from our experience it appears to flag content based on keywords and images rather than the meaning or intent behind it.
So a video warning you about an unapproved drug can look, to an algorithm, a lot like a video promoting one. The context, whether the content is in the public interest or not, seems to get lost.
And this isn't a one-off. Other brands sharing evidence-based health information, including sunscreen brands posting about sun safety, have had their content restricted or their accounts blocked entirely. This is true for SunSeal (Miranda’s sunscreen brand) on TikTok. On the account she shares information about sun safety and sunscreen formulation information intended to rebuild much of the public distrust the Choice report instilled in many Australians. The reasons for the account being blocked were never disclosed and the account still remains blocked to Miranda.
It's not just tanning peptides: the contraception example
If you're a woman on TikTok, you've probably seen videos claiming hormonal contraception is one of the worst things you can put in your body, or that it will ruin your fertility. A recent ABC News investigation looked at exactly this, and the findings are worth sitting with.
A 2025 La Trobe University study analysed 100 TikTok videos about contraception, which together had close to 5 billion views. Health professionals made just 10 per cent of them. Half came from general users, and much of the rest came from self-described hormone health coaches and health educators. The researchers rated the overall quality and reliability of the information as poor.
Around half the creators actively discouraged hormonal contraception, many promoted 'natural' methods such as cycle tracking without explaining their limitations, and roughly a third expressed distrust in healthcare professionals. A separate study published this year in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics similarly found that most birth control videos on TikTok were made by non-medical creators sharing personal experiences, with a generally negative tone.
A GP and medical adviser at healthdirect told the ABC that one of the common claims, that hormonal contraception harms your future fertility, isn't supported by clinical evidence. She also made an important point: people who've had a bad experience are more likely to post about it, while the many people who've had a good experience mostly stay quiet. Personal stories matter, but they're case studies, not evidence.
The study's lead author summed up the core problem neatly: “The algorithm doesn't check if the content is accurate.” Content that sparks fear or anger gets the most views, comments and shares, so the most visible content isn't the most reliable.
Here's the part that frustrates us
The same researcher said the solution isn't avoiding social media. It's getting more health professionals online, creating accurate, engaging content that can compete with the misinformation.
We agree. That's exactly why Pretty Proven exists.
But when qualified health professionals do show up, sharing evidence in plain language, and that content gets removed while harmful content stays up, the system is working against the very solution experts are calling for.
TikTok's own community guidelines say it doesn't allow misinformation that could cause significant harm, regardless of the poster's intent. We'd simply like to see that applied with more nuance, and with a real human review process when health professionals appeal.
What we'd like to see
We don't claim to have every answer, but a few changes would go a long way:
Moderation that considers context, not just keywords. A warning about a drug and an advertisement for it should not be treated the same way.
Meaningful appeals. When qualified professionals appeal a removal, a human with appropriate expertise should review it.
Consistent enforcement. If health content is risky enough to remove, accounts selling unapproved products should face at least the same scrutiny.
Support for credible voices. Government initiatives like the new Contraception Options Finder from healthdirect are a great step, but evidence-based information also needs to be able to reach people where they actually are: on their feeds.
Over to you
Do you think social media platforms are doing enough to protect people from health misinformation? Have you had content removed, or seen harmful content stay up? We'd genuinely love to hear your thoughts.
And as always, if you have questions about a medicine or a contraceptive option, speak with your pharmacist or doctor. That's what we're here for.
Informed. Assured. Empowered.
Miranda & Courtney, Pretty Proven
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