Talking Points: 'Bigorexia' Affecting Teen Boys And Adult Men
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Have you ever heard of "bigorexia"? It's affecting a number of teenage boys and adult men.
It's when they become obsessed with losing body fat and are consumed with lifting weights. Like with eating disorders, experts believe it's being inspired by TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media giant that some experts say is harming children.
This week, Minnesota joined seven other states in announcing an investigation of TikTok. For both girls and boys, the platform can encourage beauty and body standards that are unrealistic.
Other problems like sexual predators and suicide have also been linked to the social media app.
TikTok operates using algorithms that drive more videos and users to a user's account. The result can be a compounding rabbit hole of information and misinformation targeted directly at the user.
There are also concerns about privacy and children's information being shared with other users.
TikTok users are supposed to be 13 or older, but kids are finding easy workarounds. The attorneys general of the eight states -- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison -- are investigating to see if TikTok is violating consumer laws that protect children.
"They're not allowed to engage in deceitful or underhanded practices," Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said. "That is one of those ways, it's basically what we call a UDAP law, which is unfair, deceptive trade practice, and that's something that our office enforces all the time."
Last November, Minnesota joined a similar investigation that is underway against Meta, formerly Facebook, and its platforms, including Instagram.
Even President Joe Biden, in his State of the Union address, said the nation "must hold social media accountable" for the experiments they are conducting on our children.
