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Bizarre videos claiming sunburns ‘aren’t dangerous’ are flooding TikTok, study warns

A University of Alberta study published in PLOS Digital Health shows sunscreen misinformation is spreading on TikTok. Viral videos question the need for sun protection and claim sunburns are not dangerous. These posts often receive more likes, comments, and shares than those supporting sunscreen use.

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What changed

New reports confirm these misinformation videos are amassing thousands of views and outperforming pro-sunscreen content in engagement.

Live updates

  1. TikTok Sunscreen Misinformation Gaining High Engagement

    A University of Alberta study published in PLOS Digital Health shows sunscreen misinformation is spreading on TikTok. Viral videos question the need for sun protection and claim sunburns are not dangerous. These posts often receive more likes, comments, and shares than those supporting sunscreen use.

    What's confirmed:

    • A University of Alberta study published in PLOS Digital Health found sunscreen misinformation is spreading on TikTok.
    • Videos claiming sunscreen is harmful or that sunburns are not dangerous are more likely to generate likes, comments, and shares.
    • Misinformation videos questioning the necessity of sun protection have amassed thousands of views.
    confidence 100%

  2. Study Warns of Viral Sunscreen Misinformation on TikTok

    A University of Alberta study published in PLOS Digital Health found that sunscreen misinformation is spreading on TikTok. Videos claiming sunburns are not dangerous or that sunscreen is toxic are gaining significant traction. These posts attract disproportionate engagement compared to those supporting sunscreen use.

    What's confirmed:

    • A study published in PLOS Digital Health found that sunscreen misinformation is viral on TikTok.
    • Videos that question the merits of sunblock receive significantly more likes, comments, and shares than those backing the product.
    • Content sowing doubt about sunscreen accounts for 13% of related content on the platform.
    • The research was conducted by the University of Alberta.

    Still unconfirmed:

    • Some TikTok users claim that applying sunscreen lotion can be toxic to sunbathers.
    • Some videos on the platform claim that sunburns are not dangerous.
    confidence 90%