AI-generated accounts on TikTok are spreading misleading health advice, raising concerns among health professionals about misinformation.
Artificial intelligence-generated accounts mimicking medical professionals have garnered significant attention on TikTok, with millions of views attributed to misleading health advice, according to a report by The Guardian based on research from Hallam, a marketing agency.
While the study analyzed 1,198 TikTok videos, focusing on the top 50 from searches like "health tips" and "doctor advice," it did not employ an academic methodology. Hallam manually reviewed the content for signs of AI involvement, such as synthetic voices and repeated scripts, but acknowledged that this method does not confirm the source of the videos.
The findings revealed that around 40% of trending health-related videos displayed AI characteristics, and this figure surged to 84% for those labeled as "health tips." Some of these videos propagated debunked health claims, including misleading assertions about cancer risks linked to reheating food in plastic or sleeping near a phone, which were dismissed by Cancer Research UK for lacking scientific basis.
Other controversial advice included dubious remedies like a mixture of Coca-Cola and onion for pain relief and an unverified anti-aging product called Hyalethinap Plus Pro Max. The Guardian reported an absence of credible evidence for the latter's existence.
Emma Ranswick, vice chair of the British Medical Association, raised alarms about the proliferation of medical myths and urged TikTok to take stronger measures against harmful health misinformation. Frances Swords from the NHS noted that doctors are increasingly faced with patients confused by misleading advice, while Victoria Tzortziou Brown of the Royal College of GPs warned of the potential dangers posed by such content.
Alex Rouhani, a researcher on health misinformation, described the trend as a significant breach of public trust. In response, TikTok contested Hallam's findings, claiming it actively removes harmful content and works with health organizations to combat misinformation. The platform has also removed the specific videos highlighted by the report.
TikTok's guidelines mandate that creators label AI-generated content accurately. Following a complaint in February regarding AI accounts impersonating real doctors, TikTok removed those violating impersonation policies. However, concerns remain about the platform's approach to AI moderation, especially as it faces cuts to user safety teams and video verification processes.
In November 2025, TikTok announced plans to implement tools to limit AI-generated content in user feeds, including the introduction of "invisible watermarks" to deter content manipulation.
