TikToks promoting steroid use have millions of views; report criticised

TikTok has become a key marketing channel for vendors promoting steroids and other bodybuilding drugs to millions of the app’s users, according to a report released Thursday that the social media company disputes.

In the study, the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate says popular videos encouraging use of the products for aesthetic or athletic gain are being posted by influencers who often downplay the risks associated with them. It follows a warning issued by the US Food and Drug Administration in April about performance-enhancing drugs being marketed to teenagers and young adults on social media platforms.