Influencers Defend Controversial 'Skinny Girl' Content Despite Backlash

As of August 2025, TikTok continues to grapple with the dangerous 'SkinnyTok' trend, where young users are exposed to videos promoting extreme dieting and weight loss. The platform banned the 'SkinnyTok' hashtag last year, but influencers have found ways to circumvent the restrictions, using slightly different names to share the same concerning content.

One such influencer, Anna Bee, has been running her 'Skinni Girl Habits' TikTok account since March 2025. Her videos, which have garnered over 2.6 million views, focus on 'unhinged skinny girl hacks'. Despite the backlash, Anna insists her content encourages 'self-discipline, smart food choices, and sustainable healthy habits', not disordered eating.

However, experts warn that this type of content fuels the 'comparison culture' that can be detrimental to both mental and physical health, particularly among young, impressionable users. Studies show that people with eating disorders are exposed to significantly more toxic, diet-related content on TikTok than those without such conditions.

While TikTok has taken steps to address the issue, banning users associated with the 'SkinnyTok' movement, the problem persists. Influencers like Liv Schmidt, who had her account suspended last year, have found ways to continue promoting their controversial lifestyle and diet tips through other platforms and private groups.

As the battle against the 'SkinnyTok' trend rages on, experts emphasize the need for greater regulation, fact-checking, and societal change to combat the harmful messaging that continues to proliferate online and put vulnerable young people at risk.