TikTok recently was temporarily banned in the U.S. for 12 hours, and several physician content creators are opposing any further ban, MedPage Today reported Jan. 21.
Many physicians have created large followings on social media platforms like TikTok and use it as a way to share medical knowledge, inspire the next generation to consider healthcare positions and dispel misinformation.
"If TikTok goes away, there's probably going to be a temporary vacuum where misinformation is going to become even more rampant on these platforms ... especially with the announcement that Meta is changing their content moderation policies to mirror that of X, formerly known as Twitter, which I think is a bad idea," Zachary Rubin, MD, a pediatric allergist at Oak Brook (Ill.) Allergists who has 1.4 million followers on TikTok, told MedPage Today.
Part of the appeal of TikTok is its algorithm that determines what video users see even if they do not follow accounts. This allows many creators to reach a broad audience. The app is also popular among young people.
Content creation is "a way to advocate, as a way to correct misinformation, and to just get the right medical information into young people's brains," William Flanary, MD, an ophthalmologist who also is known for his alter ego on "Dr. Glaucomflecken" and has 2.4 million TikTok followers, told the news outlet.
President Donald Trump has said he plans to give TikTok a 90-day reprieve before a final decision is made about the app's availability in the U.S.