A Novel Hashtag Density Method for Identifying Suicide and Self-Harm Content on TikTok

This study aimed to investigate the presence and distribution of content related to self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB) on TikTok. Due to video moderation policies, there is significant difficulty in estimating the prevalence and concentration of this type of content on social media. The current study developed a novel method for identifying hashtags associated with this content, recognizing that explicit tags are often banned or altered. Three research assistants, who were blinded to the study’s hypotheses, were trained to use TikTok’s search and “related hashtags” features to compile a comprehensive list of potential tags. Density scores were calculated as the percentage of videos mentioning or including SITB-related content within the “top videos” of each tag. The findings indicated that SITB-related content was often embedded within tags that appeared to promote positive or awareness-focused themes. Tags such as #suicideprevention and #shawareness exhibited the highest density scores. The density metric highlighted user strategies for evading content moderation, including the use of phonetic spellings and euphemistic expressions. These results demonstrate the utility of density coding for investigating SITB-related content on TikTok, revealing that such content is often concealed within ostensibly positive tags. This approach offers a nuanced understanding of how SITB-related discussions persist and adapt to content moderation policies. Findings underscore the need for sophisticated content moderation strategies and continuous research to stay ahead of evolving user behaviors. Future research should further explore the content within these tags to determine the nature of discussions and potential impacts on adolescent users.