TikTok will ban videos promoting tanning after medical experts expressed concern the social media platform was promoting unhealthy sun exposure through hashtags like #sunburnchallenge.
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The "Tanning. It's Cooked" campaign was launched on December 1, the first day of summer, to highlight that Australia has the highest incidence rate of melanoma in the world.
At a speech to the National Press Club in September directors of the Melanoma Institute Australia with Olympic swimmer and melanoma survivor Cate Campbell criticised social media for glamourising and trivialising tanning and sunburn, calling out TikTok specifically.
Melanoma Institute Australia CEO Matthew Browne told ACM TikTok responded promptly.
"We actually called out TikTok specifically and #sunburnchallenge, as an example of something we thought was dangerous and leading to potentially dangerous behaviours," Mr Browne said.
"Within days they called us and wanted to meet and talk through what they had in mind in terms of improving safety on their platform, and we were delighted to hear from them."
A spate of concerning health trends have emerged on TikTok including encouraging vaping, using diabetes medication for weight loss, and promoting nasal tanning products that can have serious health impacts.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer for the 20-39 age group in Australia.
Mr Browne said using TikTok to engage with a younger market was a pragmatic choice.
"We know that messages from organisations like us can fall on deaf ears," he said.
"Providing that message through a platform this demographic utilises and loves is in our view a very effective tool," he said.
"They're banning the hashtag #sunburnchallenge, and if you're searching things like tanning, pop out education notes will come through and links back to melanoma Australia's site, to become aware of the dangers of over exposure to UV."
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The State of the Nation report into melanoma estimates that without critical action being taken now, by 2030 the economic cost to the nation for melanoma will be $8.7 billion.
Mr Browne emphasised the importance of following the five sun safe rules: a combination of a broad brim hat, 50+ sunscreen applied regularly, seeking shade in the middle of the day, wearing sunglasses and protective clothing, and wearing rashies at the beach.
"If you are sun safe you can largely prevent melanoma," he said.
