After posting a video of "It Looks Like Exciting" Black IMEH said he received racist comments, including telling him "just white." IMEH realized that the community was “toxic and racist”, and IMEH whirled backshock content and then stumbled upon the “Skinnytok” and pro-eating community on X.

"Find skinny tofu, eating disordered tiktok is much easier than recovery," Imeh said. "I took another approach and told them the side effects, what might happen if you don't eat."

The IMEH video mentions more extreme potential health outcomes of eating disorders, such as organ failure and hair loss. But he also sometimes laughs at the messaging found in the eating disorder community. In a tiktok, he covered it with words that read: "Never your friends are jealous of your ED making you look like a skeleton baby picking up a fork."

Imeh said he wasn't trolling, but said he didn't sprinkle sugar. "One thing I've noticed in Generation Z, especially our generation, is that they will stop doing something only if they feel embarrassed about it," he said.

“I have received a lot of people emailing me and like, Stephen, you’re a lot helping me with my eating disorder.’” He has over 70,000 followers, many of whom began following him after receiving the eating disorder community.

Pillepich said she could see a modern “long-term online” approach that could redirect attention, ideally, people who need it to recover.

"Leading with nuances doesn't get people's attention. It does have to be more extreme and more fun anyway," Pillepich said. "If it takes someone into the first step of a dietician, the therapist, and engages in deeper issues, that's great, too."

Breithaupt said content that is too judged or shamed for people with eating disorders may make them less likely to get help. "The most effective anti- and content tend to verify pain under the disease while still rejecting behavior," she said.

“When content creators use humor or ridicule to oppose pro-town culture, there is a real risk for viewers (especially those who are actively struggling) to feel like they are being ridiculed.”

E said Tiktok's content was like IMEH, helping her realize Skinnytok's "stupidity". She said she had begun watching the recovery of eating disorders. However, the algorithm, in addition to recovering the video, still showed her "stimulating motivation".

In the second half of 2024, Tiktok banned a controversial weight loss influencer, and its content glorifies the ultimate. E believes that Tiktok should ban more “Skinnytok”, although in the event of this, the speech barrier community has historically moved to other platforms.

Eating disorder recovery practitioners say it might be helpful to post anti-"Skinnytok" videos on the same platform, but that's only the first step.

“What I work with most people is restricting social media,” Braith Upt said. “Even if you’re watching videos for recovery, it’s more helpful to do other things instead of getting involved in social media.”

The National Eating Disorders Alliance Helpline Coalition provides support, resources and information on treatment options, please call Monday to Friday 1-866-662-1235. If you encounter a trained volunteer contact, you can also text the Alliance to 741741. More information about eating disorders, including other free and low-cost support options, can be found on the National Eating Disorders Association's website.