Deepfake Health Scams Target Young Women on TikTok
A March investigation by Media Matters, also reported by Rolling Stone, uncovered a network of TikTok accounts using deepfake personas to push health and wellness products, often targeting women with fertility or cosmetic concerns. The accounts created backstories and personal testimonies to enhance credibility and drive sales through TikTok Shop links. One account, for example, featured videos of an influencer claiming various identities, such as a doctor and former model, to endorse hair growth supplements. A reverse image search, though, showed that the woman was likely generated by deepfake technology. Following publication of the investigation, the accounts identified in the article were removed from TikTok. This tactic reflects a broader trend identified in a 2024 study published in Journal of Medical Internet Research, which concluded that the alternative health community on TikTok is more likely to use emotional storytelling to build trust than conventional health videos, a strategy that these deepfake personas are designed to mimic.
A 2024 KFF poll found that most TikTok users report seeing health-related content on the app, and among these users women are more likely than men to say they’ve seen information or advice about mental health (71% v. 61%) or birth control (41% v. 25%) on the app. In addition, about half of women of reproductive age – those ages 18 to 49 – report seeing information or advice on TikTok about prescription birth control (54%) or abortion (48%). While fewer than half (40%) of TikTok users say they trust information about health issues that they see on the app at least “somewhat,” this rises to half among women ages 18-49. Notably, younger adults and women are more likely than older adults and men, respectively, to say they use TikTok every day.
