#Coronavirus on TikTok: User engagement with misinformation as a potential threat to public health behavior

Background: COVID-related misinformation is prevalent online, including on
social media. The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated
with user engagement with COVID-related misinformation on the social media
platform, TikTok. Methods: A sample of TikTok videos associated with the
hashtag #coronavirus were downloaded on September 20, 2020. Misinformation
was evaluated on a scale (low, medium, high) using a codebook developed by
experts in infectious diseases. Multivariable modeling was used to
evaluate factors associated with number of views and presence of user
comments indicating intention to change behavior. Results: 166 TikTok
videos were identified. Moderate misinformation was present in 36 (22%)
videos, and high-level misinformation was present in 11 (7%). After
controlling for characteristics and content, videos containing moderate
misinformation were less likely to generate a user response indicating
intended behavior change. By contrast, videos containing high-level
misinformation were less likely to be viewed but demonstrated a
non-significant trend towards higher engagement among viewers.
Conclusions: COVID-related misinformation is less frequently viewed on
TikTok but more likely to engage viewers. Public health authorities can
combat misinformation on social media by posting content of their
own.