1277 #MouthTape: A Content Analysis of a Social Media Craze

Abstract Introduction 90% of Americans primarily obtain health information from online sources, such as social media (e.g., TikTok). Mouth taping has emerged as a social media trend, yet the scientific evidence for or against mouth taping is nascent. We conduct a content analysis of TikTok videos on mouth taping. Methods We conducted two searches for “mouth tape” on a new TikTok account created in August 2024 from a smartphone in Boston, Massachusetts. We downloaded the first 20 videos that appeared on the front page without any sorting parameters. Then, we sorted the results to identify the 20 most popular videos by likes. Two videos in each sample were deleted from TikTok, leaving 18 videos in each sample. We obtained the number of likes, comments, saves, and shares for each video. In addition, two independent coders coded the level of misinformation, the video creator type (e.g., content creator, health professional), and commercial bias. Descriptive statistics were computed to ascertain engagement for the videos in each dataset (e.g., likes, comments) and the quality of content (theme, misinformation, and commercial bias). Results In the first sample (n=18), 75% of videos were produced by content creators and 25% by medical experts; videos averaged 142,424.1 likes, 342.59 comments, and 4,845.61 shares. The most common content theme was mouth taping as part of a beauty routine. 38.9% of the videos featured misinformation, and 5.6% featured commercial bias. In the second sample (n=18), 100% of videos were produced by content creators; videos averaged 343,444.6 likes, 1,022.91 comments, and 41,221.30 shares. The most common content theme was mouth taping as part of a beauty routine; 16.6% of videos featured misinformation, and 5.6% commercial bias. Conclusion This content analysis of TikTok videos about mouth taping revealed that videos are widely viewed. Although these videos did not typically contain misinformation or commercial bias, the videos depicted mouth taping as part of a daily beauty routine, potentially normalizing this practice that does not yet have a strong evidence base. Support (if any)