Quality and reliability of BPPV videos on TikTok and Bilibili: a cross-sectional study

Background Short-video platforms increasingly provide health information, but content quality varies, and evidence on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) videos remains limited.Objective To assess the quality and reliability of BPPV-related short videos on TikTok and Bilibili and examine home repositioning, maneuver–canal compatibility, and misleading information.Methods On 4 March 2026, we searched both platforms and included 135 videos (TikTok, 77; Bilibili, 58), assessed using the Global Quality Score (GQS), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), and JAMA criteria.Results Overall video quality was moderate (median GQS: 4; mDISCERN: 3; JAMA: 2). Bilibili scored higher on GQS (p = 0.027), whereas TikTok scored higher on JAMA (p < 0.001). Otolaryngologist-uploaded videos had higher mDISCERN and JAMA scores than individual-user videos (adjusted p < 0.001 and p = 0.022). Engagement showed limited association with quality. Home-repositioning videos had higher GQS (p = 0.041), though GQS does not assess procedural accuracy. Four of 20 Epley-maneuver videos (20.0%) showed maneuver–canal mismatches; misleading information occurred in 16 videos (11.9%), mainly oversimplified mechanisms and incorrect instructions.Conclusions BPPV-related short videos are of moderate quality, with performance varying across assessment dimensions. Engagement did not reliably indicate information quality. Maneuver–canal mismatches and incorrect instructions support greater otolaryngologist involvement and professional review.