Fact-Checking #Breastfeeding: Analyzing TikTok Videos Related to Breastfeeding Information

To systematically characterize and fact-check breastfeeding-related content on TikTok and assess its accuracy against established evidence-based recommendations.

This study employed quantitative content analysis to examine TikTok videos tagged with #breastfeeding to quantify breastfeeding information patterns, engagement metrics, and creator types. Only videos sharing breastfeeding information in English (regardless of country) were included. Videos were coded using a predefined framework developed by the study authors.

Engagement metrics, creator type, and video accuracy.

Interrater reliability was calculated using Cohen's kappa. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequency of videos in each category. A 1-way analysis of variance was applied to assess differences in engagement between evidence-based, non-evidence-based, or misinformation videos. Multivariate analysis of variance was performed to analyze differences in engagement based on video accuracy.

Of the 224 videos analyzed, 65% were classified as evidence-based, while 32% were non-evidence-based. Misinformation outperformed the other categories in shares, saves, and views. No significant differences in engagement metrics were found between evidence-based and non-evidence-based videos.

These findings offer insights into how breastfeeding information is portrayed on TikTok and may inform strategies to improve the dissemination of accurate, evidence-based content on social media platforms.