The Borax Trend: Addressing misinformation in TikTok’s latest “health” trend
Social media trends have been around for years. Perhaps you remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge of 2014 which took social media by storm and helped change the lives of ALS patients. Or maybe you took part in the #FluffChallenge where you tricked your dog into thinking you disappeared behind a blanket. And of course, who could forget the Corn Song and how it took over TikTok in the fall of 2022?
These are fun, engaging, and harmless trends that connected people across social media. However, not all social media trends and challenges are harmless and funny. In 2018, the Tide Pod Challenge encouraged the dangerous consumption of harmful chemicals. In 2021, the Devious Licks challenge encouraged young students to deface school property and ended with some students even getting arrested.
Today, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge ended, hardly anyone is posting their #FluffChallenge anymore, and thankfully, no one is ingesting Tide Pods. With how quickly social media trends come and go, it’s important for educators to stay up-to-date on the latest trends that are filling students’ feeds. This week, we’re shining a light on a new TikTok trend that is based on misinformation and, similar to the Tide Pod challenge, can cause its participants to be very sick.
Keep reading to learn about the latest Borax TikTok Trend and how to help your students avoid misinformation as they navigate social media.
What is the Borax TikTok Trend?
In TikTok videos, that have since been removed from the platform, several influencers suggested drinking a mixture of water and borax, a powdery white substance typically used as a household cleaning product and an ingredient in laundry detergent, to reduce inflammation and help with joint pain. Other videos claimed that soaking in a bath full of the borax and water mixture could help “detoxify” the body. The influencers who were suggesting these at-home remedies had hundreds of thousands of followers each, so the trend rapidly spread throughout TikTok.
However, these videos are full of misinformation. Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a toxicology physician and a co-medical director at the National Capital Poison Center revealed to NBC News that borax “can cause stomach irritation and potentially result in blue-green vomit or diarrhea if ingested. Over time, it can cause anemia and seizure, and soaking in borax could cause rashes that make the skin appear as bright pink as a boiled lobster and start to fall off.”
Dr. Johnson-Arbor, who routinely writes against health misinformation on social media went on to say, “There’s really nothing to support the use of borax in humans for inflammation or reduction of oxidative stress or anything like that.”
For younger students, whose kidneys and livers aren’t fully developed, ingesting borax is even more dangerous and life-threatening. So addressing this trend with the students in your life is more important than ever.
TikTokers using their mics for good to fight health misinformation
In addition to health professionals like Dr. Johnson-Arbor working to debunk health misinformation, check out these health professionals on TikTok who are using their mics for good to address the dangers of this trend.
- Katey Davidson, aka @tasteofnutrition, is a dietitian who posted a counter-video with a caption saying “Your health is way more important than a TikTok trend.” In her video, she explains that many times these “health” trends go viral because they promise results fast. She advises that if you are trying to live a healthier lifestyle, work on building long-term habits that promote your health rather than looking for a quick fix.
- Dr. Meghan Martin, aka @Beachgem10, is a pediatric emergency medical physician and uses her mic for good to educate against health trends that contain misinformation by using easy-to-understand and jargon-free language. She says, “I also think it’s important to try not to attack people. I really want to be level-headed, even-keeled, and address things in a nonjudgmental way that is authentic.” By doing so, she hopes more people will hear and listen to her.
- Carlo Ledesma, aka @carlothemedlabguy, is a medical laboratory professional who captioned a TikTok, “Just please do not ingest this!”
TSI’s Take
While social media is not inherently negative on its own, that does not mean everything students come across on their social media platforms will be safe, inspiring, or true. This is why it’s more important than ever to empower your students to navigate social media trends that promote misinformation by equipping them with the tools they need to discern fact from fiction. Equip your students with these three facts to consider as they navigate sensationalized claims on social media:
- Misinformation is 70% more likely to be reshared on social media than the truth
- Misinformation spreads 6 times faster than factual and credible information
- 59% of people who get news from social media expect it to be largely inaccurate
When students understand that they cannot take everything they see on social media at face value, they will be better prepared to think critically when they come across trends like this. We can also encourage them to assess the people they follow. And finally, if they have questions about a trending topic, encourage them to speak to a trusted adult or professional IRL to get to the bottom of trends before they take part in them.
Looking for ways to encourage high-character decision-making among your students this fall, no matter what trends come their way? Request a demo of our peer-to-peer technology that equips students with the tools they need to navigate social media and tech in ways that will fuel their health, happiness, and future success.
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