A teenager said her TikTok account was shut down because her cystic acne was deemed “gruesome content.” Eva Grant, 16, created her account in November to help others who suffer from acne feel more comfortable in their skin.
She started posting relatable content about the condition – including videos about her skin flaking off after wearing makeup and her skin bleeding after wiping her face. But just three weeks after setting up the account, it was removed as TikTok branded her acne as “gruesome content.”
Eva – who is currently Miss Teen Galaxy York – said: “At first, it really got to me and I was like ‘why have they deleted this account because there is nothing wrong with it’. I had been really careful about what I was posting and making sure it was all safe for the internet so there was no swearing or anything in the audio I was using.
“When it got deleted, I was asking why and then I found out it was due to the acne. But I didn’t let it stop me so I created a new account and reposted the content and it’s not been deleted.”
The A-Level student contacted TikTok for more information on why her account – which had around 100 followers at the time – was taken down, but is yet to receive an answer. She said: “I just think TikTok need to be more aware of what they are deleting.
“They are deleting accounts that are doing good, but keeping accounts that aren’t. They should double check with someone before they delete an account permanently.”
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Eva has suffered from cystic acne for over two years. The condition develops when cysts form under the skin which result in painful bumps on the face.
She set up the account because she wanted to help people “feel more confident in their own skin.” Eva said: “I created the account because I suffer with acne and wanted to make sure people weren’t alone if they had acne and make people aware of it.
“My thing is that society deems having clear skin as normal, so why can’t we make society think not having clear skin is normal? So that’s what I was aiming to do – make people more aware and feel more confident in their own skin.”
Eva’s mum Tina, 45, said she “cried” when Eva made the account, as she remembers a time when her daughter would look in the mirror and “call herself ugly.”
Tina, of Easingwold, North Yorkshire, said: “Eva’s got a very bubbly and friendly personality, but when she closed the door at night, the tears would flood. But she wouldn’t let anyone else see that – I only got to see that along with her dad and sister.
“Nobody else really saw how she felt. She would just look in the mirror when her acne was really bad and call herself ugly, but then she decided to turn the negative into positive.
“When she came down to tell me she was going to post videos, I think I cried because I thought it’s just a brave thing for a 16-year-old to do.”
A TikTok spokesperson said: “At TikTok we are driven to provide a platform for creative, authentic, self-expression. We are open about the fact that we don’t get every moderation decision right and have reinstated Eva’s account.
“We hope Eva continues to use TikTok to offer encouragement and advice to others, and to share her story.”
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