Youth alcohol use is a significant public health concern in the U.S. Early drinking is associated with serious risks including suicidal ideation, risky sexual behaviors, impaired driving, and later alcohol misuse. Research shows that youth exposure to alcohol content in media—particularly when perceived as realistic—is linked to earlier drinking initiation and increased alcohol problems. While traditional media has been extensively studied, recent attention has shifted to online platforms where alcohol is often portrayed positively and age restrictions are ineffective. TikTok, widely used by U.S. youth, recently revised its policies to permit alcohol advertising, raising concerns about youth exposure. Although prior studies have examined pro-alcohol content on TikTok, limited research has investigated content accessible through the platform’s search function. This study qualitatively analyzes the first 100 TikTok videos returned for alcohol-related search terms to characterize the alcohol content available to youth seeking such information online.
The study analyzed 482 TikTok videos collected using five alcohol-related search terms (#alcohol, #beer, #wine, #vodka, and #tequila) selected based on alcohol types most consumed by underage youth. Data were gathered in October 2023 using a newly created underage TikTok account to avoid algorithmic bias. A Python script scraped the first 100 videos for each search term, capturing associated metadata (e.g., views, likes, comments, hashtags). A qualitative codebook adapted from prior research (Russell et al., 2021) was refined through coder training and pilot testing, yielding high interrater reliability. Coding variables captured user sentiment toward alcohol, video type and setting, humor, brand depiction, alcohol use behaviors, and polysubstance use. Analyses included descriptive statistics and Mann–Whitney U tests comparing engagement between alcohol-positive and alcohol-negative/neutral videos.
The study findings revealed extensive audience engagement, with an average of over 4.3 million views and 348,000 likes per video, totaling more than 2.1 billion views. Most videos (94.2%) included hashtags to increase visibility. The “#alcohol” search term had the highest proportion of negative depictions (46.9%), significantly greater than other tags, which predominantly featured positive portrayals. Alcohol-positive videos primarily depicted alcohol use, purchase or acquisition of alcohol, and encouragement of drinking, often in celebratory or social contexts. In contrast, negative portrayals included anti-alcohol sentiment, descriptions of alcohol-related negative consequences, and pro-abstention or recovery narratives. Within the “#alcohol” search term, videos portraying alcohol positively received significantly more likes and shares than negative portrayals. Approximately 7.9% of videos showed signs of acute intoxication—most often portrayed humorously—and 45% incorporated humor overall. Depictions of multiple drinks or chugging behavior were common, while messages of moderation were virtually absent. Negative consequences beyond intoxication (e.g., hangovers, legal or social issues) and alcohol dependence were rarely depicted (10%). Solitary drinking (21.4%) appeared slightly more often than social drinking (17%), and polysubstance use was virtually absent.
Takeaway: TikTok search results for alcohol-related terms predominantly display positive drinking content, yet the “#alcohol” hashtag uniquely yields a higher proportion of negative content, suggesting that understanding content delivery algorithms may help mitigate youth alcohol exposure on social media platforms.