Classification of TikTok Videos about Menthol Restriction Laws

Abstract

Significance. Globally, nations, states, and localities have enacted laws to restrict tobacco products that include menthol flavoring. While literature has examined policy discussions on text-based social media platforms, less is known about the characterization of menthol bans on video-based platforms, such as TikTok, that are popular among youth and young adults. The purpose of this study was to classify video content from TikTok about menthol restriction policies to identify products commonly portrayed and main themes of policy discourse. Methods. A sample of 1260 TikTok videos posted between October 2018 and September 2023 were collected via a TikTok application programming interface (API) from https://console.apify.com/ using #menthol (135.3 million views). A codebook was developed using the first 100 videos, where three authors expanded, collapsed, and edited codes. Using the final codebook, all data were annotated to classify: type of product (cigarette, non-menthol menthol cigarettes, e-cigarettes); flavor injection device demonstration; retail environment; method of circumventing law; and race-based discourse. We also identified if the video was posted by a social media influencer or micro-influencer (\u3e1,000 followers) and the influencers’ sentiment about the menthol restriction policy. Overall, 710 (56.3%) were relevant to menthol restriction policies. Frequencies were reported as a total of the relevant posts. Results. Cigarettes (49.6%) were the most commonly portrayed tobacco product in the videos, followed by e-cigarettes (20.7%). Overall, 23.7% of relevant videos included a flavor injection device and 18.6% were demonstration videos, that displayed how to inject a flavor capsule into a cigarette. 8.7% of the videos displayed a retail environment, and 13.4% described methods of circumventing the policy. Overall, 31.8% of the videos were social media influencers and micro-influencers discussing the policy. Most sentiment negatively portrayed the policy (58.4%), 32.3% was neutral, and 3% was positive. Implications. Video-based social media platforms are being used as a platform to share information about menthol restriction policies. Understanding methods of circumventing these policies can help policymakers and enforcement agencies ensure policy language does not create loopholes for flavor injection devices. Further, those creating messaging campaigns about such laws can address issues raised in popular social media posts.https://scholarworks.uark.edu/hnrcsturpc25/1028/thumbnail.jp