About the project
Hack your algorithms with music
Detox Tiktok
Reclaim your feed
83% of Swedish teenage girls experience body image issues¹, and 40% of Swedish teenage boys feel uncomfortable with their bodies². A key factor behind this is that social media algorithms promote unhealthy beauty ideals – simply because they capture our attention and keep us engaged³.
But it's possible to break free from the algorithms' grip. Detoxify is a way to show that you yourself can take control of your feed and choose which content shapes your daily life – and consequently your wellbeing.
1. Hyperidealen 2024. 2. Hyperidealen 2025. 3. A Blueprint for Content Governance and Enforcement (Meta)Loading Spotify Player...
On TikTok, teens are exposed to content that affects their body image every 39 seconds
It's hard to grasp how affected we are by what we consume
When I was asked to join this project, I immediately felt that the idea of detoxing social media with music was exciting. It's so easy to get trapped in a dependency where you consume increasingly harmful content and feel worse and worse, yet quitting seems completely impossible. Helping young people become aware of how social media affects them, and demonstrating that they can actually take control of their feeds felt like an important mission. I've personally experienced tough times during my upbringing that I've overcome as an adult. Through Detoxify, I hope to help young people feel better much earlier in life than I did myself.
Artist Dotter on the project
Nine out of ten young women and every second young man experience negative pressure from prevailing beauty standards
Some words from our friends
Psychology Professor Lisa Thorell on unhealthy beauty standards
Three tips to detox your feed
Want to talk?
Sometimes life can feel overwhelming, both online and IRL. That's when talking to someone can help, and our friends at Allbry excel at that. Through Länsförsäkringar Göteborg och Bohuslän, they are there for you completely free of charge, whether you are young or a guardian. Enter the code Detoxify once you've created your account.
Resources for adults supporting youth
Children need adults who understand their digital everyday life. In these materials, you will find information that helps you understand the effects of social media and unhealthy body ideals. Here you will find facts, tips, and useful resources to help young people better manage their social media.
A caring company
At Länsförsäkringar Göteborg och Bohuslän, we have worked to strengthen young people’s mental health and well-being for over 10 years. Among other efforts, we initiate and engage in various projects that help young people grow up confident, strong, and self-assured. That’s why, when social media algorithms create environments that actively harm young people's self-esteem, we see it as our responsibility to act.
Detoxify is our latest sustainability initiative, a solution designed to help young people lead lives where their self-image isn't dictated by algorithms. On our website, you can learn more about our ongoing sustainability efforts. And sign up for a genuinely caring insurance policy, of course.
FAQ
How did you develop the different versions of the songs?
We mapped out voice commands that navigate each app and then collaborated with artist Dotter and songwriters to integrate these commands into the songs as naturally as possible. The songs then underwent a mixing and mastering process to optimize voice control.
How do you define “positive” and “negative” content?
Research shows that content on social media can affect young people's mental health. Images on social media that promote unrealistic body ideals are particularly harmful, according to research by Lisa Thorell, among others. These are linked to an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. At the same time there is content that, according to research, makes us happier, such as animals, nature, creativity, and diversity. The positive content searches in the song include images of animals and nature.
I don't want to change my feed permanently. Can I still try Detoxify?
Absolutely! Detoxify will not completely change your algorithms – it is a temporary “nudge” to show how the algorithms work. Your feed will return to normal if you continue with your usual interaction patterns. The goal is for you to experience the difference and reflect on that you can influence what you are exposed to.
My searches don't match the ones in the song. Why?
Your social media is tailored specifically to you, which means that different people get different search results – even when searching for the exact same words. In addition, algorithms are constantly updated based on what's popular, so a search can show completely different results from one day to the next. Sometimes the app suggests searches to steer you towards certain content. That's why a search for “cute lambs” can suddenly lead to something completely different, or in the worst case, even harmful content.
Is an entirely positive feed representative of reality?
Social media tends to reward extreme content and is therefore rarely a good representation of reality. With Detoxify, our aim is not to create a completely purified feed but rather balance the feed by adding more positive content. The goal is for you to experience the difference and reflect on that you can actually influence what you are exposed to. Ultimately, it is always you who decides what content you choose to interact with.