The Influence of Tiktok (TT) Advertisement Messages on Health and Beauty Products towards Immoral Behaviour of Gen-Z

TikTok advertisements are highly effective at boosting the promotion of health and beauty products but also carry negative repercussions, influencing immoral behaviour among Gen-Z. While researchers and society are increasingly concerned with moral decline, the specific connection between TikTok advertisements and unethical behaviour remains unclear. Thus, this present study examines the impact of TikTok advertisements on health and beauty products, examining how their portrayal of beauty standards and lifestyles may promote immoral behaviours among Gen-Z while raising awareness of the associated risks and ethical implications for parents, educators, marketers, and policymakers. Using the convenience sampling method, questionnaires were collected from targeted respondents as part of the study’s quantitative research approach. The data were analysed using SmartPLS version 3.0 in Structural Equation Modelling to investigate the antecedents of TikTok advertisements towards immoral behaviour on Gen-Z, concerning health and beauty products in Malaysia. The findings demonstrated a significant impact of specific elements of TikTok advertisements, particularly images and subject matter, on the moral decadence of Gen-Z, while other elements, like captions and language, did not show a statistically significant effect. The study also confirmed a strong link between social contagion theory and the effect of TikTok advertisements on Gen-Z. The importance of this research will raise Malaysian awareness to be responsible in ensuring their TikTok advertising or content adheres to ethical standards when promoting their health and beauty products.