Social media has a long history of discussions around body image, mental health and disordered practices, with eating disorder communities proliferate on text-based sites like MySpace and Tumblr. But as popular apps now emphasize visual media, experts say the risks users face from messy practices have changed. “Unfortunately, social media replicates what we see in mainstream media as well as offline patterns. As such, social media often promotes body types that are unattainable for most, which has been shown to negatively impact body image,” says Yalda Uhls, assistant professor at UCLA and founder of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers. “Additionally, there are subgroups that meet on social media and share information that can be harmful, such as (pro-anorexia) groups that talk about not eating.”

But even if experts agree that content that explicitly encourages people to develop eating disorders is wrong, the complex nature of the disease requires tackling the vast majority of content that could being harmful is much more difficult. Renee Engeln, a psychology professor at Northwestern University, says that while social media content can change us, it will also vary from person to person. “Many people can swim in all kinds of toxic content on social media without developing an eating disorder. But if you are vulnerable to developing an eating disorder, social media content may continually push you toward less healthy and more extreme attitudes toward eating, exercise, and body image,” explains Engeln. “People already prone to disordered eating attitudes and behaviors tend to seek out content focused on body shape, dieting, and exercise. The more you search for this content, the more the algorithms will continue to serve it to you.

Social media and technological advancements are often accused of provoking fatalistic or unwanted reactions among their users. But even though doctors say the cause of eating disorders can vary, what is undoubtedly true is that eating disorders in adolescents are getting worse. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, hospitalizations for eating disorders among teenage girls have doubled during the pandemic. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) found that more than nine percent of Americans will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime, a rate that has seen a steady increase over the past 10 years. And as a psychiatric illness, eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate. The only thing waiting for them is opiate addiction. “It is not uncommon for someone who searches for information online to then be exposed to content that could then be harmful to them or put them at increased risk of an eating disorder,” says CEO Doreen Marshall of NEDA. rolling stone. “We encourage content creators to promote resources and information about seeking help, share hope for recovery, and refrain from sharing images or behaviors that may fuel eating disorders in groups vulnerable.”

Many advocates for people with eating disorders have directly called on tech companies to help solve the problem. Since 2020, US lawmakers have criticized companies like Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and Google for their algorithms would have been boosted Eating disorder content. Bryn Austin, professor at Harvard University’s TH Chan School of Public Health, says rolling stone that while practitioners can offer help to people suffering from disorders, a stronger approach to technology is needed to really make a difference. In 2024, TikTok expanded its rules against promoting unhealthy eating habits, including blocking particularly egregious accounts from monetizing content and age-restricting other versions. But Austin says there is still much work to be done across the board. “We need to change the law, plain and simple. Nearly 30 years ago, Silicon Valley lobbyists won broad protections for the industry, codified in federal law – Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. This effectively shut down almost all efforts to hold social media platforms accountable,” she says. “But it was only a few months ago that we saw signs of change, when the Third Circuit Court ruled that TikTok could potentially be held liable for a viral trend… linked to the self-strangulation death of a child 10 years old. The move has given momentum to advocates and state lawmakers across the country and on Capitol Hill who are working for changes in the law.

Since his ban from TikTok, Schmidt has continued to use other social media sites to spread his message. After her first account was blocked on the site, she opened a second TikTok, which included a description in the bio that was later deleted: “It’s not a sin to want to be thin.” » Fans of Schmidt’s work mourned his departure from the video app, while critics celebrated it as a sign that tech companies are taking responsibility and enforcing their policies. But as eating disorders remain a hot topic, both online and offline, influencers who promote them will continue to profit. “Influencers undoubtedly make many who follow them feel unattractive. But they can also make you feel that if you watch carefully enough and buy enough good products, you won’t have to feel so bad. They sell body dissatisfaction, but they also sell the dream of being relieved of that dissatisfaction,” Engeln explains. “For many people struggling with body image, consuming content from these influencers is like getting a bruise. You keep pressing on the bruise because a small part of you hopes that one day it won’t hurt as much.

If you suffer from an eating disorder, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website to learn about steps you can take to improve, or call the ANAD Helpline at 1 (888) 375-7767.