Panic World Why eating disorder content is all over the internet
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Aug 6, 2025 EJ Dickson, a senior writer at The Cut, dives deep into the troubling rise of eating disorder content on social media, especially within the #SkinnyTok community. She discusses how this phenomenon has evolved from hidden discussions in the early 2000s to a mainstream issue today. The podcast explores the impact of algorithms and influencers in promoting unhealthy ideals, the glamorization of disordered eating, and the emotional toll these narratives take on vulnerable individuals. Dickson also highlights the urgent need for accountability from tech companies.
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Normalization of ED Content Online
- Eating disorder content has become mainstream and normalized on the internet over time.
- It used to be hidden and shameful, now it's widely accessible without stigma.
Platforms Relax Control Post-2020
- Social media platforms once controlled harmful eating disorder content but relaxed enforcement after 2020.
- This shift enabled a spike in harmful content post-COVID and under conservative leadership.
Early Pro-Anorexia Sites History
- Early 2000s internet hosted hundreds of pro-anorexia sites with motivational but harmful content.
- Very few sites warned about the severe mortality risks of anorexia.