Number of Instagram posts glamorising eating disorders is spiralling out of control, warn psychiatrists
Children are swapping graphic content promoting anorexia and bulimia, with some even going as far as to instruct how to hide extreme dieting from parents
THE number of Instagram posts that glamorise eating disorders is “spiralling out of control”, psychiatrists have warned.
Kids are swapping graphic content that promotes anorexia and bulimia on the social media network.
The BBC found images of emaciated young women and instructions on how to keep extreme dieting hidden from parents.
Dr Jon Goldin, of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, warned that posts could influence vulnerable children looking for peer groups online.
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“It’s deeply worrying and to some extent the situation is spiralling out of control,” he added.
“Young people with eating disorders are quite vulnerable, they are often socially isolated, they don’t have friends and they are looking for a peer group.”
Tara Hopkins, head of public policy at Instagram, said: "We do not and have never allowed content that encourages or promotes eating disorders and will remove it as soon as we are made aware of it.
"As a result of the ongoing expert review into our approach to all self injury content, which includes eating disorders, we expect to make some adjustments to our policy enforcement, including classifying more content as promotion, so more is removed.
"This is a complex area and experts have been clear in telling us that it is not something we should rush.
"Many people recovering from eating disorders use Instagram in a positive way to get support themselves and support others with recovery. It is important that we act responsibly to get it right."
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