If you’re a regular Twitter user, chances are you’re familiar with Kenneth Tong. Even if you’ve never sent off as much as a Tweet in your life, the name might very well ring a bell. The former Big Brother contestant caused a viral mass uproar when he a few weeks back started Tweeting in promotion of what he called “managed anorexia”, under the general heading of “anything over size 0 is too fat.” He regularly posted gems such as “the words lunch, breakfast, and dinner should now mean nothing to you, you have eaten enough for a lifetime. Stop. You are disgusting”, gaining thousands of followers as well as incurring the wrath of big name celebs such as Rihanna in the process.
In the end it all turned out to be a hoax, or at least according to Tong himself. He issued a lengthy statement saying his actions were a result of a bet between him and his friend on whether one could reach worldwide notoriety in a week, using the powers of the social media. A social experiment, if you will. Interestingly, this explanation came just a day before Independent columnist Johann Hari was set to publish a damning interview with Tong.
Whether or not he genuinely believed what he was preaching and merely retracted it because of the extreme backlash, or if it was simply the delusional and attention seeking ramblings of a reality TV reject, is somewhat beside the point of the wider implications.
Online promotion of eating disorders as a way to lose weight is hardly a new phenomenon. Pro-ana (pro anorexia) and, to a lesser extent, pro-mia (pro bulimia) websites have existed for over a decade, with the debate about their true purpose raging on for almost as long. Some sites state they simply aim to provide a safe haven for those suffering from anorexia or bulimia, a place where those not yet ready to start their recovery can exchange experiences in a non-judgemental environment. Others present anorexia and bulimia as lifestyle choices rather than illnesses, offering tips on how to fast, purge and vomit, how to deal with hunger pains and how to hide weight loss from those around you. Many also include visual ‘thinspiration’ in the form of pictures of thin models, celebrities and even regular girls (‘real thinspo’).
The point is that no matter how you choose to view it, this type of content has existed for some time. What Tong’s actions have highlighted is its latest incarnation. It seems the various popular social networking sites are increasingly being embraced by those attracted to pro-ana and pro-mia.
As early as 2008, B-eat (the Eating Disorder Association of the UK) issued a warning against pro-ana appearing on social networking sites. They stated that though disturbing in content, traditional sites were not easy to access, many being shut down or blocked by internet providers. Social networking sites, however, “are much more readily available and easy to find. You can come across them without very much effort, or by accident whilst searching for something else.”
Just Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr combined boast over 700 million users, providing a potential reach above and beyond anything most static websites could achieve. They also offer unprecedented opportunities for interaction between users.
For instance, Kenneth Tong has over 20,000 followers on Twitter. This is without taking into account Rihanna’s nearly 3 million followers, who could have been exposed to his messages when she replied to him on her own page, or the followers of any of the other people who felt annoyed, offended or angry enough to give a response. If you do a simple Twitter search you’ll also find several other profiles, daily updating thinspiration pictures and motivational quotes such as “waking up thin is worth going to bed hungry”.
Facebook has taken an active stance against pro eating disorder content, stating it is in violation of their terms and conditions by encouraging self-harm. Despite this, you can still find a number of groups, pages and even personal profiles dedicated to pro-ana and pro-mia.
However, it is relative newcomer to the social networking scene Tumblr, which arguably provides the most appropriate platform for creating and sharing pro-ana content. The micro blogging site allows its users to post graphics, videos and text that can be shared with their followers and others through re-blogging. Content can also easily be viewed by non-users.
Ellie* is the author of a thinspiration blog on Tumblr. Having dabbled in both anorexia and bulimia, she says she started it as a way of reaching out to people who are experiencing the same thoughts and struggles as her. “It’s sort of a support system.”
Ellie updates the blog daily, posting thinspiration pictures as well as thoughts and feelings on her quest to reach her goal weight. She is fully aware of the dangers of eating disorders and says she worries for both herself and her family. “I know how bad eating disorders are and I truthfully wish I could be in a normal mindset where I didn’t feel like it has to be this way. I don’t want one, but at the same time I do if it’s all that’s going to help me.”
She has a number of followers who regularly re-blog her posts. She admits she feels something of a sense of responsibility towards her readers, saying that she wouldn’t want anyone who isn’t currently struggling with an eating disorder to read her blog and think that they have to do it as well. She is adamant that it isn’t promoting anorexia, but that her blog is a way to express her thoughts and emotions to people who understand. “I would never tell someone who is considering developing a disorder to do it. For their mental health, I’d always advise against it.”
However, a number of medical organizations have warned about the potential dangers connected to the mere existence of pro ana sites. In 2009, the Royal College of Psychiatrists warned that “even in healthy young women viewing such websites induces a negative affect, low self esteem and more negative views about their appearance than viewing a comparison website related to female fashion (using average-sized models) or home décor.” Furthermore, an extensive analysis on the phenomenon published in the American Journal of Public Health in 2010, noted that pro eating disorder sites increasingly use social networking approaches and it is suspected this trend will increase.
Independent blogger Catherine Burton, who herself has struggled with anorexia, is more cautious in assessing the risk connected to pro-ana.
“I seriously think that the web isn’t to blame and nothing on it can really cause an eating disorder to anyone who wasn’t vulnerable to an eating disorder before coming across such material. But that is not to say that it is safe and that it has a right to be on the internet. It is dangerous and it should be policed.”
She does however believe that social media networks do add to an existing problem, by allowing increased interaction between those who are involved in such websites.
“Even an innocent look on one of these sites could be enough to trigger not an eating disorder, but possibly bring in unhealthy behaviours or just plant the seeds of negative thoughts within someone. It is important always to remember that eating disorders are mental illnesses and they do not develop overnight.”
The backlash Kenneth Tong has experienced comes as no surprise. The mainstream media and the wider society have never been merciful in their condemnation of pro-ana. Ellie has received several nasty messages from people telling her how stupid she is for doing what she’s doing. There are also those who have contacted her with words of encouragement, telling her she’s beautiful the way she is. She says that to a certain extent she does agree with blogs like hers being condemned, but she also seems frustrated by the lack of understanding as to why they are so appealing to their users.
“The one thing I think people need to understand is that you cannot tell someone struggling with bulimia or anorexia that they are stupid or that they are pretty just to get them to stop. Believe me, the majority of us know it’s wrong but we don’t want to stop or we cannot stop.”
“It takes medical attention to fix these mental problems and I think people are ignorant to think that sending a few messages on Tumblr, Facebook or Twitter is going to do anything but fuel the fire and make us want to be what we are in the face of people telling us it’s wrong.”
*Name changed for confidentiality