The anorexia and bulimia on the web: Ana and Mia two “bad company” for youth today

Abstract

Eating disorders have been uploaded to internet in a large range of websites, blogs, forums and personal testimonies. Since its beginning, as well as information pages and offers of treatments, has been appearing a stream in support of such disorders, that have made this disease a «lifestyle« and that have shared with everyone, what they called his philosophy, defending a «misunderstood freedom of expression.» This article analyzes the content and potential impact of the proliferation of these websites and forums on the web taking into account the complexity of these forums pro eating disorders and analysing their double effect on those who attend.