It has been argued that the Internet is a democratic, equalizing force within society, and the plethora of views and opinions on personal websites perhaps reinforces that idea. But with the proliferation of porn and file sharing sites, democracy and free speech have had their limits tested. And pushing the envelope with the best (and worst) of them is the pro-anorexic social movement called "pro-ana". A rapid decline in the visibility of pro-ana sites on the Internet may be vindication enough for those in favor of censoring pro-ana sites, but a question mark hangs over the censorship of the online pro-ana movement. Yes, the sites might well be away from view, but is it a case of out-of-sight out-of-mind?
Pro-ana is a social movement among girls (mostly) who use websites, forums and blogs to advocate the idea that anorexia is a lifestyle choice rather than a disorder. The pro-ana sites are filled with forums and discussion boards targeting girls who share the same philosophy. Pro-ana sites portray thin celebrities (dubbed "thinspirations") such as Paris Hilton, Angelina Jolie and Kate Moss as role models; and links to other sites such as Skinny Secrets, Fasting Girls, Hunger Hurts but Starving Works and Dying to be Thin help to normalize anorexia in readers' minds. One site explains that their: "website is to help those who are wanting to become anorexic, and for those who are feeling weak," where weak means eating.
Pro-ana sites often try to support their arguments by posting articles like "UW Study: Eat Less, Live Longer!" and "Fewer calories = Longer Life!," which support eating less, but are taken out of context and extrapolated to the extreme. But the real power of these sites comes from the reinforcing and normalizing of the belief among members that anorexia sufferers have merely chosen to live a certain way, much as someone would choose a style of clothing. Usually pro-ana sites don't actively recruit members, although you could say that they definitely encourage it, and many members already have a history of anorexia. Pro-ana sites were at their height during the period 2000-2003, but since then there has been a dramatic drop off rate, put down to heavy Internet censorship of the sites.
Having the pro-ana (there are also offshoots like pro-bella and pro-mia for bulimia) philosophy explained to you is both surprising and shocking, and one's first reaction is to side with those who want to ban outright all online traces of the movement. After some contemplation, however, you remind yourself that these girls are the sufferers of a very dangerous and misunderstood disorder, and that the pro-ana sites are likely just another manifestation of anorexia. Sure, you could treat this symptom – as I'm sure advocates of censorship believe they are doing – but this ignores the fact that the pro-ana blogs and websites are also a valuable source of information about the lives and psychological make-up of those who have the disorder.
Treatment and prevention of anorexia has always been a daunting task for health professionals. Some health workers explain that it is easier to get young females off hard-drugs than it is for them to treat anorexia, and a recent Penn State University study claimed that: "The mortality rate associated with anorexia is 12 times higher than the death rate of other causes of death for females 15-24 years old."
The fact that anorexia is such an unforgiving and dangerous disorder is why pro-ana sites are so important, as they can act as a window into what may have started the disorder in the first place, and what it is that keeps the disorder ticking along. And even if you don't consider that there is any medical merit in keeping these sites open, wouldn't it be better to know what young anorexics are thinking and feeling than not? Critics of this approach may argue that this is a mercenary way of getting to grips with a dangerous syndrome like anorexia, and that the censorship of such sites is the only option available. But censorship on the Internet is a tricky business and pro-ana sites are still easily found.
In fact, the pro-ana sites, and their self-harm counterparts, have merely slipped out of mainstream view and gone underground; a scenario that has for a long time been associated with censorship. Hosts of pro-ana sites have become experts at hiding the intentions behind their site, often posting disclaimers on their entry pages that their site is for the support of people with anorexia. Well, I guess they're not lying, as they do support individuals who are anorexic, it's just that the support offered is how anorexics can maintain the disorder. Lifestyle, remember? One site has a whole page devoted to telling other pro-ana advocates: "How to stop getting your ana site deleted." Tips include not listing your site with high profile search engines like Google, saving work in case of deletion, and: "Always put up a disclaimer note on your main page telling visitors why it was created. This is so they don't think your making the page to *ahem* 'turn teenage girls into anorexics.'" Stealth like this is alarming, and more worryingly, it makes it very difficult to sort the harmful websites from those offering genuine support.
The ability to communicate globally is one of the most powerful tools that humans have at their disposal. The Internet is a facilitator of this ability and can therefore aid in fostering community care and responsibility through complex social networks. However, it seems evident that we are still at a critical juncture of our online evolution, as there is still much about our own humanity that shocks, frightens and offends sensibilities.
When anorexic young females began writing about their lives in blogs and forums a whole new line of communication instantly opened up, and with that came new hope for parents, health professionals and close friends who have been trying to understand the disorder and the young women for years. But instead of embracing this open dialogue, society displayed moral outrage and sought fit to respond by shutting down the sites, and along with it an invaluable source of insight into a vexing and deadly disorder. Worse still, censorship has led to pro-ana sites employing new tactics to avoid detection and deletion; often, of all things, portraying themselves as anorexia help sites; an arguably much more dangerous framing.
It's deeply regrettable that censorship has achieved nothing more than burying the problem away from mainstream view. Hidden away, pro-ana sites continue to flourish away from the prying eyes of those who can and wish to help. Shame on us, if out-of-sight out-of-mind is the best that we can do for those suffering this insidious disorder.
Talk About This Article In The Forum...
