Pinterest has already been the object of skepticism for its copyright policies. Now it's potentially a fearsome thing, as pro-anorexia users have been sharing "pins" there.
Pinterest central banned such stuff. It's an open question if this will have any real effect.
Pro-ana folks have used the Web previously. Consider it another twist on the link between body horror and digital technologies.
It's been a month since Tumblr changed their policy; theoretically, we could search for pro-ana Tumblrs and see what kind of effect these policies are likely to have.
More to the point, just banning pro-ana sites is a weak-willed, cover-your-corporate-ass solution. (In the horror metaphor, it's running away from the monster instead of confronting it.) A more interesting question might be how the corporations could try to foster encouraging communities around a healthy spectrum of body images. (I consulted briefly on a project at Kenyon to try to provide such a safe space.)
Posted by: Joe Murphy | March 31, 2012 at 10:11