finding inspiration TO BE SKINNY from MEDIA
Thinspiration is defined as the use of images for inspiration to be thinner. Pro-Ana sites use these images to help keep from eating and to remember weight loss goals. These images are often taken from the media-- images of models and movie stars. The media provides these (often photoshopped) photos as representations of girls that are defined as beautiful. New blog sites such as Pinterest have allowed the thinspiration boards that were once mounted on bedroom walls to be accessible to anyone on the Internet. These photos are readily available to the public, causing the negative sentiments behind them to be spread virally.
Many media distributers have realized the danger of these thinspiration sites and their prominence on sites such as Tumblr and Pinterest. In 2012, Tumblr created a new policy against "Pro-Self-Harm Blogs," claiming that any sites used for promotion of unhealthy habits would be deactivated from use of the site. They justified this policy as a way to protect other users as well as the integrity of the site. While Tumblr set a precedent for Internet censorship of self-harm sites, many other blogging sites have not yet followed their example. Pinterest is now in the spotlight as users shift to this newer site for their unhealthy practices. Like Tumblr, Pinterest has more recently become a hub for sites that promote dangerous behavior. While Pinterest does have a policy against self-harm sites and threatens to remove any "content that urges or encourages readers to cut or injure themselves; embrace anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders; or commit suicide rather than, e.g., seeking counseling or treatment", the content still saturates the blog as well as millions of other uncontrolled Internet sites (Pinterest.com). As Internet access constantly increases around the world, these sites are distributed to millions, rallying support for a dangerous cause.
(Sources: http://www.thewire.com/technology/2012/03/pinterest-has-anorexia-problem-now-too/50081/ ;
http://staff.tumblr.com/post/18563255291/follow-up-tumblrs-new-policy-against-pro-self-harm)
http://staff.tumblr.com/post/18563255291/follow-up-tumblrs-new-policy-against-pro-self-harm)