How do you influence social networks in your way of eating? Harvard aims to regulate content to prevent eating disorders

Worldwide, cases of eating disorders have increased considerably in recent years, one of the main causes being the excessive consumption of content from the internet.

“There is more and more evidence that demonstrates that certain types of use of social networks can increase the risk of developing eating disorders, especially for young people”, assures the researcher of the Public Health School of Harvard University, Amanda Raffoul.

as signaled Script NewsRaffoul considers that the main problem of these platforms are their algorithms, which seek to be controlled by legislation.

This new law project is promoted by Harvard and the Hospital de Niños de Boston, through its “Initiativa de Formación Estratégica para la Prevención de los Disorders de la Conducta Alimentaria” (STRIPED by its abbreviations in English).

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Social networks and eating disorders

“With eating disorders, genetics, state of mind and family life practically carrying the weapon, and things like social networks and society jalan del trigger”, is how researcher at the University of Colorado, Emily Hemendinger, defines the relationship between nutrition problems and these averages.

And that is the concern of legislators and Harvard is that these internet platforms have no legal obligation to release information that complies with public health policies.

In addition to the algorithms, a young person who plays a solo video about eating disorders will often see this type of content again, and could be affected.

¿Improve the health system or control social networks?

Amanda Raffoul assures that some US states have decided to optimize the attention given to these disorders. “Other states are working to improve medical standards”, she emphasized.

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For her part, the researcher explained in an article of Harvard that STRIPED’s legal team sees as a potential solution to carry out “evaluations or audits of what the algorithms end up showing vulnerable young people”.

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